Diction for Singers: A concise reference for English, Italian, Latin, German, French, and Spanish pronunciation [2 ed.] 9781934477700

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Diction for Singers 2nd Edition

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Diction for Singers in, A concise referance for English, Italian, Lat ion German, French, and Spanish pronunciat Joan Wall Robert Caldwell Tracy Gavilanes Sheila Allen

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Copyright 2009 Robert Caidwell ISBN 978-1934477700

All Rights Reserved. This book or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission. Second Edition First Printing Printed in the United States of America Copies of this book may be ordered from: Diction for Singers. corn Division of Celumbra P0 Box 421 Redmond, WA 98073 dictionforsingers.com Cover Design: Marti Dees Interior Design: Robert Caidwell, Cindy Praeuner Excerpts from the English translations of the Roman Missal Copyright 1973 International Committee in the Liturgy, IMC English Translations of the Kyrie, Santus, Benedictus, and Gloria I Exelcis by the International Consultation on English Texts All Rights Reserved

Contents

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Contents 1

Introduction

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1 How to Use This Book 2 The International Phonetic Alphabet 3 Vowels 4 Vowel Diagram 5 Consonants 6 Consonant Chart 6 WhatisGoodDiction 7 Good Diction is Understandable 7 Sounds Well-Articulated Speech 8 Correctly Pronounced Words 8 Appropriately Linked Words 8 Appropriately Emphasized Words Good Diction is Appropriate 10 for the Music and Occasion Good Diction Does Not Call Attention to Itself. 10 11 Typical Diction Problems in Singing 11 Summary

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English Diction Special Features of English Syllabification Stressing Strong and Weak Syllables Vowel Sounds of English Pure Vowels Special Vowels of English The vowel [e] The vowel [u] The Paired Vowels [A] and [] The Paired R-Colored Vowels [] and []. Diphthongs Muffled Consonants Incomplete Closure

14 14 15 16 16 17

17 18 18 18 .

The stop-plosive consonants [p1 and [bJ The stop-plosive consonants [t] and [dJ The Paired Stop-plosive Consonants [kj and [gj..

Incomplete friction The paired fricative consonants If] and [VI The paired fricative consonants [0] and [ó] The Paired Fricative Consonants [si and [z] The Paired Fricative Consonants UI and [31 The Fricative Consonant [hi

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.19 21 23

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23 23 24 26 27 27 28 29 30 31

Contents

Incomplete Nasality

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The Nasal Consonant [m] The Nasal Consonant jn] The Nasal Consonant [ij]

Retroflex Consonant R The Consonant X Affricative Consonants Articulation of Vowels Vowel Substitutions Omissions Some Common Omissions. Additions Pronunciation Considerations Misplaced stress Elision Assimilations Appropriate Assimilatiow Inappropriate Assimilation

Linking. Meaningful Emphasis of Words in Sentences Choosing which word to emphasize How to emphasize the important word Final Note

Italian Diction Chart of Italian Sounds Special Features of Italian Syllabification Single Consonant Between Vowels Two Consecutive Consonants Three Consecutive Consonants Consecutive Vowels Stressing Rules for Stressing Stress and Meaning Features of Italian Pronunciation Double Consonants Special Doubling Long and Short Vowels The Consonant 1 The Consonants d, t, and n The Stop-Plosive Consonants The Italian Vowela The Italian Vowels e and o Flipped and Trilled r

31 32 32 33 34 35 36

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36 36

40 40

42 43 43

44 44 44 45

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47 47 48

49

51 52

56 56 56 56 57 57 58 59

60 60 60 61 61 62 62 63 63 64

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Contents

The Two Italian Glides: ] and [w]. Enya [p1 and Elya [A] Apocopation Elision Rules for Pronouncing Consecutive Vowels Diphthongs Glides Triphthongs Two Syllables 1. Two Strong Vowels 2. Two- or Three-Letter Words. 3. Polysyllabic Words Additional Comments About Consecutive Vowels Singing Consecutive Vowels Glides Diphthongs [rna ii [s€ ii Triphthongs Two Syllables Connecting Words in Italian

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68 •

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69

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70 71 71 71 72

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73 73 73 73 74 74 74 74 75

Italian Vowels in Detail a e

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The letter e in Stressed Syllables The Letter e in Unstressed Syllables

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Italian Consonants in Detail. b d

f g Ii k in p q

76 78

78 79 •

The Letter o in Stressed Syllables The Letter o in Unstressed Syllables

66 66 67 68

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87

93 93 93 99

.103 103 103 107 107 108 111 112 112 112 113 114 115 116 116

Contents

S.

t V.

w. x. y. z.

Latin Diction Chart of Latin Sounds Special Features of Latin Liturgical Latin Syllabification Single Consonant Between Vowels Two Consecutive Consonants. Three Consecutive Consonants Consecutive Vowels Stress Two Syllables More Than Two Syllables

Elision Latin Vowels Pronouncing Consecutive Vowels Single Vowel Sound. Diphthongs Glides Two Syllables

Latin Vowels in Detail a e 0 U

y b C

Latin Consonants in Detail d

f g h k

p q

118 121 122 123 123 123 123

...125 .126 129 129 129 129 130 131 131 132 132 132 133 133 133 133 134 .135 .135 137 137 138 139 140 140 141 142 142

142 143 144 144 145 145 145 146 146 146 47 148 148

Contents

149 150 151 151 151 153

S.

t V.

w. x. z.

The Ordinary of the Mass German Diction Chart of German Sounds Special Features of German.

.154

.161 162

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• .166

Syllabification Single Consonant between Vowels Multiple Consonants Prefixes and Suffixes Compound Words Stress Foreign Origin Unstressed Syllables Distinctive German Vowels The letter a The letter e The letter o General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels Close and Long Vowels Vowels That are Close but not Long: Open and Short Vowels Mixed Vowel Sounds Diphthongs The Diphthong [ae] The Diphthong [aol The Diphthong [oØ] Distinctive German Consonants The Consonant ch Ichlaut [ci Achlaut [xl Tchlaut and Achlaut with Forward and Back Vowels Dental Consonants D, T, N, and L. [dl and [t] [n] [1]

Voicing and Unvoicing b, d, g Interpretive Use of Consonants Double Consonants

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.166 166 • 167 168 .170 .170 .

.172 .173 .173 .174 .174 .174

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Glottal Stop Initial position Medial Position

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German Vowels in Detail

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y

German Consonants in Detail.

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211 211 211 215 216 216 218 218 219 219 220 220 221 222 222 223 226 227 227 228 228

b d

f g h

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French Diction Chart of French Sounds Special Features of French Syllabification Single Consonant Between Vowels Two Consecutive Consonants. Three Consecutive Consonants Consecutive Vowels Stress Features of French Pronunciation The Mixed Vowels Glides Nasal Vowels Final mute e The Pure Vowels [e] and [o]. Mute and Aspirate h The Enya .

230 236 236 237 237 238 238 239 241 241 243 245 249 250 250 251

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Pronounced and Silent Consonants Liaison and Elision Rules for Liaison and Elision. French Vowels in Detail.

259 259 264 277 282 284 286

a e 0 U

y b

French Consonants in Detail

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f. g.

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k. 1. m n.

p. q. r. S.

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w. x. z.

Spanish Diction Chart of Spanish Sounds. Special Features of Spanish.

251 256 .257

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305 306 309

309 Syllabification 309 Single Consonant Between Vowels 309 Two Consecutive Consonants. 310 Three Consecutive Consonants 310 Four Consecutive Consonants. 311 Two Consecutive Vowels 311 Features of Spanish Pronunciation. .311 Breath Phrases b, v, d, g: Pronunciation and Word Position. • .312 .313 Lack of Aspiration in [p1, [t], [k] • .314 Assimilation of [s] .315 Assimilation of [n] .316 Consonants Sounds Not Found in English. • .318 Pure, Simple Vowels

Contents

Strong Vowels Diphthongs Glides Stress Predictable Patterns. Syllable Length Lack of Secondary Stress. Cognate Words Stress Timing Vowel Changes Across Word Boundaries Triphthongs Dialectal Variations .

Spanish Vowels

Detail

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319 .320 .320 .321 .321 .322 .323 .323 324 .324 .326 .327

.329 329 330 333 334 336

Spanish Consonants in Detail. b d

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.337 337 338 339 341 341 343 343 343 344 345 345 346 346 347 348 350 350 350 351 351

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Introducton

Introduction The following chapters will guide you to pronounce the sounds of English, Italian, Latin, French, German, and Spanish. This book does not presume to be an exhaustive account of the phonology of these languages. Rather it is intended as a concise reference for singers who need to pronounce these languages in their libretti or song text. It is especially suited for use as an undergraduate text in diction classes and offers a solid foundation in pronouncing these languages, as well as future use as a standard reference. Rules of pronunciation are important to learn—to know when to pronounce close e [ci and open e kEl, for instance—because they will help you quickly recognize patterns in the languages. But the rules themselves are not the most important thing to emphasize. It is more important to recognize the patterns of each language, to refine your own speech, and to give attention to its effect on your singing. Keep in mind that language is dynamic: within a language, even within a single native speaker, there are variations of pronunciation. The pronunciations are sometimes so irregular that even dictionaries disagree on them. The rules should not be considered as rigid truths for pronunciation in all cases, all the time: they are best considered merely as tools for recognizing recurring patterns in pronunciation.

How to Use This Book The book is divided into seven chapters: Introduction, English, Italian, Latin, German, French, and Spanish. The Introduction explains how to use the book and presents the symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet for vowels and consonants. It defines the characteristics of good diction and introduces typical diction problems. The English chapter explores the typical diction problems, and gives special considerations for singing in English and sounds unique to English. Since the readers of this book are English speaking singers, the material in the English chapter deals more with articulation than pronunciation of English. In the chapters on the foreign languages, the material focuses on pronunciations in each language. Each subsequent chapter contains four sections. The first section is a single page overview of what to expect when studying the language.

Introduction 2 The second section is an “at-a-glance” chart of sounds. This chart is most helpful as a reminder of a particular pronunciation, or as a comparison of the sounds of one language with the next. For example, the letters ai appear in every language, each with a different pronunciation. In French, mais is pronounced [mc]; in German, mai is pronounced [mae]. These different pronunciations of ai are easy to see on these charts. Of course, the chart will not provide all that you need to pronounce the language: it is a reference best used after you have studied the language. The next section, “Special Features,” explains the general tools you need to pronounce that language. There are concise rules for how to divide a word into syllables, how to determine the syllabic stress, and how to handle the special features of each language. These tools are condensed, streamlined, and organized to facilitate your learning, and you can keep them at hand to pry apart a spelling and extract its pronunciation. For instance, in the chapter on Spanish diction, under the special feature “Assimilation of n,” you will learn when to pronounce n as m. Or, in the chapter on Italian diction, under the special feature “Consecutive Vowels,” you will learn how to sing triphthongs when the composer has given you only one note for all three vowel sounds. The final section is a detailed description of each vowel and con sonant (and significant groupings of vowels and consonants) for each language. This section serves as a special resource, almost like a concise encyclopedia of letters and their corresponding sounds. For example, under “The letter e” in Italian, you will find a full discussion of how to handle final e’s, when and where to pronounce e as open [ci or close [el and the exceptions to those rules, with word examples to practice. Use this section as a special reference, a classroom drill, and a source of more detailed information on each letter.

The International Phonetic Alphabet To obtain more information about the International Phonetic Alphabet and the formation of individual speech sounds, refer to The International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers b, Joan Wall which is a companion book for Diction for Singers.

The study of the International Phonetic Alphabet is the study of speech sounds. Or, more precisely, it is the study of the symbols which represent speech sounds. A phonetic alphabet is an alphabet in which a single sound is represented by a single symbol. The International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA, is such an alphabet. The study of the IPA is valuable to singers because it permits easy and clear communication about the sounds of language. IPA is used in universities, in voice lessons, in diction classes, in textbooks, and in dictionaries as a common language to communicate pronunciation rules of the languages of opera and art song literature.

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Introducton 3 Precise Articulation Successfully pronouncing a language ultimately requires skillful and flexible—sometimes subtle, almost imperceptible—adjustments of your lips, tongue, jaw, and soft palate in order to produce a particular sound. You will discover that each sound is affected by even the smallest movements of your articulators. On the next few pages, you will find a vowel diagram and a consonant chart. These charts represent individual speech sounds and illustrate the relationship between the sounds and how they are produced. A singer ultimately is an artist with words. When you become intimate with the production of individual speech sounds, you develop the tools for a singing diction that will shape language into meaningful and beautiful expressions.

You will encounter terms such as open e, and close e, which refer to the relative space between your

Note: The paragraphs on vowels and consonants have excerpts from The International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers.

Vowels The sound you identify as a vowel sound is the result of the acoustical properties of your vocal tract (mouth, throat, and nose). Each vowel sound has a specific harmonic structure, governed by the position of your lips, jaw, tongue, and soft palate—articulators that change the size and shape of your vocal tract. Languages have pure vowels and diphthongs. A vowel is called a pure vowel when its sound can be sustained without movement of the articulators or any change in the quality of sound until the air flow ceases. A diphthong is made up of two vowel sounds that have a result perceived as a single distinguishable language unit. The placement of vowels on the Vowel Diagram suggests the position of the tongue when articulating various vowels. Vowels are classified as forward, central, and back; as close, mid, and open; and as rounded or unrounded.

tongue and the roof of your mouth when you pronounce a vowel. The space is more open for open e than close e,for instance.

A diphthong may include a pure vowel and a glide, as in the word use [juzi.

The phrase a more rounded sound generally refers to the sound made when the lips are more rounded. You will hear the French schwa described as a more rounded schwa than Eng lish, for instance.

Introduction 4 Vowel Diagram On the Vowel Diagram, the terms forward, central, and back vowels refer to whether the high point of the arch of the tongue is forward, central or back in the mouth.

Vowel Diagram Forward Central Back

Notice that 7orward, central, and back vowels” are language terms and they do not refer to the often used ped agogical terms of “forward and back placement,” which refer to specific tone qualities and to the physical loca tion of singing sensations. All vowels can be sung in different tone qualities and with different sensations. For ex ample, a back vowel can be sung with aforward placement of tone.

The terms close, mid, and open vowels refer to the width of the space between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The closer the arch of the tongue is to the roof, the more close the vowel; the more open the space between the roof of the mouth and tongue and the farther the jaw is dropped, the more open the vowel.

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Introducton 5 The terms rounding and unrounding refer to the position of your lips. Most back vowels use rounded lips, while forward vowels use unrounded lips. On the Vowel Diagram, neighboring vowels are physically produced similarly. For example, the two vowels [i] and [i], which are next to each other, are produced with minimal differences in the tongue and jaw. Experiment with the articulation of the two forward vowels [i] and Li] by sustaining an [ii sound and then sliding slowly to [ii. Feel the gradual and tiny movements of your tongue and jaw. The skill of discerning when the [ii has finally opened enough to become [‘1 is typical of the skills required to successfully learn diction. Words are made up of syllables; every syllable has a vowel as its core; and syllables are shaped and given meaning by the surrounding consonants. In singing, consonants—not vowels—are the most important element for the communication of the meaning and the expressiveness of a word.

In your vocal studies, you will inves

tigate pure vowel prod uction for good diction, and you will also encounter vowel modfication to govern tonal quality and vocal freedom. Vowel

Consonants A consonant is a speech sound that is formed when the articulators interrupt the flow of air through the vocal tract. Precise, wellarticulated consonants are necessary to mold language sounds into meaningful words. The study of singing diction centers upon a knowledge of how consonants are articulated. Consonants are classified according to the place of articulation, the manner of articulation, and the voicing of the consonant. Place of articulation refers to the place in the vocal tract where the interruption of the air flow occurs: the lips, teeth, tongue, alveolar ridge, hard palate, soft palate, and glottis. For example, the place of articulation for [p1 is at the lips. Manner of articulation refers to the method of interruption of the air flow,

whether by a complete interruption or by a partial interruption in the flow of air. For example, the manner of articulation for [p1 is that the air flow is stopped completely before being released suddenly. There are several different manners of articulation: stop-plosive, fricative, nasal, lateral, and glide. A stop-plosive consonant occurs when the air flow is completely prevented from passing through the mouth or nose and then is released suddenly. A fricative consonant has the air flow partially interrupted, thus producing a noisy sound. Nasal consonants are those that are produced with air travelling through the nasal passageway. There is

modification is the deliberate altering of a vowel sound by slightly opening or closing your mouth, rounding or unrounding your lips, or moving the body of your tongue farther forward or back in your mouth. Learning to use modified vowels is an important and necessary part of your training that takes place in the vocal studio.

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Introduction 6 only one lateral consonant in English: the 1 sound as in lit; while there are three glides: the r sound in red, the y sound in yet, and w as in wear. The classification of voicing indicates whether the sound has pitch (voiced) or does not have pitch (unvoiced). For example, the consonant sound [gJ is voiced, while [kj is unvoiced.

Consonant Chart

unv. Fricative Stop-Plosive

p

Nasal

Tongue and Palate

Tongue and Upper Teeth

Tongue and Teeth Ridge

v.

unv.

V.

unv.

v.

unv.

v.

unv.

V.

unv.

V.

unv.

f

f

v

0

O

s

z

J’ ç

3

x

y

h

t

d

k

g

b m

Glottis

——

hw

v.

II

np

Lateral Glide

Tongue and Soft Palate

Upper Teeth and Lower Lip

Both Lips

q

r

w

j

-

Note: Affricatives are a combination of two consonants and are represented by two symbols [tj] and [d3], or by single symbols [[] and [d3].

What is Good Diction It is possible to confuse good diction with affected speech. In the beginning, precise articulation may sound artificial to you, particularly in your own language of English. However, precise articulation is imperative for the artistry of your performance. The words form the framework for the music and communicate the emotions and thoughts of your songs and arias. Poor speech habits often fail to effectively communicate the meaning and emotional qualities of the words. Sloppy speech may actually distract or even frustrate the audience. Precise diction, rather than being artificial, actually forms the springboard from which you can project your artistry outward to your audience. Evaluate your singing diction by asking the following:

1) Are the words understandable? 2) Does your diction enhance your performance?

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Introducton 7 Good Diction is Understandable How many times have you heard American singers singing in English and thought they were singing in a foreign language? Consider how their artistry was diminished, how the lyrics’ impact was diluted. Consider why—even though these singers were singing their own language—their words were not understand able. To sing understandably in any language requires special attention. Keep in mind the following four considerations for understandable language: speech sounds must be well-articulated, words must be correctly pronounced with correct stressing, words must be appropriately linked, and words must be appropriately emphasized for the meaningful flow of the language.

Well-Articulated Speech Sounds Phonetically, words and sentences are nothing more than a stream of consonants and vowels. In English, you automatically produce a stream of vowels and consonants and your unconscious habits, deletions, and errors automatically stream out as well. In foreign languages, your habits from English linger and often inject themselves into the new language. As a singer, you need to break down the words of any language into individual consonants and vowels and shape the articulation of each speech sound with precision and energy. Do not unconsciously slur over any sound. Like a loomsmith examining each thread before weaving it into a tapestry, consider the articulation of each sound as essential to the overall impact of your singing. Primarily, understandable singing requires strong consonants. Otherwise, singing is simply a vocalise without text. Consonants shape the vocal tone from vocalized vowels into vibrant, meaningful, expressive language. Lazy articulation and inattention to diction causes muffled, indistinct words and the beauty and communication of the text is lost. Understandable singing needs clear vowels. Many singers mis-articulate vowels and diphthongs and their diction becomes muddy and indistinct, instead of teeming with rich, clear, distinct sounds. Mis-articulation habits account for many of the indistinct vowels we hear in singing. Poor articulation of vowels in singing is often caused by an effort to achieve a more resonant tone. To find their best resonance on a certain pitch, singers will often appropriately modify the articulation of a vowel. Later, on other pitches, where modification is not needed for best resonance, they will inappropriately continue the modified articulation.

Introduction 8 You may have heard singers who over-modify all of their vowels throughout the range of their voice, causing all of their vowels to sound alike. As a singer, it is imperative that you distinguish between when you are modifying a vowel because of an artistic choice and when you are modifying a vowel because of sloppiness and mis-articulation.

Correctly Pronounced Words For the words of a language to be understood, you must pronounce them correctly. Pronunciation includes the specific choices of speech sounds and syllabic stresses within a word. Your study of foreign language diction is structured by this text to help you learn the rules of correct pronunciation of each of the foreign languages. In English, of course, if you have a question about correct pronunciation, you can easily turn to your dictionary. Correct syllabic stressing is imperative for correct pronunciation and intelligible words. All syllables in a word do not carry the same prominence or importance. There may be a primary stress, a secondary stress, and an unstressed syllable within a single word. Stress is caused by changing some element of sounds: pitch, loudness, timing, and sometimes the vowel. Improper stressing makes a word difficult to understand. In singing, a challenge arises because your song will have its own stress pattern which may conflict with the stress pattern of a word. You must address this problem if you want your diction to be clearly understood. Learn to create meaningful and dynamic stress and unstressing in your singing. Different languages use different methods of stressing. This text comments about this important element of diction in the “Special Features” section of each language.

Appropriately Linked Words In speech, each language has its own method of linking words which must be maintained in singing. Without linking, the language loses its understandability, its flow, and can sound wooden, stilted, and over articulated. The methods used to connect words are discussed in the “Special Features” sections for each language.

Appropriately Emphasized Words Understandable diction requires words to have appropriate emphasis for meaningful speech. When a singer articulates syllables and words

Introducton 9 merely as isolated sounds, without making a connection to ideas, audiences have considerable difficulty understanding the words. This is not only poor interpretation, this is poor diction. The natural patterns of intensity, inflection, and timing of a language give more importance to certain words and create meaningful speech. Important words in a language are emphasized by changes in intensity. We usually increase loudness for prominent words, although we may do the opposite as when we sing a sub ito piano. Inflection is the melodic flow in a sentence that creates meaningfulness. In English, you can find the inflection of a sentence by speaking it aloud. Notice your normal spoken inflection. This will be easy for you in English, but as a singer, you must also become sensitive to the patterns of inflection used in other languages.

In your music, of course, the inflection of a sentence is established by the pitches of the melody. Yet, if you first establish the meaningful inflection of the sounds in speech, you can discover that the meanings established by these spoken inflections can easily slip into your singing and the pre established melody of your song. Timing in language includes duration and rhythm. The duration of a word often changes with emphasis. Usually the duration of an important word is lengthened. The rhythm of the words in a spoken phrase can be changed to create emphasis. Delaying the pronunciation of an important word, adding small silences, and lengthening the initial consonant of a stressed syllable are ways to emphasize a word.

In music, where duration and rhythm are already established, you can still affect changes in timing. For best understandability, you must maintain the special rhythm of the language even when the musical rhythms do not seem to support it. For example, we know that every eighth note will not carry the same weight: some seem lighter and faster than others. We also use rhythmic devises such as an aggogic accent, pause, tenuto, fermata, rubato, ritardando, and accelerando to stretch or shrink a word or phase. Use the natural flow of language to emphasize the words in your lyrics. The natural inflections give rise to ideas, meaning, and emotion. Natural inflection can arise only if you know the word-by-word translation of the poem or libretto. A word of caution: do not depend upon a poetic translation or the English words printed in the score under the foreign words. This translation is usually too general and often inaccurate. You must know the specific meaning of each word and each sentence. Read the lyrics aloud as if they are a dramatic monologue, whether the lyrics are in English or in a foreign language. Decide which words

Introduction 10 should be connected into phrases and which word is most important in each phrase. Emphasize the important word as you read, using the patterns of emphasis appropriate for that language. Emphasize only one important word per phrase. Emphasizing more than one word in a single phrase usually tends to diffuse the meaning. Sing the song immediately after you have read the lyrics aloud. Transfer the spoken emphasis of the words into your singing. English and foreign languages use specific patterns of intensity, inflection, and timing to emphasize words. These patterns will be mentioned in each of the chapters.

Good Diction is Appropriate for the Music and Occasion It is important that your articulations and pronunciations are appropriate for your lyrics, music, and occasion. You will need to know the difference between when you are singing with repetitive personal speech habits and when you are making artistic diction choices. For example, in English, you must know the difference between General American Speech and other non-standard speech patterns, regionalisms, and dialects. Art songs and opera in English for the national or international stage use stage diction—General American Speech—the most accepted prestige dialect in the United States. In concert performances, General American Speech artistically supports the content of the music. If you use non standard pronunciations, regionalisms, or a dialect while singing this literature, your diction would be inappropriate and would not serve your music. In other styles of music, however, you may need to use dialect or colloquialisms. The music of Broadway, pop, folk, rock, or jazz will all demand their own diction for stylistic reasons. Listen to performances by famous singers of each style to determine appropriate diction. Your articulation and pronunciation must enhance the style and content of the poetry, the music, and the occasion, otherwise it will interfere with the performance.

Good Diction Does Not Call Attention to Itself Your diction is effective when it does not distract the listeners by calling attention to itself. It should unobtrusively support and enhance the music. Diction habits that call attention to themselves include over-articulation, muffled or slurred articulation, mis-pronunciations,

Introducton 11 regionalisms, and other typical diction problems that you will find discussed in the following section.

