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Exercises to master French nasal vowels visualisation

Exercises to master French nasal vowels

Mastering Challenging French Sounds: A Comprehensive Guide: Exercises to master French nasal vowels
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To master French nasal vowels, here are effective exercises and techniques:

  1. Nasal Vowel Practice Sounds:

    • Practice the three main nasal vowels: [ɑ̃] (an, am, en, em), [ɛ̃] (in, im, ain, ein), and [ɔ̃] (on, om).
    • Use the technique of pinching your nose while producing the sound. The nasal vowel sound changes or is muffled when the nose is pinched, confirming nasalization is correct.
    • Repeat the vowel sounds out loud, exaggerating mouth positions to help air flow through the nose.

  2. Word Practice Without Pronouncing Nasal Consonants:

    • Practice saying French words with nasal vowels but do not pronounce the nasal consonant (m or n) explicitly. For example:
      • bonjour (hello)
      • carton (cardboard)
      • sympa (nice)
      • lapin (rabbit)
    • This helps to isolate and focus on the nasal vowel itself.

  3. Pronunciation Tips:

    • For [ɑ̃], start from the oral vowel [a] and slightly round the lips while keeping the mouth open, and move the tongue a little backward.
    • For [ɛ̃], start from the oral vowel [ɛ], stretch your lips like a Joker smile, keep the mouth almost closed, and keep your tongue touching your lower teeth.
    • For [ɔ̃], push your lips forward as if to blow out a candle and produce the nasal sound.

  4. Listening and Repeating Words and Sentences:

    • Use listening exercises that focus on nasal vowel sounds, then try repeating with the correct nasalization.
    • Some video lessons and online audio resources provide guided practice with nasal vowels in context.

  5. Additional Exercise:

    • Tongue twisters with nasal vowels can also help, such as “Si mon tonton tond ton tonton, ton tonton sera tondu” to practice nasal “on” sounds.
    • Record your own pronunciation and compare it to native speakers to self-correct.

These exercises and tips help ensure the correct production of French nasal vowels by focusing on mouth position, airflow through the nose, and isolating nasal vowel sounds in words and sentences.

References

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