Typical Diction Problems in Singing Singing with good diction requires flexibility—flexibility with your articulators and with your connection to the words, your urges to express your thoughts and emotions. You learn to use your voice in new and different ways to precisely pronounce a word or series of words, particularly in a foreign language, connecting them to the urges to express them in the varied ways demanded by songs and arias. You put your tongue in new positions, protrude your lips until it feels odd, drop your jaw in unexpected places—all while the music pulls you into the larger emotions and musical expressions. The adventure of good diction begins with these new experiences of your articulators and their connection to your artistic expression.

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Consequently, the common problems with good diction arise from inflexibility with your articulators, which arise mostly from your speech habits—the ones ingrained in you from childhood and your regional accents. Many of these problems disappear through exploring your articulators, drilling both the full range of movements and combinations and the awareness of the full range of sounds you use. We offer a book that guides you through such a complete process called The International Phonetic Alphabet for Singers, the companion title to this book. With enough flexibility, your voice can spring into the continuous shapes to embody the rules of pronunciation. With requisite flexibility of the articulators, you need to guide your attention to the sounds themselves as part of good diction, noticing specifically where problems are likely to occur. Common problems can be classified under the following headings: muffled consonants, unclear vowels, substitutions, addition and omission of sounds, poor linking of words, and mis-stressing. Since most of these arise from speech habits, you will be guided through these categories as they apply to English. (See English on page 13). They will help you explore your own language habits and develop awareness of the sounds you use. These common problems apply to all languages, so be sure to generalize them, noting the specific solutions for each language as you study its general rules of pronunciation.

I

Summary Diction is the playground of the vocal line, so, phrase after phrase, you will apply thousands of distinctions that ultimately shape the sounds, expressions, and intelligibility of your singing. Good diction certainly

Introduction 12 means greater intelligibility, greater expressiveness, and greater vocal sophistication with your vocal lines. It also means a set of concrete tools you can use with all your work as a vocal artist. Aiming at good diction guides your work at an indispensable level in the multilevel art of singing.

p p I

p

p

English

English Diction Phonology is the science ofspeech sounds.

To study diction, you focus on two aspects of language, articulation and pronunciation. Keeping these two aspects in mind helps you understand and resolve diction problems. With articulation, you focus on shaping individual sounds by moving the articulators. With mis-articulation, you listen for errors in specific speech sounds, which tend to generalize within a person’s speech. For example, if you hear a person say tin [tin] for the word ten [ten], you hear him misarticulate the phoneme [ci. With your understanding of the International Phonetic Alphabet, you know he is arching his tongue too high and forward for [ci. You will likely hear him make this misarticulation in similar words (where the letter e is followed by a nasal consonant), mis-articulating [i] for [ci in tempt, when, pen, meant, and many. As another example, you may hear someone articulate [d] at the beginning of these (deez) [dizi; in this case, he is misarticulating the th [ôJ. Again, you would likely hear this error generalize in his speech. With pronunciation, on the other hand, you focus on selecting sounds and stress among the syllables. With mis-pronunciations, you listen for errors in selecting the appropriate sounds to pronounce a word. Not being habits of the articulators for specific sounds, these errors can typically be resolved by simply consulting a dictionary. A few common mispronunciations (mis-selections of sounds) are: LL 1.22Oi. incorrect

correct

prescription

Ipasknpn]

[prskripJn1

athletic

[eOalctik]

[eQlctik]

walk

[w1k]

[w3k]

Since you already know (subconsciously) a large body of information concerning the individual sounds and sound patterns of English, this chapter is more concerned with articulation than pronunciation. Bearing this in mind, you will not need to learn the phonological system of American English in detail. Rather, you will need to learn the specific issues of articulation that will enhance the musical and artistic expressiveness of your singing.

English 14

fl Articulation is the process of form ing or shaping the individual sounds of a language by the movements of the articulators.

Special Features of English

In the following sections, you read aloud many sample words that draw your attention to your articulation habits in speech. Since these habits typically transfer into your singing, recognizing them in speech first takes you a long way towards improving your singing diction. With increased sensitivity to your own articulation, you sing with clearer diction, avoid common problems of singing in English, and appreciate how precise articulation results in effective singing diction—all of which helps lead to beautiful singing. The chapter begins with special topics relevant to singing in English, such as syllabification and strong and weak syllables. It continues with typical articulation problems that interfere with good diction: muffled consonants, unclear vowels, substitutions, omissions, and additions. It provides exercises that focus on each sound and brings into your awareness the problems associated with that sound. Then it points up some pronunciation considerations, such as stressing, elision, assimilation, and linking of words in connected language. The latter part of the chapter discusses the need for meaningful emphasis of words during singing for beautiful and effective diction.

Syllabification Pronunciation is the selection of sounds and syllabic stress. For exam ple, ea in English can be pronounced in a variety of ways, as in eat, head, preamble. Selecting the sound to match the spelling is pronunciation. While studying this text, we will present articulation rules, which will

In songs, we see lyrics usually divided into syllables according to the normal rules for English, but we often speak them differently. We see a consonant as the final sound in a syllable, for instance, but may pronounce it as the initial sound of the next syllable, as in the word heav-en, which we pronounce hea-ven, putting the consonant v with the second syllable. In the following words, ask yourself whether you pronounce the underlined consonants with the first or second syllable. LL 1.1.01

tell you how to produce a particular sound, and some pronunciation rules, which will tell you which sounds to choose when you look at a spelling.

When singing, we must pronounce consonants with the appropriate syllable. In the previous words, we’d have to put them with the second syllable.

I I I I

English 15 Stressing Stress is emphasis among the syllables within a word. In any language, stress is critical for correct pronunciations and understandable words. Stress patterns differ significantly across languages, creating the unique nationalistic flavors in songs from different cultures, impacting phrasing and the shape of the melodic line. This is one reason successful translations of lyrics are difficult to achieve. English speakers usually stress syllables at three levels: primary, secondary and unstressed. Primary syllables carry the strongest stress, secondary syllables, a somewhat lessened stress, and unstressed syllables, the weakest stress. English speakers usually stress syllables by pronouncing them with increased loudness, raised pitch, and lengthened duration. They unstress syllables by pronouncing the vowel with such a weak intensity and short duration that it actually migrates to another vowel, a neutral schwa [] or ih [il. For example, in the word demon [di rnnJ the unstressed second syllable uses the weak [] and not the stressed vowel sound of oh [o].

The unstressed form of [u] may become

[u]

in unstressed syllables as

in usual [ju

30

l] or closure [klou

30r].

Occasionally an English speaker eliminates an unstressed vowel completely, making the neighboring consonant the core of the syllable, as in the words little [ii UI or Latin [la till. (The dot under the 1 and n indicates the consonant is pronounced as a syllabic 1 or n.) When a syllabic consonant is written below a musical note, a singer reinstates the unstressed vowel schwa [] and sings the word little as [li tl]. The phenomenon of unstressing is such an important characteristic of English that you must be careful to pronounce the unstressed vowels properly—otherwise the words sound over-articulated and become difficult to understand.

It is not pretentious or artificial to speak distinctly, although it may be unfamiliar at first. Language is mu sic when all the sounds of a word are

Jn the following words, pay attention to the underlined unstressed syllables. Observe how you choose to pronounce these vowels with unstressed [J or [i].

clearly said. Arthur Lessac likened

LL 1.1.02

ent instruments in an orchestra, each

Read aloud.

the individual consonants to thffer

pallid

[p lad]

or

[p lid]

one punctuating the stream of vowel

breakfast

[brek fast]

or

[brek fist]

sounds with its particular timbre.

element

[c l mnt1

or

[e Ii

mnalysis beautiful

[ n l ss] [bju t Mi

or or

[ me ii sis] [bju n M]

lettice

[Ic ts]

or

[ic Us]

mInt]

The analogy isfine

--

learn to “play”

consonants, to sing them artistically, with sensitivity, with pressiveness, with color.

I

English 16 Strong and Weak Syllables IFA for Singers is the companion articulation

workbook

that

will

guide you in acquiring these skills with precision.

Primary stress is indicated in 1PA by a diacritical mark [] before the sylla

English speakers maintain a pattern of strong and weak syllables occuring at fairly regular intervals within sentences. They use secondary stress to help maintain a similar time length between strong stresse s. In the following phrases, observe how the patterns of stress play out. You can identify the primary stress in the underlined vowel; the second ary stress and weak stress by noticing whether the vowel maintains a normal pronunciation or whether it migrates to the neutral [] or [i]. For example, in the word discriminate [dis kri m neit] you hear primary, second ary, and unstressed syllables.

ble; secondary stress by a diacritical

1.1 1,1,0.3

mark [,] before the syllable, and un

The inderlined vQwels recjve primary strss. Is sp.ce limitless and nfimte2 Hiw do you discriminate the triith of sQmething?

stressed by no diacritical mark.

Read aloud

As a singer, you strive to maintain the natural stress pattern s of the

Sometimes the muddiness of a sing er’s diction—where the vowels all sound alike and the consonants seem all but absent— is due to a well-in tended effort to achieve an even tone, a continuous ring in the voice, which is an issue of resonance. However, a consistant resonance can be main tained while you sing a wide range of clear, distinct vowel sounds, and rich, vibrant consonant sounds. As you iron out the wrinkles in your reso nance, be careful not to iron out the distinctiveness of the vowels and the richness of the consonants.

I

language even when the stresses of the music contradict them. When you keep in mind the normal play of the stresses as you sing the melodic line, the meaning and expression in the words have a chance to spring out. You may have heard singers—too focused on tonal quality , perhaps—who neglect the normal stress and rhythm of the words or who give equal, heavy stress on every syllable. As a result, their words are difficult to understand, and the meaning of the text is snuffed out. Instead of the poetry and music fusing together, their diction sounds wooden and they lose the dramatic and artistic believability of the text. A simple, yet effective method for carrying the stresses and rhythms of the words into the melodic line is to read the poem aloud as a dramatic reading, which will help establish the meaning of the poem, the natural stressing in individual words, and the meaningful emphasis of words within phrases. Immediately after the reading, sing the phrases so that you can transfer the pattern of meaningful stress from speech into song.

Ii 1 11 I I I 1 1 I ii

Vowel Sounds of English In chapter I, “Introduction”, we define good diction as pronunciation and articulation that produce intelligible words, match the music and occasion, and do not call attention to themselves. We describe the typical problems with good diction: unclear vowels, muffled consonants, substitution of sounds, omission and addition of sounds, and poor stressing within words. Now we look at the individual speech sounds that are special to English. Awareness of them clarifies your diction and helps keep you from carrying them into other languages when singing.

Ii

ii .1

English 17 Pure Vowels

This text reflects General American

A pure vowel is a sound that can be sustained indefinitely without movement of the articulators. Identifying and producing clear vowel sounds are important skills for good diction. Study the chart of pure English vowels.

Speech. Kenyon and Knott’s A Pro

nouncing Dictionary of American English will also distinguish Gener al American Speech pronunciations

The Pure Vowels of English

from regional dialect pronunciations

Forward Vowels

for you.

[ii

as in beet

[Ii

as in bit

[e]

as in bet

[]

as in bat

Central Vowels [A]

asin bud

[]

as in about

[}

as in burr

[a’-]

as in butter

Back Vowels [u]

as in boot

[a]

as in book

[a]

as in bought

[a]

as in box

Note: The vowel sound bright ah [a], which is prominent in other languages, is found in English only in diphthongs [ai] as inmight, and [au] as in mouse.

Note: Two other English vowels have a special need in singing: [ei] as in bait, and [ou] as in boat. These vowel are consistently pronounced as diphthongs and singers must make specific choices about the timing of singing the two sounds in these diphthongs. See a discussion of diphthongs on page 21.

Special Vowels of English Of the pure vowels, six are special in English and not found in some other languages we study in this book. Read the words in the following lists to bring these vowel sounds into your awareness.

____________________

1

English

The vowel [e]: The vowel sound [a] is an open forward vowel sound found in such words as cat. Sometimes singing this vowel challenges singers because it can spread into an unpleasant, strident sound. Choral directors, for instance, sometimes encourage singers to avoid this vowel sound and substitute bright [a] in its place. However, [a] is a venerable part of the English language and should be mastered in singing. LL 1.1 O4

:

Read aloud. I

bat hat

I

rack dab sad wrap van

I

grad ran

The vowel [o]: The nowel [u], as in look, good,

book, and took is commonly misar ticulated by singers. Learn to zero-in precisely on this vowel,

The vowel sound [u] is a neutral vowel found in such words as book. While speaking it all the time American singers are often unaware of [o]. They mistakenly sing [u] instead of [u]. For example, we hear wood [wudj sung as wooed [wud] and good [god] sung as [gud]. Practice this vowel to discover its special sound. LL 1.1,05

Read aloud.

book could pull should wood took stood

The Paired Vowels

(A]

and [a]:

The central vowel uh [A], as in bud, is the most neutral vowel sound in our language. People make this sound when they can’t think of what to say. Singers should practice this vowel with vibrant vocal resonance because it can become dull in tone quality.

English 19 In English, the sound of uh [A] occurs only in stressed syllables, while its cousin schwa [1 occurs in unstressed syllables. The uh [A] is usually a more open vowel sound and schwa [] a more close vowel sound. While the two vowels have approximately the same sound, the two symbols are used to indicate the important difference in stressing. These two central vowels do not exist at all in the phonological systems of some of the other languages.

I I I

Throughout this book, read the ex mnples to bring the point of the exer cise into your awareness. Then sing a few of the words. Pick any pitch, any rhythm, and carry the focus of the ex ercise into an improvised melodic line.

In unstressed syllables, any vowel letter can be reduced to schwa [a]. For example, the letter o in contain is pronounced [k3n tell], a in central is [sen trnl], and the first e in pretend is [pm tend]. Read the following words and maintain a consistent resonance in both stressed and unstressed syllables. Read aloud.

LL 1.1.06 stressed buck

[A]

—

--

IhAk]

unstressed [] nickle

[ni k1J

—

II

I

hut

I1i,i I

‘OIfl(

ISA1fli

Iwne

lilA

much

IITIAIJI

L’aI probIm

liii

The Paired R-Colored Vowels

I I I

himmick

apart

[3’]

[ha m3kI 1iici /31] I IU hI.nhI 13 pnrll

and []

The letter r is usually pronounced as a brief, gliding consonant sound as in the word red [red]. However, when the letter r follows a vowel in the same syllable, it often loses its consonant quality and blends with the preceding vowel to become an r-colored vowel sound, as with the letters ir in the word bird. Pronounce the r-colored vowel sound with the tip of the tongue retracted and suspended in the center of the mouth. Many English speakers are unaware that this vowel sound exists in our language.

The

IPA

symbol

[a’]

for

the

r-colored vowel sound in stressed syl lables is called by various names: ur,

stressed ur, or hooked reversed

R-colored vowels occur in both stressed and unstressed syllables. In stressed syllables, it is represented by the symbol ur []. Examples are words buj, mirth, and sfr. In unstressed syllables, it is represented by the symbol [al, as in conftx, mothci, buttcr. The two symbols [] and [a’] are similar in sound: they are used to indicate the difference in stressing.

epsilon.

The IPA symbol [a’]for the

r-colored vowel sound in unstressed syllables is called unstressed ur or

hooked schwa.

English 20 The following words can help you become aware of the r-colored vowel sounds in stressed and unstressed syllables. LL 1.11)7 Ur

111 I

Read aloud. F1()Oked ‘.hva [‘1 in unstressed cv I libles

[3’-]

in ‘.tre’.sed syllables f[ I lur

ever

Ic va’]

her

[h3-j

scepter

[sep ta’-J

sir

[s3’]

sugar

[‘fu ga’]

mercy

l’ifl3’ sil

dollar

circle

I

kall

mirror

Idu Ia I I mi r.

purple

Ipi pall

hu mor

Ih.iu in- 1

dirty

I

pleasure

ipir

S

ii]

3’-]

The r-colored vowels offer a special challenge in singing. The suspension of the tip of the tongue in the center of the mouth causes a tense vocal production arid a tight tone quality that is unpleasant to hear on long, sustained notes. Fortunately, there is a simple two-step solution.

11 I Ii hi Ii

Step One: Simply drop the r-color from your articulation of [‘] and [a’-]. You can find the sound by saying the words mercy or bird with a British or a southern dialect. Just pretend you are Scarlett O’Hara or Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind. When you say the “southern” sound to find r-less ur [3], be sure to articulate it with rounded lips. Otherwise, you will be saying uh [A] as in bud and not r-less ur [3] as in bird. You also might notice that the sound of r-less ur [3] is similar to o [e] of German. Step Two: Increase the rounding of your lips slightly just as you release the sound of [3] or [a]. Notice the IPA for stressed i-less ur [] does not hane the top hook of ur [s’-] and the unstressed symbol is sim ply schwa [a].

This lip movement will produce a soft gliding sound that approximates the sound of [r]. Keep the tip of your tongue at the back of your bottom teeth. So you will be singing r-less [3] followed by a soft r sound, but not a retroflex r. The word bird sung in this manner would be transcribed [b3rd]. These two steps enable the singer to sing the r-colored vowels with freedom of vocalization and with clear diction. An audience will be unaware of the articulation adjustments and they will easily understand your words.

II II I I

m I I I I

English 21

Speak and sing the following words using the two step articulation, keeping the tip of your tongue at the back of your bottom teeth when reading Sustain the stressed

and

and

singing the following words.

unstressed r-less vowels for

two

slow

counts. Your tongue tip should remain at the back of your bottom teeth.

LL 11.08

Sing aloud. ,

dirt

Ida

earth

[

nj

-

rO]

-

learn

lii]

were

[w3

mirth

[ma

worth

[w3

r]

-

rO] rO]

-

EL 1.1.09

J, dollar

[do

ion]

butter

[bA

tori

mirror

[mi

ror]

Diphthongs A diphthong

is a vowel unit made up of two pure vowels with

the acoustic result being perceived as a single unit.

There are six

diphthongs in English:

EL 1.1.10

Read aloud.

[eu

as in

bay

eight

date

ache

[ou]

as in

boat

oue

sew

dough

[all

as in

high

I

my

lie

[au]

as in

house

bounce

brow

cow

[31]

as in

boy

toy

boil

poise

[Jul

as in

use

huge

music

cube

When singing a diphthong under a single note, a singer must decide how much relative duration to give to the two elements of the diphthong.

In the following diphthongs, sustain the first vowel with

a long duration and then glide to the second vowel just as you release the sound.

_________________

I II I

English 22 LL i.1Ji

Sing aloud. .

[eu

bait

[be

Lou]

boat

[ho

[au

height

[ha

[aol

house

[ha

[oil

boy

[ho

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Ut] it] us] 1]

I

A common error that many singers make when singing diphthongs is to unknowingly delete the second part of the diphthong. The word

my [mai] becomes mah [mu]. A diphthong will only be appropriately sung when the second part is articulated. In the song, “Climb Every Mountain” from The Sound of Music, for example, you must be sure to fully articulate of [au in climb and [aol in mountain.

Climb vry mountain. 1i IL you lind our d rarn. For [jul. sing this diphthong differently. Glide quickly past the first sound of [j] and then sing the second vowel for a longer duration.

LL. i.1i2

Sing aloud.

I

[jul

use

[jui

[jul

huge

[hju

[jul

cube

[kjti

The use of the diphthong [jul

zi -

-

(13] b]

is in transition in American speech. Following a [dl, [n], or [t], both the diphthong and the pure vowel [ul are considered standard pronunciations. In the following words use either [jul or [ul according to your preference. Consistency is desirable but not mandatory.

LL Li.i3

I I

Read aloud.

due

tube

dew

tulip

exude

Tuesday

new

numeral

nude

nuclear

I

I

English 23 Articulation of Consonants In the “Introduction” we pointed out the typical diction problems of muffled consonants, substitutions of sounds, and the omissions and addition of sounds. In this section, we investigate individual consonant sounds in English and their special considerations for good singing diction. We discuss precise articulation of consonants and the typical problems that arise with poor singing diction, giving examples of words for you to practice and evaluate your own current habits of articulation.

A consonant is a speech sound pro duced by stopping or restricting the air flow through the vocal tract by spec fic movements of the articulators.

The most prevalent problem in singing diction is poor articulation of consonants. Precise consonants—not vowels—are the most important diction element for intelligibility. You must learn to sing energized consonants and overcome the tendency to allow your consonants to drop off into indistinct, sluggish, and weak sounds, particularly at the ending of words. The following exercises will help you become aware of your consonant articulation and the diction concepts that are vital for expressive singing diction.

Muffled Consonants

A stop-plosive consonant is one in which the air flow is completely

Muffled, indistinct, and weak consonants result from sluggish articulation. There are three kinds of articulation that lead to muffled consonants: incomplete closure, incomplete friction, and insufficient nasality. We will examine each of these separately. After you have examined your own articulation habits, turn to the words in your songs and evaluate the quality of your consonants in singing. Artistic singing requires more energized consonants than everyday speech.

Incomplete Closure The consonants [p b t d k g] are called stop-plosives. The name suggests two parts to their articulation. But in reality, there are three parts: first, there is a complete stop (or closure), then a slight build up of air pressure, finally an explosive release of air and sound. When we say a consonant’s sound is muffled due to incomplete closure, we mean the articulators are not closed enough to completely stop the air flow and allow for the build up of pressure. The following exercises look at each of the stop-plosive consonants.

prevented from passing through the mouth or the nose and then is released suddenly. For full discussion of stop plosive consonants, see page 26. For simplicity, stop-plosive con sonants are sometimes called stop consonants.

Consonants are called paired conso nants when they are produced at the same place in the vocal tract and have the same manner of articulation (such as stop-plosive, fricative, or nasal). The only dfference is that one conso

The stop-plosive consonants [p1 and [hi. These paired consonants are produced with the same place and manner of articulation except that [p1 is unvoiced; [hi is voiced. For both [p1 and

nant is voiced (has pitch) and the other is unvoiced (does not have pitch.)

English 24 [hi, close your lips firmly, then feel gentle air pressure build up behind the lips, then release the consonant with a slight burst of air or sound. Be sure that when you close your lips and build up air pressure, there is no excessive tension at the cheeks, lips, or (especially) the throat. Most people produce clear initial [p1 and [hi, but often use incomplete closure for the consonants in the medial and final positions. Read the words listed below and evaluate your own articulation. Are you completely closing your lips for the consonants? Can you feel a difference between complete and incomplete closure? Can you feel the slight build up of air behind the lips before you release the air? How different is it to articulate these consonants in the initial, medial, and final positions? LL 1.1.14

Read aloud.

Initial Medial

Final

The stop-plosive consonants

[p]

[hi

peg

beg

post

boast

happy

abbey

puppy

bubble

rumple

rumble

helpful

probably

rope

robe

cap

cab

[t]

II I

and Ldi.

The paired consonants [t] and [di appear frequently in English words. Speak the word latter and then speak ladder and feel and hear the difference between the articulation of the unvoiced [t] and the voiced [d]. Be sure the closure is firm for each [1] and [di consonant in the words listed below. Can you feel the tip of your tongue touch firmly against the teeth ridge for the consonants, particularly in the medial and final positions? Be especially careful to avoid substituting [di in words with medial [ti. Say butter, not budder. LL 1. .1.15

Read aloud.

m I

I

English 25 Medial

Final

plodding

matter

madder

amples to bring the point of the exer

metal

medal

cise into your awareness. Then sing a

center

sender

few of the words. Pick any pitch, any

latter patted

ladder

rhythm, and carry the focus of the ex

padded

ercise into an improvised melodic line.

shutter

shudder

little

(not liddle)

city

(not cidy)

wrote

road

light

lied

Practice the words in the first column to articulate a wellformed [tJ and transfer that articulation into the words in the second column. LL 1.1.16

Read aloud.

bit her

bitter

bet her

better

but her

butter

sit he

city

let her

letter

sit he lit her

pretty

it his

it is easy

hit him

hit a ball

what he

what is that

thought high

thought I would

little

When the final letter d follows a voiced consonant, pronounce it as voiced [dl. However, when d follows an unvoiced consonant, pronounce it as [t]. LL 1.1.17

Throughout this book, read the ex

plotting

Read aloud.

[t]

[dJ

clipped

hummed

kicked

sunned

laughed

banged

pronounced

rolled

English II

26 The Paired Stop-plosive Consonants [k] The letter g is occasion ally silent as in these common words: diaphragm,

sign, resign, phlegm, designer.

and [g].

For [kj and [g], the back of your tongue must firmly press against the soft palate. Observe whether you can feel the back of your tongue touch the soft palate and completely close to stop the flow of air as you say unvoiced [k] and voiced [91. Feel the build up of air pressure and the subsequent release as you articulate the consonant. LL. 1. J .18

Compare and contrast.

Initial

Medial Final

Initial [k]

[g]

kit

give

cane

gain

rackeL

ragged

wicks

wig’.

luck

lug

tack

tag

In some combinations of sounds, singers sometimes use incomplete closure. The following words end with the combinations of consonants [ski, [skt], and [sksj. Be sure to use firm closure on the [k] sound. Do not omit it! LL 1. .1.. 1.9

Read aloud.

asked

banks

desks

risks

whisk

disc

husks

tasks

The sound of [k] in these common words must be fully stopped.

i Feel

your articulation. LL. 1120

II

Read aloud.

acceptable

chicken

aching

accede

talkative

working

succulent

lucky

You have probably heard people fail to completely stop the [g] in words when it should have full closure. Listen for [g] in these words. Feel the closure. LL 1.1.21

Read aloud

ignition cognition recognize

II

English 27 Incomplete friction A second reason for muffled consonants is incomplete friction while producing fricative consonants [f V 0 ó S Z f 3 h]. To produce these consonants, your mouth cavity is narrowed so that the air flow is restricted, except for h, where the restriction is at the glottis. If the mouth cavity is not narrowed enough or if the sound is not maintained for enough duration, the consonant will sound indistinct, or will almost sound like a stop. Read through the following exercises and explore the sounds of these fricative consonants. Learn to savor them, enrich them, draw out the special sound qualities inherent in each: they can add tremendous vibrancy and expressiveness to your diction.

The paired fricative consonants [f] and [vi.

I p I

Be sure that you give sufficient duration to the unvoiced [f] and voiced [v] sounds in your singing, particularly when they are in the final position of a word. You will know whether you have sufficient duration when the consonant has a fricative sound and is not a stop. Feel a gentle, buzzy vibration on your lower lip. You will feel a stronger vibration as you articulate the voiced [vi than the unvoiced [f]. Feel and listen for the vibration. In the following exercise, sustain each consonant for four slow counts. Exaggerate the duration of the consonant to explore its fricative sound. 1

2

3

4

[f]________________________

I p

[vi LL 1.1.22 Initial Medial

Final

Compare_and contrast. [fi

[vi

fail

vail

fat

vat

refer

reveal

leafer

lever

coffer

cover

after

everyone

muffler

gravestone

graphmaker

driveway

half

have

proof

prove

safe

save

Fricatives are also called continu ants because they can be sustained or continued.

English 28 The paired fricative consonants [01 and [5]. Pay attention to your articulation of unvoiced th [01 as in thin and voiced th [5] as in there. Be sure to pronounce the fricative consonants with sufficient duration. Slip the rim of the tongue between the upper and lower front teeth. Neither force the breath nor bite down on the tongue. On the voiced Hi [5], as in the word these, feel a tingling vibration on the tip of your tongue outside of the teeth. In the following examples sustain each consonant sound for four slow counts.

II I ‘Ii II I

II I

What are your articulation habits with [0] and [5]? Do you use sufficient friction? Be sure you give adequate duration the fricative sounds on the following words.Compare and contrast.

Initial Medial

[0]

[5]

tiiik

theiii

third

these

faithful

clothes (not close)

method

weather

ethics

rather

ethereal

loathesome

II

birthday

birthed smoothed

I

northwind Final

loath sheath

loathe sheathe

bath

bathe

The fricative [5] must not sound like a stop consonant. Definitely do not substitute a [di for [5], as you hear occasionally in dialects. To avoid saying [dl, be sure the tip of your tongue slips between your teeth and let the air flow out to produce the fricative sound. LL 1. .1.23 Initial

I’ Ii I

I

II I

Compare and contrast. [dl

[5]

dare

there

day

they

dine

thine

dough

though

I I

English 29 Note: If your tongue feels thick and awkward as you pronounce the fricative [n], the articulation is probably unfamiliar. Give yourself time and repetition to get the tongue to move smoothly and fluidly. Be sure to give fricative [Ol sufficient duration after another consonant. Jn the sentence, Can this be so!, feel the gentle movement of the tip of the tongue as it glides from behind the upper teeth for the [n] to

the [n]. LL IJ.24

Read aloud.

Can this be so! Just think.

Fast thinking. Pick the winner! Pronounce the th with precision in the consonant clusters in the following examples. Read aloud. [0]

[15]

earth s

soothes

anthem

clothed

fifth

truths

youth’s

breathes

anesthetic

mouthed

width

rhythm

The Paired Fricative Consonants [sJ and [z]. To avoid muffled diction, articulate the consonants unvoiced [s] and voiced [z] cleanly and clearly. Compare and contrast [si and [z] as you complete the following exercises. Sustain each sound for four slow counts in the following example.

Some people inisarticulate s and z by mis-placement of the tongue. The result is called a lisp. Additional at

LL 1. .1.25

tention must be given to these sounds

f you have a lisp.

I

English 30 LL 1.1.26

Compare and contrast. [s]

Initial Medial

Final

I

[zI

sip

zip

sink

zinc

lacy

lazy

misty

music

pencil

puzzle pans

pass a piece

hi Ii I

appease these

this

II [ts] and [dzJ are comprised of two consonants—a stop and a fricative— that combine in some words. Read these words carefully articulating these two sounds. LL1.i.27

Compare and contrast.

[ts] bets

beads

artists

bends

cakes

scalds

theft.s

holds

limits

demands

[dz]

The Paired Fricative Consonants [J]

I I

I

and [i].

Avoid muffled diction by articulating unvoiced [JI as in she and voiced [] as in vision with sufficient friction and duration. Sustain each sound for four slow counts in the following example.

II I

LL 1.1.28 1

2

3

I

4

[I]__________ [31 LI... .1.1.29 There is no initial [] in English.

Initial

Read aloud.

UI sure

[] I

sheep Medial

assure

azure

ocean

delusion

I

English 31

rinai

cash

beige

mash

mirage

gosh

garage

The Fricative Consonant [hi The consonant h is an aspirate sound in English. It needs to be heard, but not over-aspirated. Be sure that you use suitable friction and to pronounce h clearly in the following phrases. LL 1.1.30

Read aloud. Eli]

Initial

behold head

LL 1.1.31

-

Read aloud.

That”.. N.. home.

V\c’ lorgave her. How could he do

it?

I [old him.

Speak the following lists of words and observe how h is sometimes pronounced, sometimes silent.

LL 1.1.32

Read aloud.

Pronounced h

Silent h

exhale

prchibition

unholy

exhibit

inhuman

exhaust

mishap

exhilarate

Incomplete Nasality There are three nasal consonants in English: [ml, [n],and ng [ij]. Nasal consonants are defined as those produced with air flowing through the nasal passages. Singers hum on any of the nasal consonants. When you sing with a well articulated nasal consonant, your diction will be come more understandable and expressive. If you sing these consonants with incomplete duration or nasalization, you will sound muffled, as though you’ve got a cold in your head, and your diction will suffer. A special feature of English is that when a nasal consonant is located in a word before another consonant or before a silence (as before a pause at the end of a phrase or sentence), it is pronounced with a longer duration than when it is before a vowel.

English 32 The Nasal Consonant [ml. In the following words, each m is positioned before a consonant or silence. Take the opportunity to sustain the long [m]. Exaggerate the duration; feel as though you are humming the [ml as you speak. Let the [ml sing out in your speech. LL 1.1.33

Read aloud.

timber

hem

amplify

come through

farmed

comfort

thimble

sum

slam

home

I’m leaving climb fast

rumble

hamster

clamped

name four

In speech, m is not lengthened before an audible vowel (as in the words me, marry, clamour.) Read aloud these words using a brief [m] before a vowel sound. Notice how you develop a different speech rhythm than in the previous list. LL Li.34 may

mock

more

my

missed

man

woman

Ameha

In the following sentence, give long duration to each underlined m. Give the lengthened sound to m before a consonant sound as in tines [taimzj; the silent e in the spelling of times does not affect the rhythm of [ml. However, an m is not lengthened before the audible vowel (as in the word me). LL 1±35

Read aloud.

Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble

I II I I II I II I

(text from “Were You There,” a spiritual) The word tremmmmble sung with a long [ml has quite a different rhythm from treeeeemble sung with a long vowel. You may notice how lengthening [ml results in a shorter duration of the vowel—a pattern of duration typical of the rhythmical flow of English speech. Maintaining this pattern in songs is important for expressive and intelligible singing diction. The Nasal Consonant [n]. Notice how you articulate the consonant n. Does the tip of your tongue lightly touch the boundary between the teeth ridge and the upper teeth? It should. If it doesn’t, notice what it feels like to put it there. Make a gentle humming sound and feel the vibration at the tip of the tongue.

I I I I Ii

English 33 In English, the sound of [ni—like [mi—has longer duration before a consonants or a silence than it does before a vowel. Bring the rhythm of this articulation into your awareness by vibrating each underlined [ni fully in the following example. LL 1.136

Read aloud.

coflcave

infantile

coflfuse

unprovoked

sound accident

mention

canyon

unrestrained

conflict

dean

dent

cone

win

spin

plan

Notice the natural rhythm of these words in which n is followed by a vowel; the duration of the sound of [n] is quick. When a word has nn before a vowel (as in winner), say a single brief [n] sound. LL 1.1.37

Read aloud.

The Nasal Consonant [‘ii. Pronounce the sound of ng [ij] as in long or sing. Be sure to use a firm closure between the back of your tongue and the soft palate. Allow the final [ij] to vibrate with good duration. LL 1.1. .3

Read aloud.

sing

thing

throng

fling

g

dung

hung

long

ching

song

ring

king

tongue

range

young

swing

Notice that these words with the sound [iji do not include a [g] sound. Hang is [heij] not [haijg] and banging is [beij iij], not [beijg iij]. LL 1.1.39

Read aloud.

banging

singing

flinging

swinging

springing

clinging

longing

hanger

However, there are some words in English that are correctly pronounced with a [g] sound after [ij]. When in doubt about the pronunciation, refer to a dictionary. LL 1.1.40

Read aloud.

[ger

[fiij gr]

stronger

[strat] gr]

ianguage

[laij gwld3]

angle

[aij g1]

English 34 single

[sTI] gal]

England

[iij

longer

[loij gr1

linger

[luj gr]

ginijj

J

Some speakers incorrectly use what may be called an ng click, that is, they put a [g] or [kJ at word boundaries. Listen carefully to your articulation as you read these words aloud. Use firm closure for [ij] and move cleanly to the next sound without an ng click. LL 1.1.41

I I I I

Read aloud.

a long way hang it up the thing is the song is

The following words are correctly pronounced with a [k] sound after ng

[ij].

LL 1.1.42

Read aloud.

bank

[baijk]

banker

[baaj kr]

Lincoln

[hij krnJ

drunk

[drAlJk]

wrinkle

[wruj kal]

drunkard

[drAij krd1

thrnk

[Oiijkj

anide

[aiij

k11

The IPA offers a separate symbol for

Retroflex Consonant R

the retroflex r, trilled r, and flipped

The English retroflex r does not exist in the other languages presented in this text. Retroflex means turned backward, and in this case, the tip of the tongue is curled up toward the hard palate, backward on itself. The tongue tip is suspended in the center of the mouth, not making contact with any part of the roof of the mouth as it would in other languages where the r is flipped or trilled.

r. For simplicity in transcribing Eng lish and because the consonant r in English is always a retroflex r, this text will use [rj to indicate retroflex r.

When r is initial in a word or syllable, it is a brief, gliding consonant sound. Sing it just like you speak it. Stressed r-iess ur is also called re

versed epsilon.

I II

Under some circumstances, as when singing in a large hail where intelligibility requires greater energy of consonants, you might choose to pronounce r as a flipped or even trilled r, usually in words with an initial consonant plus r (such as frothy). In the following words give attention to your pronunciation of [r] when initial in word or syllable or following initial consonant in word or syllable.

I h I

English 35 LL 1.1.43

Read aloud.

Initial [r]

Initial Consonants plus [r]

Medial [ri beginning a syllable

red

brought

very

rose

bring

direct

write

shrill

arrive

rich

grew

weary

When the letter r is final in a word, you can pronounce the r as a schwa [] or schwa followed by a soft r [ar] to avoid the sound of the tense retroflex r.

I I I I I I I

Read this list of words with final r. Slightly round your lips as you pronounce [] or [rj. LL 1.1.44

dear

par

where

four

Lir

bar

boar

mir

At times, when r follows a vowel in the same syllable, it joins the vowel to become an r-colored vowel, [] or [a’-1. (See page 19 for a full discus sion of the r-colored vowel sounds.)

The Consonant X The letter x in English has two pronunciations, unvoiced [ksj and voiced [gz], both of which include a stop-plosive and a fricative sound. The pronunciation depends upon its position in the word and its neighboring letters. If you are unsure about its pronunciation, check a dictionary.

,iVhen pronouncing x, be sure to give the [k] and [91 full closure.

In the following words pronounce the letter x as [ksl.

These rules describe how the letter x’s pronunciation is dependent upon its position in the word and its neigh boring letters. You will meet similar rules later in the book as you study other languages. You will see them written in this pattern: “When this

LL 1.1.45

Read aloud.

extra

expect

exhale

expense

letter is in this position, pronounce it

excite

expel ax

exclaim

this way; when in that position, pro

fox

experiment box

tax

nounce it that way”. Each language

exit

exodus

exercise

exorable

will have similarities and differences for individual letters and their posi

In these words, pronounce the letter x as [gz].

tion in the word. The chart of sounds

LL 1.1.46

Read aloud.

example

exactly

exhaust

exhilarate

exalt

exotic

exhume

examination

at the beginning of each chapter will help you keep the languages straight.

English 36 Affricative Consonants Affricative consonants combine the articulation of two consonant sounds into a single speech unit. They are also called combination consonants. English has two affricatives, both of which are composed of a stop-plosive and a fricative consonant: unvoiced [[] as in chin and voiced [d3] as in gin or jet.

I I I II I

When singing, be sure to stop fully before the fricative part of the consonant.

LL. 1,1. 47

Read aloud.

Initial

[1]

k13]

cho’e

jewel —

Medial

Final

chirnp

jam

rnilhc’,

ang1r

ditches

pidgeon

breech hutch

hedge

Articulation of Vowels

I I II

I

This section continues to explore typical diction challenges in English related to mis-articulation of vowels. The comments and exercises that follow in this section cover a range of common problems with vowels and give a good view of typical problems experienced by many singers.

Vowel Substitutions Sometimes vowel mis-articulations are simply substitutions of sound which occur by an habitual misuse of one or more of the articulators.

I

For example, if a singer’s tongue is habitually too far forward in the mouth for eli [e] when it is before [n], pen will sound like pin, and den will sound like din. However, that same singer may have little or no difficulty articulating je] before [dl or [t], as in bed or bet. Substitutions can be one specific speech sound in an individual’s speech, or part of a regional dialect: for instance, Texans may substitute [j for [a], saying

stawr for star. Any sequence of sounds may trigger habitual misuse of one or more of the articulators, which results in substitutions. Here are general ways

I

to avoid substituting vowels.

I

4

English 37

I I I

1.

Are the vowels you think you are singing really the ones you are singing? Record your singing and listen carefully to your words. Beware of slipping unknowingly to an adjoining vowel on the vowel chart: singing [‘1 instead of [ci, or [ul instead of [u]. (See” Pure Vowels” on page 17.)

2.

I I I

Listen carefully to the vowel sounds you are speaking or singing.

Notice how the position of a vowel within a word often influences its sound.

In particular, avoid nasalizing a vowel when it occurs before a nasal consonant.

3.

Fully articulate diphthongs.

Do not substitute pure vowels for diphthongs by eliminating the final glide.

4.

Be sensitive to your own speech habits. transferring the habitual patterns of articulations that are part of your casual speech or regional dialect into Avoid your singing.

I I I I

A few common substitution patterns are listed below. They offer an introduction to the many substitutions that American singers use. Read the lists of words aloud to hear your speaking habits and listen carefully to correct any substitution problems. If you identify vowel substitutions in your speech habits, be careful not to use them in your songs. Singers frequently confuse the articulation of [u] and [u]. When the lips are too lax and unrounded, [ul becomes [o] and wooed sound like would. When the lips are too tense, [u] becomes [u], and the word good becomes gooed. Read aloud. [uJ

[ul cooed

could

fool

full

who’d

hood

pool

pull

Sing

the word good with a clear [ol as in: Good night, my someone; good night, my love.

rEn

M II

English 38 Another common problem is the substitution of

[i],

[eu, or [aJ for [ci.

‘/\1hen the arch of your tongue is too high, [ci migrates to [ii and get sounds like giL. Also with the tongue too high [ci migrates to [ei] and head sounds like haid. When the arch of the tongue is too low and back, [ci migrates to [at] and guess sounds like gas. Read these lists to contrast words with similar vowels and thereby identify your articulation of [ci. LL i.L48

Read aloud.

[iJ

[ci

pin

pen

tin

ten

him mint

hem

wind

wend

LL I i .49

meant

Read aloud.

[eu

[ci

aid

hate

egg head

bait

bet

mate

measure

plate

pleasure

LL 1.1.5(1

11 I I I II I

Read aloud.

[ci guess

[] gas blessed

blast

I

Many singers substitute [a] with [o]. When the lips are too rounded [a] becomes [i and stark sounds like stork. In the following words, use [a] and give special attention to the words with [r] following [a]. LL 1.1.51 [ai star

Read aloud.

I

ardor ark

arm park charm

I

a

English 39 palm

calm pardon

Sometimes singers substitute [u] for

[A].

When the jaw fails to drop and your mouth is too closed, [A] becomes [o] and love [Lw] sounds like [by]. LL 1. .1.52

Read aloud.

[A]

[u]

love stud

look stood

hud

hood

Some singers nasalize vowels occurring before a nasal consonant. When the soft palate gets lazy and drops before nasal consonants, vowels become nasalized. In the list below, match the non-nasal vowel in the first column with the same vowel before a nasal consonant in the second column. None of the vowels in the second column should have a nasal quality. LL 1.1.53

Read aloud.

pat

pant

grab

grand

fat

fanned

sad

sand

at

ant

F1t

pin

pet

pen

mitt

mint

met

meant

paid late

pained lain

Singers sometimes fail to sing the glide in diphthongs. Many singers substitute a pure vowel for a diphthong by eliminating the final glide. For example: if you substitute [a] for [a’] in plight the word becomes plot. Listen carefully to words with diphthongs to articulate the final glides [au, [au], and [ao]. (See page 22 for discussion of [ju]).

I I

English 40 LL 1.154

Read aloud.

pure vowel

diphthong

[a] sod

[au sighed

ma

mine

bah

buy

It’s a ternble plot

It s a terrible plight

He is my God She wants a rod

He is my guide She wants a ride

[3]

[31]

It s a ball

It s a boil

call

coil

tail

toil

[a]

[au]

pot

pover

cop

cower

follow

foul

Omissions A singer may occasionally omit sounds that should be pronounced in standard speech. Often these omissions are mispronunciations that can be corrected by consulting a dictionary, such as A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English (Kenyon and Knott, Merriam Webster). At other times, however, the omitted sounds are habitual misarticulations, which tend to follow common patterns. The patterns fall into regional dialects and colloquial speech. Omissions might be appropriate in folk songs and other songs that are written for dialects, but are not appropriate in formal poetry and concert literature. Use the following lists of words to investigate your speech habits.

I p

I I I I I I

Some Common Omissions Pronounce [k] in these words using firm closure. LI.. 1.155 ask (not ax) disc (not diss)

Read aloud. asked (not axed)

I

discs

task basked

adjective

act

contact

reject

liked

tasks

I U

I

English

-

I I I

Pronounce It] and [ts] sounds in these words using firm closure. Read aloud. LL 1 J .56 kept (not kep’)

tourists (not touriss)

tact (not tac’)

tests

texts

lasts

Pronounce final stop-plosive consonants with firm closure.

I

LL 1.1.57

Read aloud.

clasp (not class) bulb bland Give me your hand (not han’) Pronounce “th” sounds [0] and [] with complete fricative articulation. LL 1. .1. .58 Read aloud. unvoiced [0] rnvth’ (not miss)

voiced [] writhes

Filth’.

rh

earth”

clothed

depths

breathed

thm

What about these sentences? Do you say all these sounds? LL 1.1.59

Read aloud.

I’m going to (not Ah’m gonna nor Ah’m a nuh) Give me (not Gimne) Help me (not Hep’ me) Pronounce initial consonant sounds. In rapid informal speech, the pronouns he, him, his, her, and them often those their initial consonant sounds. L.L 1.1.60

Read aloud.

Give it to him. (not Give it to ‘im) Does he know2 (not Does ‘e know2) I saw her yesterday. (not I saw ‘er yesterday) Pronounce have as [hav]. When have is used as an auxiliary verb in informal language, it is often pronounced [v]. LL I ,i.hl

Read aloud.

I could have gone. (not I could ‘uv gone) We should have told her. (not We should ‘uv told ‘er)

____________

English 42 Pronounce the word of as [Af] or [of]. When of occurs in a prepositional phrase, it is often unstressed and spoken as [o]. Sing it with its full vowel identify. LL 1.1.62

Read aloud.

cup of coffee (not cuppa coffee) lots of time (not lots a time)

I —I I I 1

Additions Some singers add sounds that should not be there. The following lists include examples. Listen carefully to your speech. Do you add any of these sounds? Adding [ri: In some dialects, an [rJ is added to a vowel that occurs at the end of a syllable, even within a word, or between words. LL 1.1.63

Read aloud.

wash

not warsh

ida

notidear

piano

not pianer

hiiiaiia

flOt

Louisiana and .Arkan’.’i..

not I

I

biI11flr oui’.ianar and

Arkansas

Adding a syllable: Some singers add a syllable to mispronounce these two common words. LL 1.1,64

I

Read aloud.

Correct

With added syllable

accompanist k kArn pa nisti larynx [he riiks]

ac-com-pa.ni.-ist F km pa ni 1st] Ia-ruh-nicks Ike r nii:jks]

I

Adding [schwa]: Sometimes speakers add schwas [] preceding an [r] or [I]. LL 1.1.65

meal

Read aloud.

not

[mi l]

sail

imil] [seilj

not

fierce

[firsj

not

[ Se’ lJ [fi ors]

Pronouncing silent letters: In these words the letter 1 is silent. Be careful not to add [1]. LL 1.1.66

Read aloud.

walk

[wDk]

not

[wolki

talk

[tok]

not

[t,lk]

I

English 43 Ecaim psalm

[kom]

not

[kolmj

[sum]

not

[suirn]

Adding [ii between words: Do you inadvertently add words that end and begin with a vowel? LL 1.1.67 Tam

[ji between

Read aloud. notlyam

Pronunciation Considerations Sadly—for our lives would be easier if the opposite were true— English spelling generally does not reflect English pronunciation. The letter i may be pronounced in various ways: might, liter, mitt, and nation. Considerations for pronunciations in this section include syllabic stressing, elision, assimilations, and linking of words in connected speech. You may not be able to determine preferred, standard pronunciation by looking at a word or just going from your own experience. Your diction may be based on spotty learning, on a regional dialect, and colloquialisms. In order to decide about incorrect or non-standard pronunciations, you must listen to educated speakers or, better yet, consult a dictionary. A useful dictionary for singer is the MerriamWebster’s A Pronouncing Dictionary of American English by Kenyon and Knott that gives the IPA transcription for the most standard pronunciation and also some regional pronunciations for each word.

Misplaced stress In any language, the manner of handling syllabic stress is an element of diction that is critical for correct pronunciation and understandable words. In some languages, stress patterns are regular. In French, for example, stress is put on the syllable at the end of a word or phrase. This regularity makes the rhythmic pattern fairly predictable. In English, on the other hand, the position of primary and secondary stressing and unstressing in words is quite variable. The most unique element of syllabic stress in English is the phenomenon of unstressing. In an unstressed syllable, speakers weaken the vowel, change it to a neutral sound, and shorten its duration. For a full discussion of stressing and unstressing, see page 15.

Elision You will find that the pronunciation of certain sounds can be modified by the surrounding sounds when they are linked together. Under

I

English 44 several common circumstances, a sound in a word may disappear. This phenomenon of dropping of a sound is called elision. We recognize elision in the word don’t where the vowel o in the word not disappears. In conversational speech, an unstressed vowel frequently disappears when it precedes the letter I or n; the consonant will be sustained and form a syllable without a vowel. When such a syllabic consonant occurs, it is indicated in IPA with a dot under the consonant. For example: the word middle is transcribed as [mi dl].

Ii I

When a syllabic consonant occurs under note in the music, you will need to reinstate the unstressed vowel with the sound of schwa [a]. In the right column in the following example, sing both syllables for the duration of a slow half note. LLI.1.68 Read aloud.

Sing aloud in two half notes.

sudden

[sA

fiddle

[fi

little

dnj

sud

dli

fid

[Ii ii]

lit

-

—

-

—

den

[5k

die

[‘fi

tie

[Ii tij

dn1 dol]

I Ii

Assimilations In some instances, a neighboring sound alters a sound, resulting in assimilation. The following words are correctly spoken and sung with assimilation.

Appropriate Assimilation: When t and u combine, they produce [fu] as in picture [pik br] or [ pik [r], not [pik tur]. LL1.L6)

Read aloud.

I Ii I

literature

mature situation

II

virtue fortune

statue When d and u combine, they produce [d3u] as in education [ed u kei j’n] or [c kei fan], not [d ju kei JnJ. LL 1.1.70 graduation

gradual

Read aloud.

I

____ English 45 individual residual when s and u combine, they produce [Jul as in tissue [u Jul. not LL 1 J .71.

[ti

sjul.

Read aloud.

issue Linking words assists legato sing

tissue

ing and expressive, understandable

Inappropriate Assimilation, Although the above assimilations are appropriate, the following assimilations at word boundaries are considered sioppy and inappropriate when singing English. The consonants that are most easily influenced by neighboring sounds are t, d, s, z, and n. Instances such as the following should be avoided. /\[hen t and y combine, they produce [tjl as in last year [kest un not last cheer.

LL 1.1.72

Read aloud.

don’t you that you When d and y combine, they produce [dj] as in would you [wud jul not would chu.

LL 1. .1.73

Read aloud.

could jou behind you s and y combine, they produce [sjl as in miss you [mis ju] not miss shoe.

LL 1. .1.74

Read aloud.

lifts you bless yOU

Linking The previous paragraphs have been concerned with individual sounds. Now we focus on groups of sounds and the way that words are linked for meaningful speech. A characteristic of connected speech is that final word sounds usually carry over to the next syllable of the following word. This linking feature, far from being unacceptable, is recommended.

diction.

I

English 46 Linking to initial vowels: Link final consonants to initial vowels of the next word. LL1.1.75

I

Read aloud.

punched it use imagination

Do not link words if the meaning is obscured. not sound like Tim mated.

Tim ate it should

Repeated consonants: Link repeated consonants across word boundaries. Notice that the doubled consonants lengthen in duration. LL 1.1.76

Read aloud.

keep pace

hn noLe

make candy this smile

good deal

small lie

that time l3o1 builds

big girl

Ben noticed

Related stop-plosives: Link and blend related stop plosives. For example, in the words drop behind, the letter p is followed by b. To link these words, close the air stream but do not explode the p as you would in the single word drop. Instead, on the closure move to b and explode only the second stop-plosive. LL 1.1.77 Read aloud. They began to drop]2ehind in their work. The performance was quzgood It is a greaLciay! We haHo go immediately Some consonant combinations must be considered individually by allowing for the particular combination and the expressive needs of the words and music, the tempo, the size of the hail and the needs for projection, and the style of the music. Some sounds might be articulated more or less fully in singing. However, you must be careful that your choice to pronounce both consonants does not result in heavy over-articulation. Much of this will be your personal choice. These paired words contain consonant combinations that you must consider individually. Speak and sing these words aloud, once in a fast tempo, then in a slow tempo with maximum projection. What are your personal choices?

‘a

English 47 Read and sing aloud.

LL1.i.78

cast them

not thin

Ned scolded

ask for

grasp my

not fastened

Meaningful Emphasis of Words in Sentences Just as some syllables have more prominence than others within a word, so also do some words have more prominence than others within a sentence. We give these words extra importance or attention through emphasis. For clarity, we often refer to “stressed” syllables and “emphasized” words.

Choosing which word to emphasize In the following phrases, explore shifts in emphasis and notice the change in the meaning of the sentence. Read aloud.

LL i.L79

Ellen may go, but I won’t.

I will not go. I iI not go.

You can’t make me go.

I will nQi go.

You may think I will go, but I

I will not g.

I won’t go, but they can come to me.

You

won’t.

me? (question) You love, and don’t hate, me?

You love me?

You love me, not Mary? (question)

love me? (question) Harry doesn’t love me, you do? When singing songs in English, you should choose one word, and only one, to emphasize within each phrase. Emphasizing too many words in a single phrase will usually diffuse the meaning. The word you choose to emphasize will, of course, affect the meaning of the text. For example, in the first phrase of The XXIII Psalm, by Paul Creston, you could make three different choices, depending upon the meaning you wish to convey. You could choose: “The Lcrci is my shepherd,” or “The Lord is my shepherd,” or “The Lord is my shepherd.” You would not normally over-emphasize by singing: “The Lcrci is my shepherd” (unless you wanted to make some type of excessive dramatic impact with that particular phrase.)

How to emphasize the important word Important words in phrases are emphasized by changes in pitch, intensity, duration, and rhythm. Usually we use higher pitch, greater intensity, and longer duration for prominent words, although the changes could be the exact opposite: lower pitch and decreased intensity, as in a sudden whisper or subito piano.

I

English 48 Another way we add impact to a word is by emphasizing a single speech sound in a word. Read the word below and lengthen the speech sound that is indicated by the repeated letters. Notice how expressiveness is affected. LL 1.1.80

Read aloud.

smash ssssmash smmmash

I

smaaaash smasssssh When you are singing a phrase in your song, give greater duration or intensity to the first consonant of the stressed syllable of the word you have chosen to emphasize. This articulation process is a very powerful expressive element of diction. It is easy to lengthen the duration of a nasal or fricative consonant, since they are continuants. However, to lengthen a stop-plosive, you need to extend the stop portion of the consonant. Lengthen the stop of p in the word powerful in the example below by giving a longer closure on the consonant. LL 1.1.11

Read aloud.

Singing can be powerful.

Sing the following phrase.

We have underlined the first consonants of the stressed syllables of words to emphasize. Give strong emphasis to the underlined consonants and notice how this articulation affects the text. Then, sing a second time and change the words to be emphasized and notice the expressive differences. The text is from a duet from the opera Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck. LL 1. .1, .82

Read and sing aloud. Brother, come and arice with me, oth my hands I offer thee. rother, come and dance with e, Both my hands I offer thee.

Final Note While studying English diction, errors that are rather subtle, such as singing the work look as [ink] instead of [bk] are relatively easy to hear because we know the language. As we listen to foreign speakers wrestle with pronouncing our language, their errors leap out at us: we hear articulation and stressing habits that are carried over from their native

I I b I I I I

English 49 tongue, creating a distinct accent. In the next chapters the shoe will be on the other foot, and you will like the foreigner, singing sounds without benefit of growing up with the sounds of the language. And you have the added task of singing multiple languages like the natives— without an English accent. However, unlike a foreigner, you will have the set of guidelines presented in this book to train yourself to articulate the sounds properly. As you learn these guidelines, keep in mind how specific and subtle the differences in sounds can be in English and tune your ears and articulators to that degree of subtlety, and you will acquire fine singing diction in the other languages.

English 50

Italian

Italian Diction The dialect of Tuscany, particularly that of Florence, is considered the national standard for italian diction for stage and singing. The following rules reflect the pronunciations of top level singers.

Italian is often considered a “phonetic” language because each letter of the alphabet is pronounced with a single sound or with few variations. This concept is so widespread that Italian-English dictionaries rarely include the pronunciation of words except for stressed e and o and voiced or unvoiced s and z. Yet it is only partially true that Italian is a “phonetic” language. Although in Italian many letters of the alphabet are pronounced with a single sound, some vowels and consonants can be pronounced in a variety of ways. For instance, you can pronounce Italian vowels (other than a) as open or close vowels, or as glides. To choose the correct option, you need to know the stressing of the syllable, the position of the vowel in the word, and the letter that adjoins it. Groups of two and three consecutive vowels also have options, and you need to know whether to pronounce them as diphthongs, glides, triphthongs, or two syllables. Some consonants in Italian, prominently c, g, s, and z, also may be pronounced in different ways. Again, the correct pronunciation depends upon the adjoining letters and the position of the consonant in the word. Since dictionaries frequently do not tell you these variations, you need some general rules to help you make pronunciation choices. The material in “Special Features of Italian” gives you a complete description of how to pronounce the letters you see with the appropriate sounds. You will learn where to divide words and when to pronounce consecutive vowels as diphthongs, glides, triphthongs, or two syllables. You will also learn special articulation and pronunciation features of the language, beginning with how to determine syllabic stress. Then you will find each letter and frequently used combination of letters listed alphabetically and discussed individually in “Italian Vowels in Detail” and “Italian Con sonant.s in Detail”.

Italian 52

Chart of Italian Sounds The following chart lists the letters of Italian in alphabetical order. Refer to this chart to quickly check the sound of a spelling. For the special circumstances and exceptions to the spellings that cannot be presented easily in a simple chart, see the discussions of the individual spellings later in this chapter.

a..

b C

d e

[a]

Example and IPA :[a ma re] amare

IPA

Italian Letter and Position in Word a

Page 76

ae

(two syllables)

[a ci

aereo

[a c re o]

77

ai

(diphthong)

[all

mal

[mail

77

ao

(two syllables)

[a o]

Paolo

[pa o lo]

78

au

(diphthong)

[an]

lauta

[lau ml

78

[b] [b]

batti

[bat ii]

103

labbro

[lab bro]

103

[k]

canta

[kan

103

claqsico

[klas si kol

103

b bb before a,

c

0,

u or a consonant

Ia]

cc

before a, o, u

[k k]

ecco

[ck ko]

104

c

before e or i

[1i

certo

104

cc

before e or i

[t:

Puccini

[!fcr to] [put [i nil

f]

105

ch

[ki

chiama

[kja ma]

106

cch

[k k]

occhi

[olc ki]

106

cqu

[k k]

acqua

106

d

[dl

diva

dd

[d di

addio

1 alc kwa] [di va] [ad di o]

[ci

legale

[le ga Ic]

79

e

unstressed

e

unstressed before 1, m. n, r pius

107

107

81

another consonant

[cI

bella

[bel la]

e

ending a syllable

[eJ

pena

[pc na]

81

e

[€1 [ci

gelida

[c1e ii dal

82

e

ending a stressed antepenult before s plus another consonant

funesto

[fit nc sto]

82

e

after i or u

[e]

cielo

[fr lol

83

e

before vowel

[ci

sei

[sci]

83

[ci

chè, ché

Eke]

84

è or é final e e

*

83

before a consonant in same syllable

[ci

sempre

[scm prei

before a double consonant*

[ci

stella

[stel: Ia]

84

or

[c]

bella

[bcl: Ia]

84

Can be open [ci or close [ci. Check a dictionary.

I

Italian 53 Italian Letter and Position in Word

e I

g

Example and IPA

Page

e

in suffixes and dlnlrnutlves*

[e]

Musetta

[mu zet ta]

84

ea

(two syllables)

[e a]

idea

[i dc a]

85

ei

(diphthong)

[eiJ

lei

[lei]

86

eo

(two syllables)

[e o]

Orfeo

[or fe o]

86

[mu]

euro

[eu ro]

86

f

[f]

fato

[fa to]

107

ff

[f f]

affam

[af fa nil

108

gala

[ga Ia]

108 109 109

eu “

IPA

(diphthong)

g

before a, o, u or a consonant

[g]

gg

before a, o, u or a consonant

[g

1

fuga

g

before e or i

giorni

gg gh

before e or

[d31 [d 43]

[fu ga] [d3or nil

ragglo

[tad

[g]

ghetta

[get ta]

110

[Al

fogha

[fo Aa]

110

[gil

glauca

[glau ka]

111

[ji]

oga

1 Ii:

gu

[gwl

guardare

[o jial [gwar da re]

111

h

silent

ho, clii

[ol, [ki]

111

i

gli gi

gn

before a, o, or u in the same syllable

(130]

108

•

i

final or before a consonant

[i]

finiti

[fi ni ti]

87

1

i

after a vowel

[i]

poi

[po:i]

87

i

after c, g, sc and before a vowel

silent

giusto

[43u sto]

88

ia

(glide)

[jal

fiamma

[fjam ma]

89

ia

(two syllables)

[i a]

Maria

[ma ri a]

90

ie

(glide)

[je]

vieni

[vje

ie

(two syllables)

[i e]

follia

[foh ii a]

91

iei

(triphthong)

[je 1]

miei

[mje

91

io

(glide)

[jol

fiocco

[fjok ko]

91

10

(twosyllables)

[10]

n-no

[mio]

92

iu

(glide)

Fju]

liuto

[Iju to]

92

j

used only in older spellings

[ii

gajo

[ga jo]

112

k

used only in foreign words

1

[1]

liberta

[ii her ta]

112

11

[Li]

bello

[beL to]

113

.

1

nil i]

90

Italian

I

54 IPA

Example and TPA

rn

[rn]

mano

[ma nol

113

mri

jm: rn]

gemma

[d3em: ma]

113

n

[n]

numero

114

nn

[n:

donna

[nu me rol [don: na]

bianco

[bjaij ko]

115

sangue

[saij gwe]

115 93

Italian Letter and Position in Word

in ‘1

n

J

p S

[iji

1 P1

114

o

unstressed

[o]

sospiro

[so spi ro]

o

unstressed, before r plus another consonant

[a]

tornare

[tar na re]

o

ending a syllable

[o]

sola

94

o

ending a stressed antepenult

[a]

opera

o

afterioru

[a]

piove

[so lal [a pe ra] pjJe]

o

final and accented

[a]

farö

[fa ro]

95

o

before gli

[a]

fogho

[fc Aol

96

o

before a consonant and a glide

[a]

gloria

[gb rja]

96

o

before a consonant in same syllable

[ol

forza

[for tsal

g, m, p, [o]

dolce

[dol fe]

97

94

95 95

97

o

before 1 followed by c, or t

o

before mb, mm, mp

[ol

ombra

[om bral

97

o

before single n in same syllable

[o]

donde

[don de]

98

o

before double consonant

[01

bocca

[bole kal

98

[a]

lotto

[lot: to]

98 98

f,

I p

oa

(two syllables)

[a a]

balboa

oe

(two syllables)

[a c]

poeta

[bid ha a] [pa e zi a]

01

(diphthong)

poi

[pa ii

99

oia, oja

(two syllables)

[a’] [a jal

gioia

99

porto

PP

[1 [p: p1

[d3a ja] [par to]

drappo

[drap: po]

115

qu

[kwi

qui

[kwii

116

p

[ri

rado

[ra do]

116

1

[r: rI

terra

[ter ra]

118 118

p

r ‘

before k org

ii]

Page

flipped or trilled

rr

s

initial in word before a vowel

[s]

sento

[sen to]

s

initial in word before unvoiced consonant

[s]

sforzando

[sfr tsan do]

initial in syllable after a consonant and before a vowel

[s]

persona

[per so na]

s

98

115

119 118

Italian 55

S

t 1J

I I I p

‘.7

w x

[s] [s: s]

vissi

[vis: si]

120

[z] [z]

tesoro smanie

[te zo ro] [zma njeJ

119

s

between two vowels before a voiced consonant

sc

before a,

or u

[ski

scolta

[skol ta]

120

sc

before e or i

scena

[J’e na]

120

sch

[ii [sk]

scherzo

[sker tso]

120

t

[t]

tanto

[tan to]

121

[t: ti

batti

[bat: ii]

122 99

s

0,

119

120

u

before a consonant

Lu]

fugare

[fu ga

u ua

after a vowel (glide)

[u]

huto

[Wa]

quanto

[iju to] (kwan to]

99 100

ua

(two syllabhs)

tua

[rn a]

100

ue

(glide)

[u a] [we]

guerra

[gwer: ra]

100

ue

(two syllables)

[u e]

tue

[Ut

e]

100

ui

(glide)

languire

[laij gwi re]

101

ui

(two syllables)

[wil [u i]

lui

101

uo

(glide)

[wo]

vuole

uo uie

(two syllables)

[11

(triphthong)

uio

(two syllables)

[wji [ujo]

buio

uoi

(triphthong)

[wo:i]

tuoi

v

[vi

voce

[lu ii [vwo tel [tu o] [kwje tel Ebu jo] [two:i] [vo Ije]

VV

[v: v]

avverso

[av: vcr so]

122

[tsl [dz]

zio

[tsi o]

123

bronzo

[bron dzo]

isi [d: dz]

nozze

[not: tse]

123 123

bizzaro

[bid: dza ro]

123

o]

tuo quiete

rd

101 101 102 102 102 122

w, x, y used only in foreign words

y 7

Page

Example and IPA Era da mes] Radamès

TPA

Italian Letter and Position in Word final s

z

unvoiced

z

voiced

zz

unvoiced

zz

voiced

[t:

Italian —-I

56

Special Features of Italian

ii

Syllabification You will need to divide a word into syllables before you can deter mine the pronunciation of the letters in a word. The following rules tell you how to divide a word into syllables. First notice whether the word contains a single consonant between vowels, two consecutive consonants, three consecutive consonants, or two or more consecutive vowels. Then, depending upon what you see, follow the rules below.

Single Consonant Between Vowels When a syllable ends with a vowel, it

is called an open syllable.

When a single consonant stands between vowels, put the consonant with the second vowel.

I II p p

LL 2.2.83 flO—flW

[no me]

LI—mo—r(

Ia

ia-re

fia rel

li—ni—ti

[fi ‘ii til

‘i-no ru

I

p II

Two Consecutive Consonants When a syllable ends with a conso nant, it is called a closed syllable.

When a consonant is doubled, separate the two consonants. LL 2.2.84

don-na

[d3n: nal

bab-bo

[‘bab: bo]

tut—ti

[tnt: ti]

col-la

[kol: Ia]

When there are two consecutive consonants with the same sound (doubled phonetic consonants), separate the two consonants. LL 2.2.85

c-q:

ac-qua

[ak: kwa]

ggh:

ag-ghin-da-re

Fag: gin ‘da tel

c-ch:

oc-chi

Ik: ki]

II

p

When 1, m, n, or r precedes another consonant, separate the two consonants: LL 2.2.8h

vol-to

[vil to]

tem-po

[tern po]

p

Italian 57

rto

[yen to]

rpar-ma

[par ma]

Note: For a memory “tickler” you can remember this rule as the “lemoner plus another consonant” rule (because the consonants 1, m, n, and r are used in the word lemoner). Otherwise, put two consonants, including the digraphs cli [kJ, gli [CI, and gn [p1, with the syllable that follows. LL 2.2.87 [Ti iCo] fi-glio la-scia

[la fa]

so-gno

[so jiol

ci-fra

[t.fi fra]

mi—sto

[mi sto]

ve-nu-sta re-cla-ma

[ye nu stal [re kla ma]

du-ches-sa

[du kes sal

Three Consecutive Consonants

p I I

In a cluster of three consonants, separate the first consonant from the other two unless the first consonant is an s. Ii. 2.2.88

men-tre

[men trel

bar-chet-ta

[bar ket ta]

al-tro

[al tro]

sem-pre

[scm pre]

If the first consonant is an s, cluster all three consonants in the same syllable.

I I

LL 2.2.89 e-stre-mo

[e sire mo]

ma-sche-ra

[ma ske

mo-stra

[mo stra]

di-scre-zio-ne

[di skre tsjo ne]

ra]

Consecutive Vowels When two or three vowels are consecutive, they usually form diphthongs, glides, or triphthongs. Put them into a single syllable.

A digraph is a combination of two or more letters that represent a single sound.

I —p

Italian 58 The [:1 after a vowel indicates that the

LI. 2.2.90

vowel should be given greater dura

Diphthongs

tion. It does not indicate the end of

mai

[mail

a syllable.

sei

[sc:i] [piJ

poi dei

[dc:i]

LL 2.2.9 1

Glides fie-rez-za

[kp ma] [fje ‘ret: tsa]

qua

[kwa]

suo-no

[‘swo no]

chio-ma

The rules that indicate whether con

LL 2.2,92

secutive vowels are to be pronounced

Triphthongs

as glides, diphthongs, or two syllables

suoi

[sw:iJ

are found on page 50-52.

tuoi

[twoli]

miei

[mjc

lan-guia-te

[laij ‘gwja te]

II

i]

In Italian, the vowels a, e, and o are considered strong vowels. When two strong vowels are consecutive, they usually form two syllables. 112.2.93

ide-a p0-eta

[i dc a] [po c tal

When a stressed i or u precedes a final vowel without an accent mark, the two vowels form two syllables. LL 2.2.94 mi-o

[mi

tu-o po-li-zj-a

[‘tu o] [po Ii ‘tsi a]

a-go-ni-a

ía go ni a]

0]

p p

Stressing In Italian, you usually give primary stress to the next-to-last syllable, but you will find that any syllable may be stressed.

1 I

Italian 59 An accent mark over a final vowel tells you to stress the last syllable. LL 2.2.95

perchè

[per tel

libertà

[ii ber ta]

Word stress presents a challenge because there are no consistent rules to tell you when to stress the third-to-last or the fourth-to-last syllable. Listen to the musical stress of the melodic line and let it guide you into pronouncing the syllables with the appropriate stress. You may also need to refer to a dictionary. To help you with words that receive primary stress on the third- or fourth-to-last syllable in this book, we have underlined the stressed vowel. pera

[o pe ra]

Sabato

[sa ba to]

In IPA transcriptions, primary stress is indicated by a diacritical mark [1 above and before the stressed syllable.

Rules for Stressing

In most Italian words, give the primary stress to the next-to-last syllable. LL 2.2.97 Ro-ma

[ro ma]

vac-ca

[yak ka]

mes-sa

[mes sa]

con-ten-to

[kon ten to]

AJhen there is an accent mark over the final syllable, give it primary stress. LL 2.2.98

p

stress in a word is referred to as the

tonic syllable. The last syllable is called the final syl lable, the next-to-last syllable of a word is called the penultimate, and the

LL 2.2.96

p p p

The syllable that receives the primary

mor-rô

[mor: rDl

ser-vi-tu sal-te-rà

[ser vi ml [sal te ral

perchè

[per tel

In some Italian words, the third-to-last syllable receives primary stress. LL 2,2,99

g-li-da

[d3e ii da]

ec-co-la

[dc ko Ia]

third-to-last is the antepenultimate.

I

Italian 60 pl-pi-to

[pal pi to]

pQ-ve-ro

[p ye rol

H

In a few words, the fourth-to-last syllable receives the primary stress. Again, when you see a vowel underlined in this book, stress that syllable.

p II

LL 22J.OO fab-bri-ca-no

[fab bri ka no]

Stress and Meaning Be careful to pronounce words with appropriate syllabic stress. By changing a word’s stress pattern, you may also change its meaning. LL 2.2J 01 prdono

[per do no]

means they lose

perd:no

[per do no]

means pardon

meta

[me ta]

means goal

metà

[me ta]

means haf

p p p I’

An accent mark in a monosyllabic word often indicates a change in the word’s meaning. An accent mark does not indicate a change in pronunciation (as it would in French). There are two diacritical marks in

LL 2,2J02

Italian: the acute accent [‘1 and the

With grave accent

Without grave accent

grave accent [1. You will see the

e

means is

e

[e]

means and

grave accent more frequently.

chè [ke]

means because

che

[ke]

means that, who

[e]

Si

[sil

means yes

si

[si]

means himself

cia

[da]

means he gives

da

[da]

meansfrom

Features of Italian Pronunciation In IPA transcriptions, a colon [] after a consonant indicates that the sound should be prolonged. To emphasize further the importance of a double consonant’s long sound, you will see

the consonant symbol written a sec ond time. For example, you will see

bello transcribed as [beh lol.

Once you have learned to divide Italian words into syllables and determine syllabic stress, you can begin to work with the sounds of Italian.

11

p I’ p

Double Consonants In Italian, double consonants add a special rhythmic quality to the language. Speak or sing double consonants with a longer duration than a single consonant. You can hear this prolonged sound in English when one word ends with the same consonant that begins the next word, as in tall lasses, even now, hoggames, and lifejorce. Notice how you linger on the consonants when saying these words.

II

p

I

Italian 61

I I I I I

Read the following pairs of Italian words aloud to contrast the pronunciation of single and double consonants. Notice how changing the duration of the consonants affects the meanings of the words. However, when pronouncing a double

LL. 2.2.103 [m]

m’ama

[ma ma]

means loves me

consonant, do not repeat the consonant

[m. m]

mamma

Imam ma]

means mothei

sound, merely lengthen it.

[1]

bela

[be Ia]

means it bleats

[L 1]

bella

[bel la]

means beautiful

[n]

ano

[a no]

means anus

[n n]

anno

[an no]

means year

[t]

note

[nD tel

means notes

[e i.l

notte

[nDt te]

means night

1k]

eco

[e kol

means echo

[k: ki

ecco

[‘ck ko]

means hei e

[tj]

face

[Ta tie] [fae Ife]

means torch

[I:

tj]

facce

means faces

Special Doubling When a monosyllabic word ends with a vowel and is followed by a word that begins with a consonant, pronounce the initial consonant in the second word as a double consonant. LL 2.2.104 [ar ro ma]

a Roma

p

[eb be ne]

[ene

[kis: sal

chi sa

Long and Short Vowels In Italian, vowels in stressed syllables are pronounced with either a long or short duration. Give longer duration to a vowel that is before a single consonant than to a vowel that is before two or more consonants. Read the following words aloud. Prolong the vowels indicated by (), and shorten the vowels indicated by (j. Lengthening the vowel may help you

LL 2.2,105

Short Vowels

Long Vowels

avoid pronouncing single consonants

fame

fa me]

fätto

[fat: to]

cara

[ka ra]

càccia

[kat: tJ’a]

vëro

[ye ro]

vèste

[ye ste]

as double consonants.

Italian

—--I

62 prega

[pre gal

piazza

[pjat tsa]

sOle

[so le]

sómma

[sDm ma]

rOsa

[rD za]

rôtta

jrot: ta]

vOce

[vo tfe]

völgo

puma

[pu ma]

pünto

tüta

[tu ta]

tütta

gol [tnt ta]

Note: The duration of a vowel does not always correlate to its open or close pronunciation. For example, the close [o] can be pronounced long or short. LL 2.2.1.06 vOce

[vo fel

vôlgo

[vol go]

F or more information on open and close sounds, see “The Italian Vowels e and o” on page 64.

The Consonant 1 Italians always pronounce the consonant 1 as a “clear”, dental sound, with the tip of the tongue touching the back of the upper front teeth. You can find a clear 1 in the English words leap, lit, let, lot, late, However, English more often uses a “dark” 1 with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, as in the wordsfull, help, wall,fell, truly. Be sure to always use the clear tin Italian, as in these words: LL 2.2J07 diletto

[di let to]

bra

[ii ra]

idolo

[i do lo]

sol

[soil

gloria

[gb rja].

The Consonants d, t, and n In Italian the consonants d, t, and n are dental consonants. That is, they are articulated with the tip of the tongue touching the back of the upper front teeth. In contrast, English speakers form the consonants d, t, and n with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, as in dungeon, total, not.

I I I I I

Italian 63 Learn to articulate d, t, and n dentally in Italian words such as the following: LL 2.2.1.08

tema

[duij kwe] [te ma]

natale

[na ta le].

dunque

The Stop-Plosive Consonants In English, you pronounce the stop-plosive consonants (b, p, d, t, g, and k) by stopping the flow of air through your mouth and nose and then releasing the air plosively. Pronounce the English words tote and team and notice your articulation of the stop-plosive sound [t]. The tip of your tongue lifts to touch your alveolar ridge to stop the flow of air through your mouth. Feel the air pressure build up and then explosively release with an aspirate or fricative sound. In Italian, the stop-plosive consonants are articulated with less aspiration than in English. We call these Italian consonants “dry” consonants to describe this reduced aspiration. Return to your articulation of [t]. This time pronounce [t] as an Italian dental, dry stop-plosive consonant. Put the tip of your tongue at the back of your upper front teeth instead of your alveolar ridge. During the stop portion of the articulation, give less build-up of air pressure. Then release the sound with minimal aspiration. Repeat the sound

[t]

several times:

LL 2.2.1.09 [t]

[ti

[ii

[t]

[t]

Then read aloud these words using a dental, dry [ti: LL 2,2,1.10

totale

[to ta le]

tira

[ti

attento

[at ten to]

thco

[al tiko]

ra]

In Italian, remember to articulate all the stop-plosive consonants in this manner, minimizing plosiveness and aspiration.

The Italian Vowel a In Italian, the vowel a sound is similar to the ah in father. However, you will find that different books use different IPA transcriptions for this

I —I I I I I

Italian 64 Vowel Diagram

sound. Some use the bright [a] (the vowel that Bost oners use when they say, “pahk the cahr”) and others use dark [o] (as in father ).

In his Descriptive Italian Grammar, the Italian gram marian Robert A. Hall writes: “The low vowel a is indifferent as to front or back tongue position,” which indicates that the letter a can be pronounced either as [al or [o].

7

You may find it useful to think of the italian a as though it is between bright ah and dark ah. This, how ever, is a subtle point.

This book transcribes the letter a as [a]. We sugg est that you think of Italian a as being a clear, bright sound located betw een [a] and [a] on the vowel diagram. There are two major cautions for American sing ers concerning the letter a. First, you must be careful not to use the neut ral sound of [] as in about or [Al in bud. These sounds do not exist in Italian. For example, never use [1 in the following words: LL. 211.11. bt’HL1

j’hrl: hi!

pim

(p11:

isa!

is not

—\manlli tessitura

ru’ Iii Ilc%: i In ra I

is not

ki

ma

is

not

is not

(hcl: hi [pit: isj Ia ma ru: lii I te: si [u ral

Second, in some American accents, the sounds of ah [a] and aw [3] are poorly distinguished. You must be careful to keep the sound of Italian ah [a] clear and bright, not rounded toward the vowel aw [3].

I II I

The Italian Vowels e and o In Italian, the vowels e and o have close and open pronunciations. The letter e is pronounced as close [ci (as in chaotic ) or open [ci (as in bed). The letter o is pronounced as close [o] (as in obey) or open [] (as in bought). The rules for when to use close and open vowels in the pronunciation of these letters are presented in “The letter e” and “The letter o” later in this chapter. In Italian, close e [e] and o [ol are pure vowels and must never be pro nounced with the English diphthongal [ei], as in bait, and [oo], as in boat. American singers must master the pure, close soun ds of these vowels

to avoid singing with a heavy accent. Interna tional Phonetic Alphabet for

Singers, a manual that teaches the sounds and sym bols of the IPA, offers the following exercises to help you distingui sh Fe] and [ol from the diphthongs [ci] and [ou]. “Speak the word aim aloud in slow motion while notic ing what your tongue does. Just before the m of aim, you should be able to feel the front part of your tongue move forw ard

II p

p

Italian 65

I

and up from (ci to [ii. Listen to the vowel change. This gliding tongue movement produces the diphthong. “To isolate the pure (ci sound, try speaking the word hay aloud in slow motion without moving the tongue to ji]. The word will sound incomplete, strange, and unfamiliar to most Americans. If you do not make a gliding movement with the tongue, you will be producing a pure [e]. /1

Speak the word hoe aloud in slow motion to notice the movement of your lips and tongue. You should be able to tell that your lips become more rounded as the sound progresses from [ol to [u]. The back of the tongue also moves upward from [o]. You may be less conscious of this movement, because it is so slight. It is easily seen in x-ray images. “To isolate the pure [o] sound, try speaking the word hoe in slow motion without moving the lips or tongue. The words will sound incomplete and strange to an American. Without the gliding movement, you will produce a pure [o].”

A close vowel is one that has a small er space between the high part of the arch of the tongue and the roof of the mouth. An open vowel is one that has a larger space than the close vowel.

Flipped and Trilled r

The Italian r is either a flipped or trilled tongue point r; it is never the retroflex r of American English. When Italians pronounce the flipped r, it sounds very much like a British pronunciation of r in words like very (veddy) or merry (meddy). Practicing the flipped r will help you achieve a trilled r, which is so essential for good Italian diction.

In this text the tongue point Italian r is represented by the IPA symbol rj. The IPA symbol for the flipped r is

[rJ, and [ t I for the trilled r how ,

Speak the following words using a British accent for the flipped r words. Notice that the tip of your tongue quickly flips against your alveolar ridge.

ever, for simplicity, this chapter will use the symbol [r] to indicate both flipped and trilled r. Rules forflipped

LL 2.2i12 Flipped r (between vowels)

and trilled r are presented on pages

Trilled r

meaning carro dear

Ikar ro]

meaning cart

ro re] meaning ferro

[‘frr ro]

meaning iron

caro

Ika ro]

furore

[fit

iron

Ferrando Ifer: ran do]

Figaro [fi ga ro]

The Two Italian Glides:

UI

and

[wi

The glides [ii and [WI are already familiar to you as an English speaker. The symbol [j], named yot [j3t], represents the sound of y in you.

86 and 87.

Italian

I’

66 Produce it by moving your tongue to the position for [ii as in beet, then quickly shifting to the vowel that follows, as in yes [jesi or yet [jet]. The symbol [w] represents the sound of w in went, wine, or wear. Produce it by rounding your lips as if to say [u] in boot, then quickly shifting to the vowel that follows, as in we [wi].

Enya [jil and Elya

teeth ridge,

j

[iCl

As an English speaker, you have two new consonant sounds to learn in Italian: the consonants enya [p1 and elya [(J. [ji. Enya [p1, as in the Italian word ogni [o pi], does not exist in English, but you can find a similar sound in the ni of the word onion [Anjn]. Notice that to pronounce the [nj] in onion, you make two articulatory movements: you lift the tip of your tongue to touch your alveolar ridge for [ni, then lower it to touch the back of your bottom front To pronounce the enya [p1, by contrast, you use only one teeth for articulatory movement. The alveolar ridge is also called the

—

j

Make the sound of enya [p1 by slightly parting your lips, putting the tip of your tongue behind your bottom front teeth, and arching your tongue upward so that the high arch of your tongue touches your alveolar and the back of your upper front teeth. Add voice and you will hear the nasal, palatal consonant sound enya [p1. Although the enya sounds something like [nI, it is made with the blade of your tongue, not the tip, touching your alveolar ridge. Elya [A], as found infoglia [f3 Aa], is another sound that does not exist in English. However, you can find a similar sound in million [mi ljn].

Notice again how you must make two articulatory tongue movements to say [lj]: you place the tip of your tongue on your alveolar ridge for the consonant [1] and then move it to the back of your bottom front teeth for the glide [j]. By contrast, to say elya [A], you use only a single tongue action.

Produce the sound of elya [C] by slightly parting your lips, putting the tip of your tongue behind your bottom front teeth, and arching your tongue so that the arch touches the front of your hard palate. Add voice and let the air exit over the sides of your tongue. You will hear a sound something like an [I], only you make it with the blade of your tongue, not the tip, against the boundary between your alveolar ridge and hard palate.

I

Apocopation You will find that, except for a few monosyllabic words, most Italian words end with a vowel. Therefore when a word ends in a consonant,

I

Italian 67 immediately consider whether it has been apocopated—that is, whether the word has been shortened by dropping the final vowel or syllable. sole becomes sot cantare becomes cantar siaino becomes siam partiamo becomes partiam

fatale becornesfatal viene becomes vien

-

An apostrophe is only used when an entire syllable has been apocopated. poco becomes p0’ guarda becomes gua’

Notice that in an apocopated word a closed syllable is created where there had been an open syllable. Although this affects the sylla bification of the word, it does not change the original open or close sound of the vowel. LL 2.2.113

p I p I

potere

[po te re]

becomes

poter

[po ter]

piaere

[pja tfe re]

becomes

piacer

[pja tjerJ

path-one

[pa dro nel

becomes

padron

[pa dronj

core

Ik re]

becomes

cor

[kcr]

Elision To link words together smoothly, you may hear an Italian speaker drop the final vowel of a word before an initial vowel of the next word. Omitting a vowel in this way is called elision. The elided vowel is indicated by an apostrophe between the words. LL 2.2.114 cjuella aria

becomes

quell’aria

[kweh la na]

bello uomo

becomes

bell uoino

[beL lw mo]

una altra parte

becomes

un ‘altra parte

[ii

mi amate

becomes

m’am ate

[ma ma te]

to amico

becomes

l’amico

[la mi ko]

vi aspetto

becomes

v’aspetto

[va spet to]

dove è Ernesto

becomes

dov’è Ernesto

[do

na! tra par tel

ye

en ne stol

I Rules for Pronouncing Consecutive Vowels Consecutive vowels form either a diphthong, a glide, a triphthong, or two syllables.

I I

Diphthongs In IPA transcriptions, a colon [:1 after a vowel indicates the lengthening of the vowel sound. The symbol [] can

A diphthong is composed of two consecutive vowels uttered in a single impulse of breath to form one syllable. Because each Italian diphthong includes one strong vowel (a, e, or o) followed by one weak vowel (i or Italian diphthongs are easy to recognize.

be used within a syllable or between

You can find diphthongs in English in such words as my [mail, boy [bDI] or gown [gaun]. Notice that as you pronounce these words, you prolong the first vowel longer than the second vowel.

syllables.

The same timing holds true in Italian diphthongs; that is, you pronounce the first vowel longer and the second one shorter. Pronounce the Italian words mai (mali], poi [pD:i], or gaudio [ga:u djo] and notice the similarities to the diphthongs in my, boy, and gown. Unlike English diphthongs, however, pronounce the second vowel of an Italian diphthong with a pure, distinct quality of [i] or [ii]. The second vowel should neither resemble a glide nor open to [i] or [u] Read these words aloud to become familiar with the sounds of Italian diphthongs.

The sound of

[jj,

called yot [joti, is

ai

[a:iJ

mai

[ma:i]

[wI is similar to a very brief [u]

ei

[eli]

pei

[pe:iJ

ci

[e:i]

sei

[s:i]

oi

[o:i]

voi

[vo:iJ

oi

[Dli]

poi

[po:ii

as in boot.

I

Diphthongs with i as the second vowel: LL 2.2.115

similar to a very brief [i] as in beet. And

I

(less frequent) (less frequent)

I I

Diphthongs with u as the second vowel: LL 2,2.1.16

eu

je:u]

eu

[eul ([a:u]

au

Euridice

[e:u ri di q’e]

euro

[curol

cauto

[ka:u to]

Note: The en and au diphthongs occur less frequently than other diphthongs.

II p p

I

I I I I I

Italian 69 Glides Like diphthongs, glides are composed of two consecutive vowels uttered in a single impulse of breath to form one syllable. A glide includes one weak vowel (i or u) followed by another vowel, as in put [pju] and qui [kwil. Notice that in a glide, the first vowel i is pronounced [j] and the first vowel u is pronounced [w]. Glides can be heard in the English words pew [pju] and queen [kwin]. Unlike a diphthong, the first vowel in a glide is short and the second vowel is long. Read the following vowel combinations aloud to become familiar with the sounds of Italian glides. LL 2.2J 17

nation that includes a [j] or [w].

[kja ma re]

ie

[je]

fie-rez-za

[fje ret tsa]

ie

ije]

vie-i

[vje

io

[Jo]

piom-bo

[pjom bo]

io

fp]

chio-do

[kp do]

iu

[jul

fiu-me

[fju me]

Ui]

(less frequent)

LL 22Ji8

The glides [JI and [w] are sometimes

Glides with u [w] first

called semi-vowels or semi-consonants.

ua

twa]

quan-do

[kwan do]

ue

[we]

que-sto

[kwe sto]

ue

Ewe]

guer-ra

[gwer ra]

ui

[wil

qui

[kwi]

uo

[wo] [wj

quo-ta-li-zio

[kwo ta

uo-mo

[w mo]

ii

(less frequent)

tsp]

(less frequent)

When i or u is followed by another vowel, the letter combination is usually pronounced as a glide. LL 2.2J19

either to the specific speech sounds [j] and [w] or to refer to a vowel combi

Glides with i [ji first [ja] ia chia-ma-re

uo

The term glide may be used to refer

Read aloud.

piü

[pju]

puô

[pwc]

Liii

[iju]

qua

[kwa]

odiô

[o djo]

segue

[se gwe]

aria

[a na]

I

Italian 70

This rule for silent i is an important one to keep in mind.

Giovanni [d3o van ni],for instance, is never pronounced [d3io van nil.

uomo

[wo mo]

chiuso

[kju zo]

dileguo

[di Ic gwol

Three exceptions do not conform to this rule:

1. When i comes after c, g, or sc, and is followed by a, e, o, or u, the i is silent. This is the only instance when a vowel is silent in Italian. (See “i” on page 87.) LL 2,2.120

ciô

[[oJ

gia cielo

[d3a] [IJe 10]

sciolto

[J’ol to]

2. When a stressed i or stressed u is followed by a final vowel without an accent mark, the result is two syllables. (See “Two Syllables” on page 71.)

I 11

I 11

I

L.L 2.2.1.21.

mjo lui jo se

[mi o] [luil [i o]

maija

[suci [ma li a]

polizia

[po Ii tsi a]

3. When a stressed i is followed by the third person plural verb ending -ano, the result is two syllables. (See “Two Syllables” on page 71.)

LL 2.2. .1.22

siano

[si a no]

fiano

[fi

a no]

Triphthongs A triphthcing is composed of three consecutive vowels uttered in a single

impulse of breath to form one syllable, as in tuoi [two:i] or quieto [kwjc to].

1. A triphthong usually consists of a glide (U] or Lw]) and a diphthong.

LI 2.2.123

miei

[mjc:i]

ri-nun-ziai

[n nun tsja 1]

I I I I I I I

Italian 71 suoi

[swo:i]

tuoi

[twi]

2. Sometimes a triphthong consists of two glides and one vowel. L.L 2.2.124 quie-to

[kwjc to]

se-guia-te

[se gwja tel

lan-guia-te

[lan gwja tel

a-iuo-la

[a jwo Ia]

Two Syllables Two consecutive vowels form two separate syllables in the following spellings.

1. Two Strong Vowels Pronounce two consecutive strong vowels (a, e, or o) as two syllables. The vowels e and o are usually pronounced [ci and [o], but not always. To determine which vowel to stress, observe the general rules for word stressing. (See “Stressing” on page 58.) Usually the second to last syllable of the word receives the stress as in ere {e r c] and pota [po c tal. When two strong consecutive vowels occur in an unstressed position in a word, the vowels are given equal duration as in paesno [pa c ‘za no]. LL 2.2.125

Read aloud.

ae

[a ci

ca-en-do

[ka ‘em do]

pa&sa-no a-or-ta

[parn e ‘za

ao

[a ci [a o] [e a] [c ]

i-de-a Or-fe-o

[i dc a] [r ‘fc ]

[ a] [o a]

bal-bo-a

[hal ‘b3 a]

so-a-ye

[s3 ‘a ye]

[o ci [o ci

e-ro-e

[e ‘r ci [po ‘c ta]

ea eo oa oe

p0-eta

:110]

[a ‘r ta]

2. Two- or Three-Letter Words In two- or three-letter words, when i or u is followed by a final vowel without an accent mark, the i or u is stressed and the two vowels constitute two separate syllables.

Italian

hi

72 Read aloud these words of two or three letters LL. 2.2.12( as two syllables. [mi o] mo liii

[luil

io

[jo]

tja

[tu a] [si a]

sja zjo

[duel [tsi o]

sue

[sue]

tuo

[tu o]

due

When you sing these words, prolong the first vowel and shorten the second vowel as you would a diphthong. However, the second vowel has even more strength and may even be sung on a separate note when notated as such by the composer.

3. Polysyllabic Words In a polysyllabic word the only certain clue to pronouncing a weak vowel (i or u) followed by a final vowel is an accent mark over the final vowel. In that case, pronounce the final vowels as a glide as in dilegub [di le gwo] or odth [o djo]. If there is no accent mark, you must know which syllable is stressed before you can determine the pronunciation. If the stress is on the weak vowel, pronounce the vowels as two syllables, as in sinfona [sin fo ni a] and malia [ma Ii a]. If the stress is on an earlier syllable, pronounce the final vowels as a glide, as in statua [sta twa] and Itlia [i ta ha].

hi Ii Ii ‘I

II I Ii’ b

To identify this irregular stressing, notice how the word is set metrically in the melody, or consult a dictionary. Pronounce the final two vowels in these polysyllabic words as two syllables. LL 22.i27 signoria

[si jio ri a]

polizla

[po ii tsi a]

poesia

[p c zi a]

agonia

[a go ni a]

natjo

[na ti o]

II II

I

_________

Italian 73 Additional Comments About Consecutive Vowels Vocal pedagogues disagree about how to classify the normally weak i and u when they receive the primary stress of the word and are followed by a final vowel with no accent mark. Some pedagogues classify these consecutive vowels as two separate syllables, while others classify them as diphthongs. However, the question of how to classify these consecutive vowels is of less consequence than how to sing them. According to Agard and Di Pietro, “It must be kept in mind that these observations of the vowels forming two syllables are made on the basis of modern spoken language. In poetry, opera librettos, and other artistic uses of the language, any sequence of two (or more) vowels may constitute a single syllable peak.” This is important because you may see only one note given to the two-syllable consecutive vowels, as described in the next section.

Singing Consecutive Vowels In music, composers frequently write consecutive vowels under a single note. You must decide the relative duration of the two vowels. Your goal is to link the vowels smoothly while maintaining distinct pronunciations of glides, diphthongs, triphthongs, and two syllables.

Glides When the vowel combination forms a glide, you will have no difficulty with the timing. The quick, gliding movement of the semi-vowel ( [j] or [w] ) guides the pronunciation so that the second vowel has the longer duration. Example from “Danza, danzafanciulla gentile” (Durante) a!

suo [sw3

no I

Diphthongs When a vowel combination is a diphthong, however, you must prolong the first vowel and shorten the second vowel and the proportion of timing becomes significant. The timing is influenced by the melody and may vary slightly from one performer to the next. See the examples below to observe some appropriate choices.

7

I

Italian 74 Example from “Ii mio bet foco” (Marcello)

che giam

mai

-

u.

,b U

U

s’e

stin

-

-

gue

-

ra

0

[mat

i

Example from “Se tu m’ami” Pergolesi)

sei

I

sog-get- to

[se:

ii

11

Triphthongs Example from Vergin, tutto amor Durante -

u suo

duol

suoi tri-sti ac

-

cen-ti

[swDI ii When the vowel combination is a triphthong, timing presents a similar challenge. Usually divide the duration of the vowels evenly.

Two Syllables When you sing consecutive vowels that constitute two syllables, you may also need to make a timing decision. When the composer provides two notes, there is no difficulty with timing; you sing one vowel on each note. Example from “Pur dicesti, o bocca bella” (Lotti)

di

sua

fa- cel- la

[‘su al

‘u. mio

pia

-

cer

0

[mi

oJ

Frequently, the two syllables are written beneath a single note. You can make the first vowel longer, or you can divide the two syllables equally.

I I I I I

Italian 75 When giving longer duration to one of the vowels, be sure to follow the rules of stressing for “Two Syllables” on page 52.

Connecting Words in Italian In singing, several vowels at word boundaries are sometimes assigned to a single note. To determine the appropriate timing for these vowels, you need to know the translation of the text. The meaning of the words indicates which vowel or syllable to stress. For example, the vowels of nouns and verbs receive stronger stress and longer duration than vowels of articles and prepositions. If there is a question about stress, simply time the vowels equally. In the following example, the important words would be the verb “is” and the noun “love”. Example from “Amarilli” (Caccini)

e il

mioa my [the] is

[le

ii mi

o

-

a]

mo

-

re

Italian 76 fl

Italian Vowels in Detail

Italian has only seven vowel sounds represented by five letters, as shown here: LL. 23.Oi

a

[a]

e

[el

i

[ii

o

[oj

u

[u]

or

[eJ

or

[j

Note: The letters a, e, and o are strong vowels; i and u are weak vowels. The weak vowels i and u in certain vowel combinations may be pronounced as glides [ii and [wi. (See “Glides” on page 69.

The letter

a

Jn Italian, the letter a is always pronounced as [a], never anything else. This is true when the letter is by itself in a syllable or combined with a glide, diphthong, triphthong, or another strong vowel. Also, unlike the letters e and o, the pronunciation of a is unaffected by whether it occurs in a stressed or unstressed syllable.

III I Ii I hi hi

I RI II

Caution: When a is in an unstressed position, be careful to pro nounce it as [al and not as schwa [a], as you would in English. LL 23.2

Compare and contrast. Italian

English papa pizza

[pa p] [pit tsJ

terracotta

[te

pasta

[pa st1

r ka

4

t]

/

[pa pal [pit: tsa] [ter ra kt ta] [pa sta]

the single letter a

III WI

Pronounce the single letter a as [a]. T I LL

‘

‘

Read aloud.

sal-ye

[sal ye]

arnare

Amarilli

[a ma re] [a ma nI: ii]

affanni

[aft fan: nil

i Ii’

I I

Italian 77 The letter a in consecutive vowel groups

I I

ae Pronounce ae as the two syllables [a ci. (When two strong vowels appear together, they constitute two syllables.) CL 2,3.4

Read aloud.

paesano

[pa c za no]

aereo

[a c re o]

ai

I I

Pronounce ai as the diphthong [ai]. LL 2.3.5

Read aloud.

mal

[maii]

traino vedrai

[trai no]

1 amai

[ye ‘dra:il [la mai]

andrai

[an drai]

dai

[dail

aio, aiu, aiuo Pronounce a as a separate syllable followed by a glide or a triphthong. LL 2.3.6

Read aloud.

aiuto

[a ju to]

aiuola guaio

ía jW3 la] [gwa jD]

fumaiolo

[fu ma

j loj

Italian 78 ao Pronounce ao as the two syllables [a ]. (When strong vowels appear together, they constitute two syllables.) LL 2.3.7

Read aloud.

I Paolo

[pa

pilao

3

lo]

[pi Ia

3]

1

au Pronounce au as the diphthong [am]. LL 2.3.8

Read aloud.

pausa

[pam za]

lauta

[lau ta]

causa

[tam za]

rauco

[rauko]

autore

[am to re]

audace

[am da gel

Note: The first vowel of the diphthong au is usually elongated. One common exception is in the word paitra [pau: ra], where the second vowel is elongated.

a The letter

e

In Italian, the letter e has two pronunciations: close [e] as in chaotic and open [ci as in bet. It is important to note that the Italian [ci is a pure vowel sound, never diphthongal [eij as in the English word bay [bei]. Be especially careful to use pure [e] and not [ci]. To determine the pronunciation of the letter e, you must first decide whether it occurs in a stressed or unstressed syllable (see “Stressing” on page 58). The letter e in a stressed syllable is referred to as stressed e, and in an unstressed syllable, as unstressed e.

The letter e in Stressed Syllables If you determine that the syllable is stressed, you need to choose between [ci and [c]; stressed e has no other pronunciations. Not only is your choice significant for correct pronunciation, but it can also determine the meaning of the word. Compare the words in the list below.

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I p

Italian 79 LL 2.3.9 venti legge mezzo

[yen ti]

means twenty

[vcn ii]

means winds

[led: d3el

means law

[led d3e]

means he reads

[met: tsoJ

means over-ripe

[mcd: dzo]

means medium (mezzo-soprano)

The pronunciation rules for stressed e begin on page 61. They provide reliable guidelines for choosing between [ci and [el. However, because there are many words that are exceptions to rules in Italian, it is wise to keep a dictionary handy at all times.

Note: In some dictionaries, pronunciation of stressed e is indicated by an acute accent é, for [e] and a grave accent è, for [ci.

The Letter e in Unstressed Syllables

p I, p

p

If you determine that the e is in an unstressed syllable, pronounce it as close [e], except when it comes before 1, m, n, or r plus another consonant. However, using [e] or [ci for unstressed e does not influence the meaning of the word, as it might for stressed e. Consider what phonetician Claude Wise writes: “The difference between Fe] and [e] is significant only in stressed syllables. Elsewhere (in unstressed syllables), the vowel sound may vary over a continuous range from [e] to [ci, with a statistical predominance of the more open types before nasals, laterals, or trills.” Ultimately, whether to sing unstressed e as [el or [ci is a matter of personal aesthetics, and you will encounter varying opinions among vocal pedagogues. For many years, vocal pedagogues have directed singers to pronounce unstressed e as [ci in all syllables that follow the stressed syllable, perhaps in an effort to avoid any of the following problems of singing [e] in unstressed syllables: • American singers often tend to sing a diphthongal [eli rather than a pure [e]. With this diphthong dove, amore, and cantare would sound like [do veil, [a mo rel], and [can ta reil. The resulting English accent is unpleasant, and is particularly noticeable because so many Italian words end with unstressed e. • In English, unstressed e is usually a schwa [] and almost never Fe]. (The words vacation and chaotic are notable exceptions.) The [e] sound is usually found only in stressed syllables, so an American

I

Italian

singer may tend to overstress an unstressed syllable in Italian when pronouncing it as [e]. Dove, amore, and cantare would tend to sound like [do ye], [a mo re], and [can ta re], which is incorrect stress. • A third notion—that close [e] is less conducive to singing with a resonant tone—sometimes prompts the choice of [ci for unstressed e.

Our choice is to sing unstressed e as close [e] and the IPA transcr iptions in this book follow this convention. This sound follows spoken Italian, where unstressed e is always [e] except before 1, m, n, or r plus another consonant, and singing [e] adds authenticity to the pronun ciation. Many top pedagogues have become interested in matching the

spoken language. In Coffin’s Phonetic Readings of Songs and Arias, for example, unstressed e is transcribed as close [e]. It is certain ly

possible for American singers to overcome their own speech habits of overemphasizing [e] or turning it into a diphthong. As for facilita ting singing, the dynamics of vowel modification will include more choice s than just [c], so choosing open [c] over closed [e] is not valuable as a general rule for unstressed e. Use this discussion to make your personal choice whether to sing open [c] or close [e] for unstressed e. Then, become aware of your choice and keep it consistent throughout your singing. Pronounce the words in the following columns to increase your awareness of the two choices for pronouncing unstressed e. Pro nounce a word in the first column using close [e]. Then pronounce the same word in the second column using an open [c]. Listen and feel the difference.

Note: As mentioned previously, you must use a consistent pronunciation for unstressed e. The following words are offered simply as an awareness exercise. LL 2.3J0 timore mare Qpera confondere maschera fosse luce

Read aloud to Compare and contrast. [ti mo re] timore [ii mo rd [ma rel mare [ma rd pe ra] [ pera [ pc ra] [kon de rej conforidere [kon Ton de rd [ma ske ra] maschera [ma ske ra] [Ths: Se] fosse [fs: sd Ton

[lu tfe]

luce

I I I 1 I

[lu LjeJ

I I

Italian 81 The single letter e unstressed Usually pronounce unstressed e as [el. (See “The Letter e in Unstressed Syllables” on page 79.) In the following words, pronounce each un stressed e as close [ci. LL 2.3.11

Read aloud.

beccare

[Ic ga to] [beic ka re]

amore

[a mo rd

befana

[be fa na]

credere

[kre de re]

arme madre

tar me] [ma dre]

arretrarsi

[as re liar

venire

Eve ni re]

regale legale

Ire ga le] [le ga le]

fedele

[fe dc Ic]

legato

Si]

When unstressed e is followed by 1, m, n, r and another consonant, ally pronounce it as [ci. LL 2.3.12

p p

usu

Read aloud.

beltade

[bel ta de]

gentile

[d3dn

tempesta

[tern pc sta]

versare entrare

[ver sa rd [en tra re]

merce

[mer tfe]

U

Ic]

Note: For a memory “tickler,” you can remember this rule

p

as the “lemoner plus another consonant” rule (because the consonants 1, m, n, and r are used in the word lemone,’).

The single letter e stressed /\Ihen the letter e ends a stressed syllable, usually pronounce it as [ci. LL 2.3.13

Read aloud.

pe-na

[pe nal

se-gno

[se po]

p

Italian p

82 pre-sa

[pre za]

se-ra

[ se ra]

stre-ga

[stre ga]

e-gli

[e CiJ

che

[ke]

e

[ci

p

p

(meamng and)

These common words do not follow the normal rule. Pronounce them with [€1.

P1

LL23.i4 bene

[be ne]

(means good)

breve

[ bre

(means short)

speme

[spe me]

(means hope)

crudele

[kru de tel

(means cruel)

spero

[spe ro]

(means I hope)

prego

[pre go]

(means! pray)

vel

Here are three important exceptions. 1. When e ends a stressed antepenult(third-to-last) syllable, pronounce it as [e].

LL 23.i5

Read aloud.

te-ne-ro

[te ne ro]

m-di-co

[me di kol

g-1i-da

[d3e ii da]

e-ti-co

[e

ti kol

Note:

Rely upon the metric stress of the melodic line to help you determine when to give primary stress to the third-to-last syllable.

2. When stressed e ends a syllable before an s plus another consonant, pronounce it as [e]. LL 2.31.6

Read aloud.

fu-ne-sto

[fu

tem-pe-sta

[tern pe sta]

pre-sto

[pre sto]

fe-sta

[fe stal

ne stol

Exception: The common word questo [kwe stol is pronounced with [ci.

‘I

p

Italian 83 3. When stressed e ends a syllable after i or u, usually pronounce it as[e].

LL 2.3.17

Read aloud.

cie-lo

[tie lo]

qu-ru-1o

[lcwe ru lo]

pie-no

[pie no]

mie-le

[‘rnje le]

Note: When the vowel e follows the glide [j] or [wJ, it is usually pronounced as [e], but sometimes it is pronounced as [el: LI.. 2.3.1.8

r

[kwel:

queue

‘/\lhen stressed e is before a vowel (as in a diphthong or two syllables), pronounce it as [e]. (See page 78.) LL 2,3.1.9

Read aloud.

Note: See the musical examples that illustrate how to sing consecutive vowels on 73. When stressed e is followed by a consonant in the same syllable, usu ally pronounce it as [ci LL 2.3.20

Read aloud.

sempre

[scm prel

certo verso

I tJ’er to] [ver so]

pnder.e

[pen de re]

venti

[‘yen ti]

(meaning winds)

Exceptions: Pronounce these common words with [el. LL 2.3.21

verde

[‘ver de]

Verdi

[‘ver di]

venti

[yen ti]

(meaning twenty)

F p

Italian 84

1 when stressed e is followed by a double consonant, check a dictionary. Sometimes it is pronounced as [s], sometimes [e]. Compare and contrast. [stel: la]

LL 2.3.22 stella ecco

[eL ko]

ella

[ci: la]

presso

[pits sol

secco

[sck ko]

bella

[bel la]

‘I

‘,/\Jhen é or è is final, pronounce it as 1e1.

Note: A grave or acute accent over a final e does not affect its pronunciation. LL 2.123

Read aloud.

chè, ch

Ike]

meaning because, why

pcrclw, perche

Iprr kel

meaning because, winj

nwrc, nwrce s, se

I inrr

nwani ng thanks

lic I

meaning

hini,

p p p

himself

Exception: Notice the difference in pronunciation and meaning in these two common words: LL. 2.3.24 e

Fe]

means and

è

[e]

means is

See also the discussion of le on page 90. e in suffixes and diminutives are In Italian, many words have endings that include a stressed e. Thesecor sometimes pronounced [ci and sometimes fe]. To determine the red pronunciation, check a dictionary.

Note: Since many Italian dictionaries do not use IPA

transcriptions, you will need to rely upon other marks. Most dictionaries indicate close and open pronunciations by an accent mark over the stressed vowel: an acute accent (e) for [ci and a grave accent (e) for [e].

In these stressed-e endings, e is usually [e]: emmo, esco, essa, esti, evole, ezza, mente, etto, etta, etti, ette.

1

p

Italian 85 Note: Gender changes on final vowels (such as -etto/-etta) do not affect the pronunciation of e. LL 2.325

p

Read aloud, [mu zet: La]

Musetta(-etta) Masetto(-etta) violette(-ette)

Ima zet: to] [vj let: tel

contessa(-essa) principessa(-essa)

Ikon tes sal [prin tji pes: sal

monumento(-mentoi vagamento(-mento)

[mo flu men to] [va ga men to]

piacvo1e(-evoie) brezza(-ezza)

[pja ge vo id [bred: dza]

bellezza(-ezza) avemmo(-ernmo)

fbel let tsa] [a vem: mo]

promesso(-esso)

[pro mes: so]

Notice that in these words -etto is pronounced as [ci. LL 2.3.26

letto

[a spet: to] I let to]

diletto

[di let: to]

petto oggetto

[pet. to]

aspetto

[og: get: to] [ii spet: to]

rispetto

In these stressed-e endings thee is usually Ic]: era, ello, and ente. LL 2.3.27

Read aloud,

mistero(-ero)

jmi ste ro]

altero( era)

[al te ro]

cappella(-ella)

[kap: pci: la]

dolente(ente)

[do len te]

The letter e in consecutive vowels group ea Pronounce ea as the two syllables [e a]. (When two strong vowels ap pear together, they constitute two syllables.)

See general rules for consecutive vowels on page 68.

______________

I

Italian

—I

86 LL 2.3.28

Read aloud,

I

ide-a

[i dc a]

e-to-pe-a stri-de-a

[e to pe a] [stri dc a]

di-scio-glie-a

[di Jo A:c al

Exceptions: Pronounce these common words with [e]: [1 2.3.29 tacea

[ta tfe a]

credea

I I I

jjkre_de al

ei Pronounce ei as the diphthong [cii]. LL 2.3.30 Read aloud. lei

[lc:i]

sei

[se 1]

costei

[ko stciJ

bei

[bc:i]

potrei

[po trc:iJ

vorrei

[von re:il

I I I

Exception: Pronounce pei, a contraction of per and i, as [pei], with a close [el.

eo Pronounce eo as the two syllables [c ol. (Again, when two strong vowels appear together, they constitute two syllables.) LL 2.3.31

Read aloud.

re-o

[re o]

Orfeo creola

[or fe ol [‘kre o lal

leopardo

[Ic o par dol

eu Usually pronounce eu as the diphthong [c:u]. This diphthong is used in frequently in Italian and is occasionally pronounced [e:u]. If in doubt,

I I I I I

Italian 87 pronounce it [cu] in a stressed syllable and [em] in an unstressed syllable. Compare and contrast. LL 2.3.32 euro

[cu ro]

Euridice pseudo

Ic u n di tie [ps:u dol

euforiia

[em fc njaj S

The letter i as a single vowel in a syllable is always pronounced as [ii. When i is combined with another vowel in a syllable, you need to decide whether it is pronounced as [i] or U]. or whether it is silent. See the rules below.

The letter

Caution: In English, unstressed i is often pronounced as [ii as in the word hit. Do not carry this practice into Italian. The letter i is never pronounced as [Ii in Italian. LL 2.3.33

Compare and contrast.

impero

[im pe ro]

[im pe ro]

not

The single letter i

\/\J hen i is final or occurs before a consonant, pronounce it as [i]. LL 2.3.34

:

‘/ hen

Read aloud.

di

[di]

destino

[de sti no]

capire

[ka pi rd

il

[ii]

finiti

[fi ni ii]

litigare

[ii ti ga re]

i occurs after a vowel, pronounce it as [iJ.

An i after a vowel forms a diphthong. Pronounce i as [ii, giving it shorter duration than the preceding vowel.

LL 2.3.35

Read aloud.

fbi

[no:i]

bet

[be

mai

[ma:i]

vol

[vo i]

i]

i

p p

Italian 88 sei

[sij

sai

[sail [po:i]

poi lei laida

when i occurs after c, g, or sc and before a, e, o, or u, it is silent.

Note: The silent i functions as a diacritical mark to soften the pronunciations of c, g, and sc.

LL 2.33h

p

[lil [la:i da]

p

Read aloud.

baciare

[ba tfa re]

sciala

[ja Ia]

cielo

[tie lo]

sciolto

[fol to]

ciô

[tJ’o]

sciuppo fanciulla

[fup pol [fan tfuL la]

lasciare

[Ia Ia re]

già

[d3a]

gioco giusto

[do kol [d3u stol

vagheggiar

[va ged ‘d3ar]

p $

Exception: In a few words, the letter combination ia occurs at the end of a word, after a c or g. In these words, the i is not silent, but forms an accented penultimate syllable. LL 23.37

Lucia

[lu tjI a]

nostalgIa

[no stal d3’ a]

There is no rule for determining this syllabic stress; you must rely on the metric stress of the melodic line or consult a dictionary. (See page 72.)

I

Italian 89 The letter i in consecutive vowels ia ‘‘Vhen ia is in the interior of a word and does not follow c, g, or sc, pronounce ia as the glide [ja]. LL 2.3.38

Read aloud.

See general rules for consecutive

fiamma

[fjam: ma]

piaga piante

[pja ga]

bianca

[pjan tel [scm bjan te] [bjaij ka]

schiava

[skja va]

andiam

[an djam]

sembiante

When ia is unstressed and final in a word and does not follow c, g, pronounce the ia as the glide [jal. LL 2.3.39

vowels on page 68.

or Sc,

Read aloud.

gloria

[gb rja]

Italia

storia

Ii ta ija] [sto rja]

vittoria

[vit to rja]

aria

[a na]

rnfamia

[in fa mja]

vicchia

[vik: kja]

When ia is in a three-letter word that has no accent mark, pronounce ia as two syllables [i a]. LL 2.3.40 mia

Read aloud.

pa

[mi a] [pia]

via

[vi a]

fa

[fi a]

Italian

11

90 In a polysyllabic word, when i is stressed and followed by final a and there is no accent mark, pronounce

LL 2.3.41.

ia

as two syllables [i a].

Read aloud,

grafia

H

[gra Ti a]

-

\iIria

(ma

1IIia

IloL ii a]

geIo’ia

I(h’.’ lo

ri a]

si i

II

I 11

Also pronounce

-ano

ia

as two syllables in words where stressed

i precedes

in the third personal plural verb ending.

LL 2.3.42

Read aloud,

siano

[si a no]

fiano

[fi a no]

II

ie when ie

is in an interior of a word or a final stressed syllable with an ac

cent mark, and does not follow LL

2.3.43

c,

sc,

usually pronounce it as [jc].

Read aloud.

barbiere

rit.n0

g, or

[bar bjr rd -__________

Ir.ir iioj

J’Lir

chiesa

,

II

chiedo

[kc do]

/ieni

[VJU

tiene

(hr

nil ne(

m

obbediente

loh:

hu ‘dfrn

[pj

Exceptions: Pronounce

LL 2.3.44

ie in

id

these common words as [je].

Read aloud,

liete

[ije tel

insieme

[in sje mc]

pietà

[pje ta]

siete

[sje te]

I, ‘I

Italian 91 When ie occurs in an interior or final unstressed syllable of a word, pronounce it as [je]. LL 2.3.45

[fje ‘ret: tsa] [‘zma nje]

fierezza smanie

Pronounce ie as the two syllables [‘i e] when it is in three-letter words, without an accent. LL 2.3.46

Read aloud. [mie]

mie

Jn a polysyllabic word, when i is stressed, followed by a final e, and there is no accent mark, pronounce ie as two syllables [‘i eJ. LL2.3.47

Read aloud. [fol: li e]

follie

iei Pronounce iei as the triphthong [j:i]. (A triphthong is a sequence of three vowel sounds that occur in the same syllable, usually com posed of a glide and a diphthong.) LL 2.3.48

Read aloud. [mj:i]

miei

jo When io is in the interior of a word or a final stressed syllable with an ac cent mark, and does not follow c, g, or sc, usually pronounce it as [jDl. LL 2.3.49

Read aloud.

fiocco

[‘kjD do] [‘fjDk: ko]

ansioso

[an ‘sjo zo]

pioggia viola

[pjd: d3a] [‘vjo la]

violetto

[vj3 ‘let: taj

chiodo

Exception: Pronounce io in these common words as [jol. Li. 2.3.50

fiore

[fjo re]

passione

[pas: sjo nej

Italian 92 When io is unstressed and final in a word, pronounce it as [jo]. LL 2.351

Read aloud,

rimedio

[ri ‘me djo]

silnzio Canio

[si len tspl [‘ka nj]

vcchio

[vek kpl

I I

Note: Final -glio is [Co]. (See “The Letter “g” on page 108.) Pronounce io as the two syllables [i o] when it is in two- or three-letter words without an accent mark. 1± 2.3.52

Read aloud.

In a polysyllabic word, when i is stressed and followed by final o with

I

out an accent mark, pronounce io as the two syllable Ci o] LL 2.3.53 Read aloud. addjo

[ad di

coipjo

[kol pi ol

natio

[na

deso

[de zi

0]

ti o] 0]

ju When iu is in the interior of a word or in a final stressed syllable with an accent mark, and does not follow c, g, or sc, pronounce it as the glide [ju]. LL 2.3.54

Read aloud.

Liü

[iju]

piuma

[pju ma]

piü

[pin]

schiuda

[skju da]

liuto

[‘iju to] [pjut ‘t Sto]

piuttostô

I

Italian 93 a Pronounce the Italian o in one of two ways: close [ol as in the English word obey, and open [3], as the aw sound in awe. Caution: Be careful to sing pure [o] in Italian and never use diphthongal [ou] as you would in the English word bone. To determine the pronunciation of the letter o, you must first determine whether it occurs in a stressed or unstressed syllable. The letter o in a stressed syllable is referred to as stressed o, in an unstressed syllable, unstressed o.

The Letter o in Stressed Syllables If you determine that the syllable is stressed (see “Stressing” on page 58), you will need to make a choice between [o] or [o]: stressed o has no other pronunciations. Unlike the letter e, your choice rarely affects the meaning of the word. See the rules beginning on page 94 for how to determine whether to pronounce stressed o as [01 or [o].

Note: These rules cannot cover all words. Rely upon your memory of often repeated words, or consult a dictionary.

The Letter o in Unstressed Syllables If you determine that the letter o is in an unstressed syllable, then pronounce it as [o], except when it precedes r and another consonant. Some vocal pedagogues, however, direct singers to pronounce every unstressed o that follows a stressed syllable as [3]. (See “The letter o unstressed” on page 94.) The letters e and o have similar characteristics. Use that discussion to make your personal choice whether to sing open [c] or close [o] for unstressed o. Then, become aware of your choice and keep it consistent throughout your singing. Pronounce the words in the following columns to increase your awareness of the two choices for pronouncing unstressed o. Pronounce a word in the first column using close [o]. Then pronounce the same word in the second column using open [1. Listen and feel the difference.

Note: In Italian, as mentioned previously, you must use a consistent pronunciation for unstressed o. The following words are offered simply as an awareness exercise. Read aloud to compare and contrast. II 2.3.55

certo

[tfer to]

certo

[tfer

patio

[par lo]

patio

[par loj

t3]

The letter

Italian 94 prdono

[per do no]

prdono

primo

[pri mo]

prirno

almeno

[al me no]

almeno

grido

[gri do]

grido

[per do no] [pri mo] [al me no] [gri do]

The letter o unstressed

I I 1 I

Usually pronounce unstressed o as [o]. (See the discussion on page 93.) LL 2.3.56 Read aloud. sospiro

[so spi ro]

momento prometto

[mo men to] [pro met to]

toccare

[tok ka re]

spelato novella

[spe la to] [no vel Ia]

locale

[lo ka le]

ottava

[ot ta Va]

buffo

[buf: fo]

partonre

[par to

ii

I I

tel

When unstressed o is followed by r and another consonant, pronounce it

as[o].

LL 2.3.7

Read aloud.

tor-men-to

[tor men to]

tor-na-re

[tor na tel

cor-pet-to

[kor pet: to]

dot-mi-re

[d,r mi re]

The letter o, stressed ‘Vhen stressed o ends a syllable, usually pronounce it as [o]. LL. 2.3.58

Read aloud,

so-no

[so no]

mo-stro

[mo stro]

a-mo-re

[a mo re]

0-gm

[ojul

ri-go—re vo-ce

[ri go [vo tfe]

rd

I Li I 1

Italian 95 To-sca

[to ska]

so-la

[so lal

Exceptions: These common words are exceptions to this rule. Pronounce stressed o in these words with [o]. LL 2.3.59

cosa

[ko za]

meaning thing, affair

core

[ko re]

from cuore, meaning heart

rosa

meaning pink

sposa

[ro za] [spo za)

meaning bride

poco

[po kol

meaning little, few

In the following six circumstances, however, pronounce the stressed o that ends a syllable as open [ol, and not as [oj.

1. When a ends a stressed antepenult (third-to-last) syllable, pronounce it as [o]. LL 2.3.60

I!

Read aloud.

o-ve-ro

[po ye ro]

pe-ra or-fa-na

[ pe ra] [or fa na]

p-po-1o

[po

0

lo]

Note: Rely upon the metric stress of the melodic line or consult a dictionary to determine when to give primary stress to the third-to-last syllable.

2. When o follows i or u in a stressed syllable, pronounce it as [o]. U. 2.3.6].

Read aloud.

pio-ve

[pjo ye]

io-sa

[jo

p

scuo-la

[skwo Ia]

quo-ta

[kwo ta]

p

Exception: fiore [fjo rd.

Ii

zaj

See also rules for io (page 91) and uo (page 101).

3. When o is final and marked with an accent, pronounce it as [o]. Note: An accent mark over the final vowel indicates that the syllable is stressed.

I —p I

Italian 96 LL 2.3.h2

Read aloud,

farô

[fa ‘rol

salpo

[sal pal

ciô

[fo]

fimro

[fi 111

tornô

[tar no]

lasciero

[Ia ,fr’ ra]

potrô

[po tm]

dileguo

[di le gwo]

ra]

I I’

4. When stressed o is followed by gli, pronounce it as [a]. LL 2.3.63

Read aloud.

fo-glio

[To Aol

sco-glio

[‘sko Aol

5. When stressed o is followed by a consonant and a glide, pronounce it as [a]. LL2..3.64

Read aloud,

gb-na

[‘gb na]

To-mo

[to np]

sto-ria

[‘sto rja]

me-mo-na

[me ma rial

6. When stressed o is in the noun ending -oro or its plural, -on, pronounce it as [a]. LL 2.3.65

Read aloud,

tesori

[te ‘zo ru

Lindoro

[mi

Alindoro

[a im do ro]

oro

[oro]

do rol

when stressed o is followed by a vowel, usually pronounce it as [a]. Li 2.3.66 Read aloud. Diphthong:

poi

[po:il

Triphthong:

vuoi

[vwo:i]

Two syllables:

balboa

[bal ba a]

See the rules for the letter o in consecutive vowels on page 98.

I I

Italian 97 usually ‘iVhen stressed o is followed by a consonant in the same syllable, pronounce it as [o]. Read aloud. LL 2.367 [for tsaj for-za mor-te

[sor tel [mor te]

por-to

(por to]

sor-te

Exception: Pronounce these common words with [o]: LL 2368

forma

[for ma]

(meaning shape, form)

forse

[for sel [dor nol

(meaning doubt) (meaning day)

giorno

In the following three circumstances, however, when stressed o is fol lowed by a consonant in the same syllable, pronounce it as [ol.

1. When stressed o is followed by the letter 1 and either c,f, g, m, p, or t, pronounce o as [oJ.

I

LL 23.ô9

Read aloud.

vol-to

[do! le] [vol to]

col-po

[kol pol

a-scol-to

Ja skol to]

dol-ce

Exception: Pronounce the common word volta [vol ta] (meaning turn) with open [o].

I II I I I

2. When stressed o is followed by the letters mb, mm, or mp, pronounce o as [ol. LL 23.70

Read aloud.

om-bra

[om bra]

gom-ma porn-pa

[gom ma] [porn pa]

from-ba

[from ba]

Italian 98 3. When stressed o is followed by a single n in the same syllable, pronounce it as [o]. LL. 2.3.71

Read aloud.

con

[kon]

rQn-di-ne mon-do

[ron di nel [mon do]

don-de

[don d]

I Ii I I

/Vhen stressed o is followed by a double consonant, check the diction ary. Sometimes it is pronounced [ol, sometimes [ol. LL 2.3.72

Compare and contrast. Open

Close

lot-to

fos-si

[soL to] [fos: si]

boc-ca

[boic ka]

gob-bo

sot—to

ap-pog-gio

[1ot to] [apt pod d3o] [gob boj

II I

The letter o in consecutive vowels oa Pronounce the strong consecutive vowels oa as the two syllables [o al. LL 2.3.73

Read aloud,

bal-bo-a

[hal ho a]

so-a-ye

[so a ye]

oe See general rules for consecutive vowels on page 68.

II II i lie

Pronounce the strong consecutive vowels oe as the two syllables [o ci. LL 2.3.74 e-ro-e po-e-ta

Read aloud. Fe ro ci [po c tal

I

Italian

I I I I I I

99 oi Usually pronounce oi as the diphthong [:i]. LL 2.3.75

Read aloud,

poi

[p3:i]

poiché

[poii Ice]

Exceptions: In these common words, pronounce the diphthong with [o]. voi

[voi]

noi

[no a]

coi

[koi]

oia, oja Pronounce oia and oja as the two syllables [ jal.

LL 2.3.76

Read aloud,

gio-ia

[c133 jal

glo-ja

[ct3Dja]

When the Italian letter u functions as a vowel, it is always pronounced as ju], as in the English word boot, never as [o] as in book. The sound [u] does not exist in Italian. When [ul is combined with another vowel in a syllable, you need to decide whether to pronounce it as [ii] or the glide [w]. See the rules below.

/Vhen u occurs before a consonant, pronounce it as [u]. LL 2.3.77

Read aloud.

fugare

[fu ga re]

pupa

[pu pa]

cucina

[ku iji na]

lunga

[lwj ga]

When ii follows a vowel, pronounce it as [u]. LL 2.378

Read aloud.

piu

[pju]

liuto

[iju to]

The single letter u The letter

U

Italian 100 pausa

[pau za]

Euridice

[e u ri di [e]

II

The letter u preceding a vowel

I ua

II Usually pronounce ua as the glide [Wa]. LL 2.379

Read aloud.

graduare

[kwan to] Igra dwa rd

‘.qULldJre

IsLwa da rel

statua

ista twal

(1UIflt()

—

Pronounce ua as the two syllables [ii a] in a small word that has no ac cent mark. Notice that the u is stressed. LL 2.38O

I

-

II

Read aloud.

tua

[tua]

ue Usually pronounce ue as the glide [wc]. LL 2.3.81

Read aloud,

guerra

[gwer: ra]

estinguerà

[e stig çjwe ml

1

Exception: The common words quello [kwel: lo] and questo [ kwe sto] are pronounced with tel. Pronounce ue as the two syllables [u e] in a small word that has no ac cent mark. Notice that the u is stressed. LL 23$2

tue dije

I

Read aloud. [tu e] [due]

II I

Italian

I

101

I I

Ui

Usually pronounce ui as the glide [wi] Note: When ui follows q or g, or is in the interior of a word, the result is a glide.

I p

I I p p

LL 2.3.83

Read aloud.

qui

[kwi]

languir

llaii gwirj

When ui is final in a small word and there is no accent mark, pronounce it as the two syllables Lu iJ. LL 2,3.84

Read aloud.

liji

[lu ij

ciji

[ku

f!1i

[fu ii

i]

Usually pronounce uo as the glide [wo]. /\lhen the weak vowel u is followed by the strong vowel o in the initial or interior position of the word, or is final with an accent mark, pronounce the vowel combination as a glide. LL 2.3.85

Read aloud.

uomo nuovo puô

[wo mo] Inwo vol [pwo]

duolo

Idwo lo]

vuole

[vwo le]

dileguè

[di le

fuori

gwo] [Two nj

cuore

[kwo re]

Pronounce uo as the two syllables [u olin small words when it is final in the word and there is no accent mark. LL2.3.86

tuo

[tn o]

so

[suo]

Italian 102

p uie Pronounce uie as the triphthong [wji. LL 2.387

quiete

[kwj tel

Pronounce uio as the two syllables [u jol. LL 23.88

buio

[bu jol

uoi Pronounce uoi as the triphthong [woi1. LL 23.9

tuoi suoi vuoi

[two:iJ j] [swc ii [vw3:i]

uoio Pronounce uoio as the two syllables [wD ji. LL 23.9()

muoio

[‘mw,

I!

Italian 103

Italian Consonants in Detail pronounce b as [hi.

Note:

[b] represents the sound of b in the English word bay.

But in Italian [hi is a “dry” consonant pronounced with less aspiration than in English.

LL 2.4.91.

Read aloud.

bocca

[bok: ka]

abisso

[a bis: so]

bacio

[ba fo]

bath

[bat: Li]

barbara

[bar ba ra]

bambino

[barn hi no]

bb pronounce bb

as [b: b].

Note: Pronounce [b:

hi with a longer duration than [b].

Close your lips for the stop portion of the consonant, prolong the stop, and then articulate the plosive part of the consonant. LL

2.4.92

Examples of [b:

Compare and contrast. hi in English

lab bone grab_hack

Examples in Italian babbo

[bab: ho]

labbro

[lab: bro]

gabbare

[gab: ba rej

abbia

[ab bja]

rabbia

[rab: bja]

abbandonare

[ab ban do na re]

‘/\/hen c is followed by a, o,

or u, pronounce it as [k]. When c is pro

nounced as [k], it is called a hard c.

C

11 Italian

p

104 Note: [k] represents the sound of k in the English word kit. But in Italian [k] is a “dry” consonant, pronounced with less aspiration than in English. LL 2.4.93

11 11

Read aloud.

canta

[kan La]

culto

[kul to]

copia

[ko pja]

cura stancare

[ku ml [stal] ka rej

pcora

[pe ko ral

/Vhen cc is followed by a,

0,

or u, pronounce it as [k: ki.

p II

p

Note: Pronounce [k: k] with a longer duration than [k]. Lift

II

the back of your tongue to touch your soft palate for the stop portion of [k]; after a short silent pause, articulate the plosive part of the consonant.

II

LL 2.4.94

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [k: k] in English:

pinjat milk cv Exampk” in 11iIian: bocca

[huk: k I

sorcco’()

ik: ko zol

ucco

[eI: ko]

accus

[ak: ku za]

pecca

[pek: ka]

lucca

[luk: ka]

N p Ii Ifi

When c is followed by e or i, pronounce it as [[]. A c pronounced as [if] is called a soft c. Note: [J] represents the sound of ch in the English word chair. [j] is an affricative consonant that is made up of the stop of the stop-plosive consonant [ii, as in tip, combined with the fricative consonant [JI. as in liip. LL 2.4.95

Read aloud.

I I

Italian 105 dolce

Idol fe1

dieci

jdj [i]

ciro

Ii ro] [ba fo]

bacio

Note: Even though the i, as in bacio [ba [oJ, is silent, it continues to function as a diacritical mark that softens the pronunciation of c to [j]. (See the rule for silent i on page 88.)

/\/hen cc is followed by e or 4 pronounce it as

[t:

[]

[a].

P P

Note: Pronounce [t: [] with longer duration than Produce [t: j] by lifting the tip of your tongue to touch the back of your upper front teeth for the stop portion of [tJ; then after a short silent pause, let the air escape in a fricative Ii’]. Note: The diacritical mark [:1 indicates the longer duration of the stop portion of [ij. The symbol [t] is written a second time to emphasize the importance of prolonging the doubled consonant in Italian.

LL 2.4,96

Compare and contrast.

p

Examples of it: [] in English: hat check

I

soft chair

I I

Examples in Italian: traccia

[at: [cn ii] :[trat tJ’a]

braccio

[‘brat: [o]

Puccini

[put

accenti

[i

nil

When c is followed by a consonant other than c, pronounce it as [ki. LL 2.4.97

I

Read aloud.

clavicola

[kia vi ko laj

CJnica

[idi

credere

[‘kre de re]

cruda classico

[‘kru da] [‘kias: si ko]

crescendo

[kre jèn do]

ni ka]

I

Italian

I

106

1 ch&cch

I

pronounce ch as [k] Note: In the digraph ch, the h is silent. When ch occurs before e or i, the h functions as a diacritical mark to harden the pronunciation of c to [k}. LL 2.4.98

I I

Read aloud.

che

[ke]

poiche

[po 1 kel

chiama

[kja ma]

chi

[ki]

chiesi

[kj zil

inciuchire

[in [u ki rel

I I

Pronounce cch as [k: k].

Note: Pronounce [k: k] with longer duration than [k]. LL. 2.4.99

Read aloud.

pacchetto

[pak: ket: to]

macchina vecchie

[mak. ki nal [vck: kje]

acchetare

[ab ke ta re]

occhi

[ok: ku

I

cqu Pronounce cqu as [k: kJ

Note: In these words, the c is pronounced as [kJ and qu is pronounced as [k] resulting in the prolonged sound [Ic kJ. ,

LL 2,4.100 acqua acquieta

acquisire

Read aloud. [ak: kwa] [ak. kwje tal [aic kwi zi rel

p

I

Italian 107 pronounce d as [dl Note: [dl is the sound of d in the English word day. But in Italian d is a dental consonant, not the alveolar d used in English. It is also articulated more dryly, with less aspiration, than in English. LL 2.4.1.01

Read aloud.

dare

[‘da re]

deserto diva

[de zer to] [di val

indocile

[in ‘d

padr’

I’pa

drul

clothre

I(h)1:

b

iji

rej

Pronounce dd as [d: d]. Note: Pronounce [d: d] with longer duration than [d]. Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your upper front teeth, and then articulate the plosive part of the consonant. LL 2.4.102

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [d: dl in English: Neddid bed down Examples in Italian Nedda

[‘ned: da]

freddo

[fred do]

addio

[ad: di o]

Turiddu

[tu ‘rid du]

bodda

[‘bDd: da]

addosso

[ad: ‘dos: so]

Pronouncef as [fJ.

Note: [f] is the sound off in the English word feet. Li 2.4.103

Read aloud.

fato

[Ta to]

rifare

[ri fa rd

figura

[fi ‘gu ra]

f

I I I I

Italian 108

ronounceff as [f: fJ. Note: Pronounce [f: 11 with a longer duration than [f]. LL 2.4.1.04 Compare and contrast. Examples of [f: f] in English: cliff fall off fool Examples in Italian affanni

[af fam nil

affetto

[af ftt to]

maffia

[maf fjal

gaffa

[ gaf fa]

4

When g

is followed by a, o, a, or a consonant, pronounce it as [g]. When g is pronounced as [g], it is called a hard g.

p

Note: [gi is the sound of g as in the English word go. The Italian [g] has a drier, less aspirate sound than in English. LL 2.4.105

Read aloud.

guarda

[gwar da]

magari

[ma ga n]

gala

[ga Ia]

uguale figura

[u gwa le] [fi gU ra]

.agonia

[a go ni a]

grato

[gra to]

grosso

[gros: so]

When g is followed by e or i, pronounce it as [d3]. When g is pro nounced as [d31, it is called a soft g.

Note: [d3] is the sound of dg as in the English word fudge. [d3] combines the stop portion of the stop-plosive [dl (as in dog) with the fricative [] (as in the English word viion).

p p

Italian 109 Read aloud.

LL 24.iO6 Gesü

[d3c zuj

magister4.:

[ma d3i ste ro]

geo

[de o]

gemma giorni

[43cm. mal [d3or nil

bugia

[bu d3i a]

Note: The i (as in giorno) is silent and functions as a diacritical mark that softens the pronunciation of g to [d3]. (See the rule for silent i on page 88.)

gg When gg is followed by a, o, u, or a consonant, pronounce it as {g: g}.

Note: Pronounce [g: g] with a longer duration than [g]. Lift the back of your tongue to touch your soft palate for the stop portion of the consonant; after a short pause, articulate the plosive part of the consonant. Compare and contrast.

LL 24.iO7

Examples of [g: g] in English:

dog..gone biggap Fmple’..

ifl

Italian:

Fiiggi

Ii ug: ga I

agguato_________

lag: gwa 101

aggiidt leggo

lag’ gia tIil ilug gol

)ggolt)

I(J

reggo

Irj: gol______________________

lol

i[hen gg is followed by e or i, pronounce it as [d: 43].

Note: Pronounce [d: d31 with a longer duration of sound than [43]. The stop portion of [d] is prolonged before the zh [31 is articulated. LL 2.4.108

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [d: 43] in English: maLQeorge ba4gem

Italian

I

110 Examples in Italian: maggio guiggiare

[mad d3ol [gwid: d3a rel

raggio

[‘rad: d3oi

reggia

[‘rcd: d3aJ

figge

[fid: d3e]

loggia

[‘bd: d3a]

I’ I I’

gh Pronounce gh as [gJ Note: In the cligraph gh the h is silent. In Italian, h functions as a diacritical mark to harden the sound of g before e or i.

LL 2.4.109

II

Read aloud.

ghirlanda

[gir ‘lan da]

Respighi

[respi gil [va gil

vaghi ghermita ghetta

[ger mi ta] [‘get: ta]

gangherare

[gaij ge ra re]

p

gli Pronounce the letters gli as elya [Al.

Note: A lateral palatal consonant, this sound does not exist in English, but is similar to the [lj] in million. (See page 66 for a full explanation of elya [A].) LL 2.4.110

Read aloud.

foglia

[To La]

consiglio

[kon si Aol

Pagliacci

[pa ‘Lat: [i]

Gughelmo

[gu Ad mol

figlio

[Ti Lo]

moglie

[mo Ae]

p

Note: When gli stands alone in a syllable, without another vowel, the i is transcribed as [ii:

I

Italian 111 LL 2.41.11 [A:i} [e

e-gli

iCl]

gi, gn, & gu /\lhen gi is followed by a, e, o, or u, pronounce it as Igi]. Read aloud.

LL 2.4.1.12 glauca

[glau ka]

gloria

[‘gl rja]

glutine

[glu ti ne]

gleba

[gle bal

pronounce the digraph gn as enya

[ji].

Note: A nasal, palatal consonant, this sound does not exist in English, but is similar to the [nj] in oiion. (See page 66 for a full explanation of this sound.) LL 2.4.1.13

Read aloud.

degno

[de jiol

colnpag;po

Signori

Roni pa .iioI IN i.’ ilal Isi po ru

gnudo

lIHI do]

gnocco

[JL)L kol

bisogna

When gu is followed by a vowel, pronounce it as [gw]. Read aloud. LL 2.4.114 [se gwi rd seguire

guar[a

[gwar da]

guerra

[gwer ra]

guida

[gwi daj

The letter h is always silent. Read aloud, LL 2.4.115 ho

[3]

ha

[a]

-—

—-

—

—

Italian p

112 hai

[a:il

hanno

[an no]

Note: In Italian, the silent h often follows c and g and hardens their pronunciation to [k] and [gi. (See the listings for ch on page 106; gh on page 110.)

P

LL2.4.l16

chi

[ki]

ghirlando

(gir lan dol

che

[ke]

I u ngheiia

I km

—

—

gel:

—

—

Isal

11

I skzi ‘n]

(I1ILV(

ghetto

igui:

tol

-—

— •

a

J

Pronounce the letter j as [j]. Note: The letter j is only used in older Italian spellings. The name of the symbol [j] is jot [jot]. It sounds likey in yes.

LL 2.4.117 Old spelling: Current spelling:

gaja

[ga ja]

gaia

[ga

ja]

I 1*

rjhe

letter k is only used in foreign words and would be pronounced as it is in that language.

I p ‘p

Pronounce the letter 1 as [1].

Note: [1] is the “clear” sound of 1 as in leap. Pronounce the lateral consonant [1] as a dental sound. Lift the tip of your tongue to touch the back of your upper front teeth, instead of your alveolar ridge as in English. LL 2.4.1.18

Read aloud.

libertà

[Ii ber ta]

fedele

[fe de le]

II 111

I I I U

Italian 113 legale

[le ga Ic]

alto

[al to]

luogo

[iwo go]

dolore

[do b re]

pronounce ii as [1: 11. Note: Pronounce [1: 11 with a more prolonged sound than [1]. LL 2.41.19

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [1: 1] in English: tell Lassie waiHight Examples in Italian folla

[fol: Ia]

bello carteila

[ bel lo] [kar tel: Ia]

molle

[mol Ic]

pronounce the letter m as [ml, as in the English word meat. LL 2.4.1.20

Read aloud.

marta

[mar ta]

mano

[ma no]

amore

[a mo re]

dorma

[dor ma]

tema

[Ic ma]

mondo

[mon do]

pronounce mm as [m: m]

Note: Pronounce [m: ml with a more prolonged sound than [m]. Li. 2,4121.

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [in: ml in English: dumb_man Mom murmured Examples in Italian:

mamma

[main: ma]

domma

[dom ma]

m

I p p

Italian 114 gemma

[d3cm: ma]

commosso sommetta

[kom ms: sol [som rnet ta]

vendemmia

[vn dem mjaj

II

a pronounce the letter n as [n], as in the English word name.

n

Note: Italian [n] is pronounced dentally. Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your upper front teeth, instead of your alveolar ridge as in English. LL 2.4J22

Read aloud.

nome

[no me]

nozze

[nat tse] [nu me ro]

numero funesto domani

[fu ne sto] [do ma nil

cantare

[kan ta rel

pronounce double nn as [n n] Note: Pronounce [n n] with a more prolonged sound than [n]. LL 2.4.123

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [m n] in English: Nan knits can never Examples in Italian: donna

[‘d3n: na]

Susanna manna

[su zam nal [man na]

nonna

[nn na]

When n is followed by the sounds [kJ or [g], pronounce it as name of the symbol [ij] is eng.

[ij].

(The

Note: Pronounce [ijj as ng in the English word hung. The back of your tongue lifts to touch your soft palate. LI. 2.4,124

Read aloud.

bianco

[bjaij ko]

ancora

[ai) ko ra]

lungo

[luij go]

I II I

p I p p I p I p

p

Italian 115 [gue

[saij gwej

uuig1ese

[iij

gic zcl Lbaij ka]

banca

In words with the initial syllable in followed by the sounds [ki or [g], pronounce 11 as [ul. LL 2.4i25

Read aloud.

a Pronounce the letter p as [p1, as in the English word put.

Note: The Italian [p] is pronounced with less aspiration than in English. LL 24i2(i

Read aloud.

pianto

[pjan to]

porto crepa compenso speme

[pot toj [kre pa] [kom pen so] [spe me]

p1cido

[pla fi do]

Pronounce pp [p: p1. Note: Pronounce [p: p1 with a longer duration of sound than [p1. Close your lips for the stop portion of the consonant; prolong the stop, and then articulate the plosive

part of the consonant. [1 2.4.127

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [p: p] in English: helpfaul

clap4roudly Examples in Italian: drappo

[drap: po]

applauso

[apt plam zo]

sllpplice

[sup: ph [e]

coppa

[kop: pal

Italian 116 pronounce qu as [kw] as in the English word queen.

Ii

Note: In Italian the letter q is always followed by the vowel LL 2.4.128

Read aloud.

qua

[kwaj

acqua quota

lak: kwal [kwo lal

cØe,ta

(Lwc %ta I

qui

[kwil

quando

I’kwaii (101

—

—

—

. Pronounce the letter r in Italian as either a flipped or trilled r. Do not pronounce it as the retroflex r of English. (See “Flipped and Trilled r” on page 65.) r

Note: If desired, the IPA symbol

[ii may be used to represent the flipped r. (See page 65.) This text, for simplicity, uses [r] for the flipped and trilled r.

When r occurs between two vowels, pronounce it as flipped LL 2.4.129

Read aloud,

fiore

[fjo rel

severo

[se

mistero

rol [mi st ro]

mirare

[mi ra re]

ye

Use a trilled r when r is initial or final, when r follows a consonant in the same syllable, or when r follows a stressed vowel and precedes a consonant.

I

Initial LL 2.4.130

Read aloud.

rosa

[rD za]

rabbia

[rab: bja]

raggio

[rad: d3o]

ruspa

[ru spal

ricatto ruzza

En kat: to] [rud: dza]

r after a consonant in the same syllable:

I I I

Italian 117 LL 2.4.1.31

cruda

[kru da]

prosa fronte

I pro za] [fron tel

struggo

[strug go]

ingrato

[in gra to]

Adrianna

[a drjam na]

r after a stressed vowel and before another consonant:

LL 2.4.132 parto

guarda

I I I

gkrrio

pcrdono morte riiordo

gwar dal I L.Ior 1i(I [prr do 111)1 [mor te]

[ri kcr dol

LL 2.4.133

mont

[kaa tar] [mo nr]

danzar

[dan tsar]

gioir cor

[43 if] [kDr]

orror

[3r ror]

cantar

I I I

[par to]

Some words end in r because they are apocapated—that is, shortened, as when core appears as cor. When such a word ends a phrase or precedes a consonant, trill the r; when such a word precedes a vowel, flip the r. Read aloud. trilled:

un lieto cor!

flipped:

un cor di fero un cor amato

Italian

LII

118 rr pronounce rr as [r: r] with a more prolonged trill than [r].

II

Note: A long, trilled rr is necessary for correct Italian diction, although to many American ears it seems excessive. LL 2.4.134 Read aloud. terra

[ter: ra]

errore

[er ro rel

orrido

[‘or: ri do]

Ferrando terrore

[fer ran do] [ter: ro re]

guerra

[gwer raj

i II

/\T hen the letter s is initial in a word and is followed by a vowel, pronounce it as [s].

S

LL 2.4. 1.35

I

II

Read aloud.

sento

[sen to]

sbben

[seb ben]

segreto

[Se ‘gre to]

sempre

[scm prej

sopore

[so ‘p0 re]

sarô

[sa ‘ra]

II

/\Ihen s is initial in a syllable, follows a consonant, and precedes a vowel, pronounce it as [si. LL 2.4.136

Read aloud.

mar-si-na

[mar si na]

ten-sio-ne

[ten sjo ne]

men-so-la

[‘men so la]

ver-so

[ver so]

mo-strar-si

[mo ‘strar si]

per-so-na

[per ‘so nal

I

w

Italian 119 V\Ihen s is initial in a syllable, and precedes an unvoiced consonant, pronounce it as [SI. LL 2.4.137

I

Read aloud.

sfi-gu-ra-re

[sfi gu ra re]

sfor-zan-do sfioc-co

[sfr tsan do] [sfjok: ko]

sfac-cia

[‘sfat: fa]

spar-gi

[spar d3iJ

spir-to

[spir to]

scrit-to

[skrit: to]

scre-zio

[skre tsjoJ

scrol-lo

[scrol: lo]

scru-ma-re

[skru ma re]

ar-re-sta

[ar: re sta]

ca-sta

[ka sta]

When the letter s is final, pronounce it as [SI. LL 2.4.138

Read aloud,

Radamès

[ra da mes]

Amneris

[am ne ns]

‘A1 hen the letter s occurs between vowels, pronounce it as [z]. Note: Pronounce [z] as in the English word zero. LL 2.4.139

I

Read aloud.

basilica

[ba zi Ii ka]

presa

[pre za]

sposo

[spo zol

spinose

[spi no ze]

tesoro

[te zo ro]

rosario

[ro za rjoj

Note: Although there are some exceptions to this rule in spoken Italian (most notably casa [ka sa], cosa, cosi, and desiderio), most singers sing [z] in these words. Note: In a few words with prefixes pre- and

ii-,

the

intervocalic s must be pronounced [s]. Check a dictionary.

Italian 120

—I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

when the letter s is initial and is followed by a voiced consonant in the same syllable, pronounce it as [zi.

IL 2.4J40

Read aloud.

smanie

[zma nje]

sventura

[zven tu ra]

sbarra

[‘zbar: ra]

sgelo sdegnare

[zd3e 101 [zde pa rel

slentare

[zien ta rej

SS Pronounce ss as [s

5].

Note: Pronounce [s: sJ with a more prolonged sound than [s]. Be sure the sound remains unvoiced. LL 2.4.141

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [: sU cce’,’

s]

in English:

U fl CC

‘.tands Eximple’ in ILilian: a’.’a LVC

I LP.’()

LLI

vissi

I his: sol Iis: siJ

essO

[cs:soj

possente

I p:

sm

lop:

prrs:

oppresso

Sc,

lkas:

—

Lu I

sol

sch J\1hen sc is followed by a, o, or u, pronounce it as [ski. LL 2.4.142

Read aloud.

scusare

[skii za rd

cascare

[ka ‘ska rd

scolta

[‘skol Lal

riscontro

[ri skon tro]

scuola

[‘skw3 la]

discordare

[di sbr da re]

—

-

I

Italian 121 When Sc 15 followed e or 1, pronounce it as [j] Note: Pronounce J] as sh in the English word he. The name of the symbol [j] is esh [eu. LL 2.4.143

Read aloud,

scena

[fe na]

scelta

[i’d ia] [ni j’eI: lo]

ruscello scintilla sciolto bascia

ITm tiL Ia] [Jo! to] [ha Ja]

Note: Even though the i, as in sciolto, is silent, it continues to act as an agent to soften the sc to [j]. (See the rule for silent i on page 88). pronounce sch as [ski.

Note: When Ii occurs after c and before e or 4 it hardens c to [k]. LL 2.4.144

Read aloud

scherzo

[sker tso]

luschero

ilu ske roj [ri skjo zo]

rischioso schema

Iskjaf: fa rd [ske ma]

immischiarsi

[ml mi skjar si]

schiaff are

Pronounce the letter t

as [t]

as in the English word team.

Note: In Italian, [t] is a dental, dry consonant. Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your upper front teeth, instead of your alveolar ridge as in English, and give less aspiration on the plosive part of the consonant. LL 2.4.145

Read aloud,

mo re]

timore

[Ii

punto

[pun to]

guinta

[gwin ta]

bistro

[bi strol [ter iso]

terzo

t

II 1 I N I

Italian 122 tanto

[tan tol [mi tel

mite pronounce U as

jt

ii with a longer duration than t

[t]

Note: Pronounce [t: ii with a longer duration than [11. Place the tip of your tongue on the back of your upper front teeth. Your tongue tip remains in that position for a brief pause, then releases plosively, but with a drier, less aspirate sound than in English. Compare and contrast.

LI. 2.4.146

Examples of Pat tells

II

[t 1]

N

in English:

II

met Tim FcarnpIe’. in ILLiLIn: dILtL

I dii: iul

fl1.OFkttL1 rIct[c

I mol: let: Id I In Un: WI

bi[1i

[hat: iii

i\Ii’L[o

lilia

iui: ioJ

\“ioietLi

lvi

Id:

—

tal

a

N I II

Pronounce the letter v as [v], as in the English word victor.

V

LL 2.4.147

Read aloud.

avanti virtu

[a van til [vir tul

voce

[vo ‘e]

viola

[vj Ia]

favore

[fa vo re] [mal vi vol

malvivo

II

I

Pronounce vv as [v: v].

Note: Pronounce [v: vI with a more prolonged sound than [vI. LL 2.4,148

Compare and contrast.

Examples of [v: vi in English: have verses save Victor Examples in Italian:

p 1

Italian 123 ravverso

[av: ver so]

[ avvolto

[av v1 to] p

The letter w is used only in foreign words. Pronounce it as you would in that language.

p

The letter x is used only in foreign words. Pronounce it as you would in that language.

p The letter y is used only in foreign words. Pronounce it as you would in that language.

p

The consonant z in Italian has two pronunciations: [tsJ (as in eaf) or [dz]

(as in bea4). There are no consistent rules for determining which pro nunciation to use, although [tsl is more frequent. Consult a reliable dictionary for correct pronunciation. Note: The following words use the unvoiced combination sound [ts], which is composed of the stop portion of [ii followed by the fricative [si. LL 2.4i49

Read aloud.

zio

[tsi o]

terzo

[ter tso]

zitto

[tsit: to]

grazia

[gra tsja]

danza

[dan tsa]

delizia

[de

.

ii

tsja] .

T he following words use the voiced combination sound [dz], which is composed of the stop portion of [d] followed by the fricative [z]. U.. 2.4.150 zelo

Read aloud, [dze lo]

rlrna

[dzcr h na]

bronzo

[br3n dzo]

z

Italian 124 donzella

[don dzeh lal [a dzu le na] [that na gal

Azucena Zumga

I It I 11

‘JIie letter group zz is pronounced either as [t: ts] or [d: dzl. Consult a diction ary to determine whether a word should be pronounced with [t: is] or [d: dzj. Pronounce the zz with a more prolonged sound than a single z.

Pay attention to the difference between the sounds of [dz] and [d31. Do not confuse these two sounds. LL 2.41.i

Examples in English comparing [dz] with [d31: feeds [fidzl fudge

[fAd3]

beads

[bidzl

budge

[bAd3]

LL 2.4.152

I Ii

Examples in Italian comparing [d: dzl with [d: d31: vizza [vid thai figge [fid: d3el mezzo

[med dzoi [red: d3a]

reggia Pronounce these words with

[t:

tsj.

LL 2.4.153

mezzo

[met: tso] [not: tse]

nozze guizzare mazza

[gwit: tsa rd [mat: tsaj

pizza

[pit: tsa]

(of fruit, over-ripe)

Pronounce these words with [d: dzj. LL 2.4.1.54

mezzo

[mcd: dzo]

mezzana

[mcd: dza na]

bizzaro

[bid: dza ro]

gazza

[gad dzaj

(half, medium, mezzo-soprano)

I

Latin

I II

I I I I p p p Is

Is p p p p

Latin Diction

Latin

I I

126

Chart of Latin Sounds The following chart lists the sounds of Latin in alphabetical order. Refer to this chart to quickly check the sound of a spelling. For special circumstances and exceptions to the sounds that cannot be presented easily in a simple chart, see the discussions of the individual sounds later in this chapter. Italian Letter and Position in Word a

3_

au

(diphthong)

ay

(diphthong)

before a,

c, cc

before

c

between

c

final

or a

1

mala

[mci

[ci

aterna

[c ter nd

133, 137

ul [o:i]

causa

[ko ii zo]

137

Raymundi

[ro:i mun di]

138

[bi

bona

[bo ne]

142

[br dcii

142 142

Page

ml

137

cord a

[I]

lucis

[hi isj

[ii [k]

excelsis

[ck

fac

[fok]

142

ch

[k]

Christum

[kri 5mm]

142

d

[dl

domine

[do mi nd

143

i

e, , a,

ex

consonant

or y

and

e, , ce,

i,

or y

Sd

sis]

[ci

testi

[te sti]

138

(diphthong)

[e UI

euge

(two syllables)

[c

Deum

[e u c1ci [dc urn]

138

eu

138

[fi

fmis

[fi

nls]

144

[gJ

plagas

[plo gos]

144

[I

regina Agnus

[re d3’ nd [ci pus]

144

Lp]*

144, 147

g

before a,

g gn

before

o,

u

e, , a,

or a i,

consonant

or y

h

f’[

exceptions: nihil, mihi

•

1

1

i

.

j

between two vowels

*

The IPA symbol See 110. page

enya

[ji]

represents

ii]

silent Hosanna [k] nthil

[o zom nd

145:

[ni kill

145

[ij

liber

[Ii bed

139

[ii

alleluia

[cii: Ic lu iou

139

[ii

Jesu

[jc zuj

145

a sound similar

to

the ni

of

the English word offlon [An jon].

ii ‘I II

142

eu f

g

IPA

[cii

[ki

o, u,

e

e

Example and

[ci

b

c, cc

IPA

I I I I 1 I I I I I

Latin 127 IPA

Example and

IPA

Page

[k]

ka1enda

[ka len dcl

145

111

laudarnus

I1au do mus]

146

m

[ml

morte

[mor te]

146

n

[ii]

non

[non]

146 146

Italian Letter and Position in Word k k

m ri

n

before [kt]

[1]]

sancto

[soij kto]

n

before g in separate syllable

[iii

conglorificatur

[icon

but sometimes

[iii

sanguis

[saij gwisj

146

[oJ

nobis

[no bis]

140

[c]

clestis

[[c les tis]

140

p ph

[P1 [f]

pater

[pa tel]

147

Prophetas

[prD fe tas]

147

qu

[kw]

quomam

[kwo ni omi

148

[r]

Maria

[ma n a]

148

[r]

regina

Ire i no]

148

tristis

[tn stisl

149

miserere

[mi ze re tel

149

vivos

[vi vosl

149

o

0 tn1

r

r

flipped (optional)

trilled

usually [s]

s

S

p p I

I I

nit]

146

s

between two vowels*

s

final

s

final after afinal voiced consonant

[z]

omrnpotens

[o mm po tenz]

149

sc

before a, o, u, or a consonant

[ski

scuto

[sku to]

150

sc

before e,

[II

scio

[Ti

ol

150

sch

before a, o, or u

[sk]

Pascha

[pa ska]

150

[tJ

tantum

[ton turn]

150

[tsi]

gratia

[gra tsi a]

150

th

[t]

Sabaoth

[so be ol]

150

u

[u]

crucem

[kru femj

140

[w]

qui

[kwi]

140

sanguis

[saij gwis]

140

vvos

[vi vos]

151

[z] usually [si

&, ,

i, or y

t ti

1J

gb n fi ko

u

v

following a vowel and preceding a letter other than s, t, or x

following ng or q and preceding a vowel

[vi

V *An s between two vowels is pronounced as a softened s, a sound between [s] and [z].

Latin hi

128 Italian Letter and Position in Word

w

w

(not used in Latin)

x

in initial c’X and exs IWIOft’ a Z’OWCI

X

IPA

Example and

IPA

I

Page 151

exalto

[eq SO! i.r

i1

i11*. -—

I ks

before silent h

jq5*

etendo

fek SWI1 do

151

exspiro

[ek spi fO]

151

exhiheo

Ieg si be 01*

151

I k[I

.\cukis

[ek Id sis]

I I

I ksk I

XCLISO

I :L skii ,o I

19 I

III

deLro

Ithk ‘oI

151

lksI

pax

Ipoksl

151

Y

[i]

hymnus

[i mnus]

141

z

[dzj

Lazaro

[lo thu ro]

153

x

in initial exc

bfor a frzva, d vowel

[fore a back vowel

yr

z

I

—-

before a Consonant

x

in the

\

final

interior o a word

—

—-

—

—

I

Ii

I

III I

I

1 *

In wards pronounced with [gs], some people choose to use an acceptable variation of [gz]: exalto [eg zol to]. I

Latin 129

fl

Special Features of Latin

Liturgical Latin There are two systems of pronunciation in Latin. One is liturgical and the other is classical. Classical Latin is the original language attributed to Caesar and Cicero. Although classical Latin has had a long history, it is not currently spoken by any culture as a native tongue and exists only as a scholarly language. Liturgical, Roman, or ecclesiastical Latin is the language used in the vocal literature of the church. The system of pronunciation presented in this book is liturgical Latin and is appropriate for choral masses, cantatas, and oratorios. The material follows the guidelines set forth by Rev. Michael de Angelis in a publication entitled The Correct Pronunciation of Latin According to Roman Usage, St. Gregory Guild, 1937.

p

P p

Latin rules of pronunciation are consistent and straightforward. Vowels usually have only one possible pronunciation; there are only three diphthongs. Other consecutive vowels are pronounced as two syllables. Many consonants have similarities to other languages, although there is one consonant, the letter x as in excelsis, which often poses pronunciation questions. See “The Letter X” on page 151 for information about pronouncing this letter. Perhaps the greatest challenge in Latin diction is to determine the stress patterns of the words. There are no easy, regular rules. Therefore, we have indicated primary stress in the IPA transcriptions and have included a complete IPA transcription and translation for the five parts of the Ordinary of the Mass. For words not included in this book, refer to a dictionary, a Liber usualis, or other sources listed in the bibliography. Within these sources you can find translations and pronunciation transcriptions for many other sacred Latin texts.

Syllabification Single Consonant Between Vowels

‘When a single consonant stands between vowels, place the consonant with the second vowel.

The small diacritical mark, [1, placed abone and before a syllable in JR/-I transcription indicates that syllable

LL 3.2.01 mi-se-re-re

[mi z ‘rc re]

a-men

[‘o men]

receives primary stress: miserere [ml ze re re]

IJJ Latin

a

130 no-bis

[no bis]

na-tu-ra

[no tu ro]

gb-ri-a

[gb

sa-lu-ta-re

[so iu to cc]

U Ii

fi 0]

Exception: In compound words, put the consonant with the preceding syllable. LL 3.2.U2

ad-i-re in—i—qui Li ti’..

[od i fe] —

[m 1

kwi

to

tis]

The consonant x is usually placed with the preceding vowel. (The letter x has several pronunciations. See page 151.) LL 3.2.03

dix-it

[dik sit]

ex-au-di

[eg son di]

dex-te-ram

[dek ste corn]

I

a p II II

Two Consecutive Consonants In Latin, as in Italian, you lengthen

Usually divide syllables between two consecutive consonants.

the sound of double consonants. In

LL 3.2.04

IPA, lengthened double consonants

tor-men-tum

[tor men turn]

are transcribed with the symbol [0

mun-di

and a repeated consonant symbol

tan-go

[mun di] [tol] go]

mit-to

[mit

to indicate that the sound should be prolonged.

t}:

However, there are many instances when you will place consonant combinations with the second of two syllables:

1.

Divide syllables before the consonant digraphs ch, gn, ph, or th (combined letters pronounced as a single sound). LL 3.2.03

2.

ma-chi-na

[mo ki no]

a-gnus

[0

Pro-phe-tas

[pro fe tos]

Ca-tho-li-cam

[ko

jiusj

to

ii loom]

When 1, r, or t follows b, c, d, g, or p, place both consonants with

‘I I

Latin 131 the syllable that follows.

LL 3.2.06 bl, br:

ci, cr,

ct:

p1, f, Pt

3)

Place qu, mn, sc, Sp, st

te-ne-bra

[te ne bre]

fa-ctum

[fu:

sa-clum

[se kium]

pro-pter

[pro pter]

and

ktum]

tr with the syllable that follows.

LL 3.2.07 qu:

re-qui-em

[re

mn:

o-rnnes

kwi

em]

Sc:

a-scen-dit

1o mncsJ [a jen dit]

sp::

ifl_spe-r:a-tUss

fin

st:

Chri-stum

[hi

tr

Pains

[pa trisJ

SP fo

tug:]

stumi

Three Consecutive Consonants Usually divide three consonants as one

followed by two.

LL 3.2.08

Put

san-cto

[srnj kto]

cun-da

[kuij kto]

Ec-cle-si-a

[ek: kle zi a]

the

combination str

with the second syllable.

LL 3.2.09

no-stri

[no striJ

Exception: Prefixes are put in separate syllables and may not follow the previous rules for syllabification. EL 3.2.1.0 abs-ti-ne-o

[abs ti ne

0]

Consecutive Vowels Most consecutive vowels form two syllables, although some form diphthongs. (See the detailed discussion of consecutive vowels on page 133.) Divide these vowels into two syllables.

Latin

—--p

132

ma

LL. 3111 gb-ri-a

[dc o] [gb n ci]

fi—li—um

[Ti ii um]

per-pe-tu-a

[per pe tu a]

re-qui-em

[re kwi cm]

di-esi-ra

[di es i rd

De-o

p [1

H

Stress The second-to-last syllable is also called the penultimate syllable. The third-to-last syllable is also called the antepenultimate syllable.

The topic of primary stress in Latin is complex and requires familiarity with the language. The rules presented here are meant to be simple guidelines. A singer can rely on the metric setting of the words in the musical score, can refer to the IPA transcriptions located throughout this chapter, or can refer to a dictionary for additional help with stressing.

Two Syllables in words of two syllables, give the primary stress to the second-tolast syllable.

p p

LL 311.2 go]

tan-go

[tel]

De-us

[jde us]

un-de

[un dcl

More Than Two Syllables Sometimes in words of more than two syllables, the primary stress is given to the second-to-last syllable. LL3113 Ray-mun-dus

[roi mull dus]

be-a-ta

[be o to]

Otherwise, the primary stress is given to the third-to-last syllable. LI 32.14 Do-mi-nus

[do mi nus]

gb-ri-a

[gb ri

II ‘I II

ii]

Elision

II

Latin 133 In certain words with a dropped final e, retain the primary stress of the original spelling. LL 3.2.15

[tan tDn] [ii lid]

tan-ton il—lic

for

tan-to-ne

[ton

for

il—li—ce

[ii ii

tD nd

Je]

Latin Vowels Latin is a language of pure vowels. There are only five pure vowel u], although there are six letters, a, e, i, o, u, and y. In sounds, [ci, e, i, Latin, the two letters i and y have the same pronunciation: [i], as the ee in ,

beet.

I

The pronunciation of Latin vowels is not influenced by stressing and unstressing as it is in English and Italian. The vowels e and o are always pronounced [ci and [Dl. The unstressed schwa [] sound does not exist in Latin. The only time a vowel has a pronunciation that is different than the five vowel sounds listed above is when i and u are pronounced as glides. The letters i and u are pronounced as the glides [jJ and [w] when they certain letters. When i stands between two vowels, as in alleluia [cii: Ic lu ja], it is pronounced as the glide [ii. When the letter u follows q adjoin or ng and precedes another vowel, as in qui [kwij or sanguis [soij gwis], it pronounced as the glide [wI. is are only three diphthongs in Latin: ay, au, and eu. Latin There diphthongs are transcribed in IPA as two pure vowels (as [on] in laudamus) and both vowels must be pronounced clearly and distinctly. The duration of the two vowels differs, however: the first sound is longer and the second is shorter. English speakers must be careful not to reduce the second vowel sound to a brief glide, but to give it the full vowel value.

Pronouncing Consecutive Vowels Most consecutive vowels in Latin constitute two syllables, as in be-a-ta or De-o. However, in Latin, two consecutive vowels may be pronounced as either a single vowel, a diphthong, a glide, or as two separate syllables. A digraph is a combination of two or

Single Vowel Sound The digraphs

and r are a single vowel sound.

Pronounce the digraphs printed as

I

and r as the single sound

more letters that represent a single sound.

Latin 134 eh [ci as in bed.

LL. 32.16 ca-li

[fc Ii]

hce-dis sa-cu-lurn

[e dis] [fc lumi [se ku him:]

bo-na

[ho nd

mw-re-bat

[me

cce-lum

Two dots over a vowel is called a dier esis

[dai e

ro sis].

ic

baLl

I —--I I I! I I’ I

However, when there is a dieresis over one of the vowels, treat the vowels as two distinct sounds. LL 3.2.17

Mi-cha-ël Ra-pha-el Is-rä-el po-e-ma

[mi ko eli [rn fo cli [is ro eli [po e mo]

Diphthongs The vowels au, ay, and eu combine to form diphthongs. The vowel combinations au and ay are always pronounced as diphthongs, and eu is sometimes a diphthong. Both vowel sounds of a diphthong are distinctly articulated, with the first vowel longer and the second one shorter in duration. When a single diphthong is written under a series of notes, vocalize on the first vowel and move to the second vowel at the last moment before the next syllable, with an assigned metrical time appropriate to the musical context. But be careful that the second vowel is given full vowel value and is not reduced to a glide. Pronounce au and ay as diphthongs. LL .3.2.18

lau-da-mus

[lo:u do

ex-au-di

[eg soai dil [roi mull di]

Ray-mun-di

mus]

I I I I I I I

Pronounce eu sometimes as a diphthong, sometimes as two syllables. When eu begins a word, it tends to be a diphthong.

I I

Latin 135 LL 3.2.1.9 [e:u d3c] [e:u ze hi ij

eu-ge Eu-se-bi-i

W hen eu does not begin a word, it is pronounced as two syllables. LL .3.2.20 [mc us]

me-us

Glides The vowels u and i are sometimes pronounced as the glides [wi and UI. When there is a combination of two vowels and the first vowel is either the glide [w] or [j], pronounce the second vowel with greater stress and longer duration. The glide [w] occurs when u follows q or ng and precedes another vowel. LL 3.2.21

The glide U] occurs whenj precedes another vowel. LL. 3.2.22

[ju deks]

Ju-dex

[jt zus.] The glide [j] occurs when i is between two vowels. LL 3.2.23

[ciI le lu in]

al—le—lu—ia

In Latin [au and Foul are always pro

Two Syllables Consecutive vowels are usually pronounced as two separate syllables, except for the spellings previously listed. The following spellings are examples: LL 3.2.24

ai: ou:

nounced as two separate syllables, not as diphthongs as in English.

Each vowel, including a repeated

la-i-cus

[in i kus]

a—it

[o it] [pm Ut]

pro-ut

vowel in such words as filii or Aar on, must be clearly articulated—in a smooth, not staccato, manner.

11 Latin

I

136 ei:

co-u-tun-tur

[k

me-i

[me i]

de-i-tas

[dc i

e-le-i-son

[e ic i zon]

mu tur]

ii

tosj

One exception: The interjection hei [ci] is a single syllable.

LL 3.225 ea:

be-a-ta

[be a to]

eo

De-o

[de c,]

ie:

Ky-ri-e

[ki

ia

me-mo-ri-a

[mc mo

gb-ri-a

[gb

ua:

per-pe-tu-a

[per pc tu a]

uo:

Tu-o

[tn ol

en

me-us

[me us]

ii:

fi—ii—i

[fi ii ii

a—tn—is

[a tn is]

A-a-ron

[a a con]

aa:

fi ci ri a]

ii a]

I? I

a a II II

p II p p Ii p

Latin 137

Latin Vowels in Detail Vowels in Latin are extremely easy to pronounce because of the few variations. Single vowels are, for the most part, pronounced with a single sound. S The letter a is always pronounced [ci, the sound of ah as in father, with the one exception of the digraph which is pronounced [c], as the sound of e in bet. As an American singer, you must be cautious never to use the neutral sounds of uh [A] as in up or schwa [] as in above in Latin. In addition, the [oJ sound must be clear and open, never rounded as the sound of aw [o] in caw or caught.

The letter

,

LL 3.3.01.

[rn be] [sal vol [spar dcnz]

tu-ba sal-va spar-gens

I

a

Read aloud.

gra-tis ma-la

I gre tis]

a-ni-mas

Ia ni mas]

[ma Ia]

ae The letters form a digraph and are pronounced as the single vowel sound [c] as in bet. LL 3.3.02

a-ter-na

[c Icr ne]

ma-re-bat vi-a

[me re bat]

me-

I p I p

Read aloud.

ca-lis bo-na

[vi e] [me c] [Je us] [b ne]

au Pronounce au as the diphthong [ciuJ. Give the first vowel longer dura tion than the second, but give the full vowel quality to both vowel sounds.

Latin 138 LL 3.3.03

Read aloud.

cau-sa

[kou zo]

au-di-ti-o-ne

[om di tsi

,

uc]

ay Pronounce ay as the diphthong [o:i]. Give the first vowel longer dura tion than the second, but give the full vowel quality to both vowels. Be careful not to use the more open vowel [ii as in the English word bid. Keep the vowel i pure [i]. LL 3.3.04

Read aloud.

f Ray-mun-di a

[roi mull di]

r to There are differing opinions among authorities about whethe and cc as close [e] or open [c]. Some suggest pronounce the vowels e, that all of these vowels should be pronounced as close [el as in chaotic, while others suggest that these vowels be pronounced as open [ci. A third group of Latin scholars prefers a combination of [eJ and [ci. In this book, we suggest that you always pronounce the letters e, and cc with the sound of open [ci as in bet.

The letter

,

e

p

,

Be sure that the sound of [ci is well articulated. Do not open it so far

that it resembles the sound of [at] as in bat. The vowels in the words bet, bed, head, said, and pet can be a guide. LL 3.3.05

Read aloud.

per-fru-i

[per fm i]

est

[est]

te—sti e-va-de-re

[tc sti] [c vo de re]

tre-mor

[Ire mar]

mi-se-re-re

[mi ze re cc]

eleison

[c ic i z,n]

deo

[dc ]

eu a word. Pronounce eu as a diphthong only when it is initial in

p

p I 1

Latin 139 LL 3.3.06

Read aloud. [cm ci [cm zc bi 1]

eu-ge Eu-se-bi-i

Note: The word eun-tes [cu:n tcs] has an irregular stress. Longer duration is given to the second vowel. Qtherwise, pronounce eu as two syllables. LL 3.3.07 me-us

[mc us]

Dc-urn

[d urn] [dc usl

De-us

The letter i is always pronounced as [ii, the sound of ee in beet, with one exception: when i stands between two vowel sounds, it is pro nounced as the glide [ji, the sound of y in you. This vowel is never pronounced [ii as in bit. LL 3.3.08

I I I I

Read aloud.

i-ra

[i rd

Ju-di-can-ti

fju di ken

di-es

[di cs]

ui-ti-o-nis

liii

stri-cte

[stri ktc]

il—its

[ii

nis]

tSi

scri-ptus

hsj [skri ptusi

mi-rum

[mi rum]

li-ber

[ii bcr]

sit

[sit]

L.L 3.3.09

ti]

Read aloud.

al-ic-lu-ia

[ol: Ic lu id

e-ia

[c jo]

Be aware of the difference between the sound of [ji and [i] in words with consecutive vowels. Read this common word aloud pronouncing ía as two syllables. Do not use a glide: LL 3,3.10 gb-ri-a

[gb ri

0]

The letter

I

I I I

Latin 140 The letter o is always pronounced as open [o] as in bought, awe, or autumn. Be sure to articulate [] with rounded lips. Many American singers fail to adequately round their lips, and [3] begins to sound like [a].

The letter

0

Read aloud using a well-formed [31.

II p

TT LL 3.),. ‘‘

non

[n3n]

la-bor

[lo b3f] [kor]

cor le-o-nis

[Ic a ills] [va ko]

vo-ca

[do Ia £3 zol [a ra] [no bis]

do-lo-ro-sa o-ra no-bis

II

ce The letters cc are a digraph pronounced as the single sound of [c] as in

p

bet.

LL 3.3.12

Read aloud.

cce-le-stis

[fc ic stis]

I

a The letter

The letter u is pronounced as [u], the sound of oo in the word boot, with only one exception (noted below), when it is pronounced as the glide [w] as in were. In Latin, this vowel is never pronounced as [u] as in book or as the diphthong [jul as in the English word abuse orJiise. LL 3.3.1.3

Read aloud.

u-nam

Lu nam]

fa-ci-mus

[fci ifi nuts]

tu

[‘till

san-ctus

[saij ktusl [jc zu] [mun di] [la ku] [kru fem]

Je-su mun-di la-cu cru-cem

p I

Latin 141 Read these words with u before or after another vowel aloud. LL 3.3.14 per-pe-tu-a

[per pc tu ci]

me-us

[mc us]

al-le-lu-ia

[ul le lu jul

lau-da-mus

[lurn ‘dci mus]

fi-li-um

[‘fi Ii urn]

mor-tu-os

[m,r tu s1

Exception: When the letter u follows ng or q and precedes another vowel, pronounce u as the glide [w]. LL 3.3J5 qu:

.

ngu:

Read aloud. qua-rum

[‘kwo mm]

tam-quam

[tam kwam]

qui

[kwi]

quod

[kwdJ

qua-rens

[‘kwe rcnz]

san-guis

[‘smj gwis]

The letter y has only one sound. It is always pronounced as [i], the sound of ee as in beet. LL 3.3,16

Read aloud.

hy-rnnus

[‘i minis]

mar-ty-res

[mar ti res]

The letter y is also pronounced [i] in the diphthong ay: LL 3.3.17 Ray-mun-dus

[ru:i ‘mull dusi

The letter

Ii’ I

Latin 142

Latin Consonants in Detail Many of the Latin consonants have the same sounds as English or Italian and their pronunciation is very consistent. The relative simplicity of the pronunciation choices for Latin consonants make Latin an easy language to learn to pronounce.

— Pronounce b as [b], as in the English word LL 3.4.01 li-be-ra bo-na

I p

bone.

Read aloud. [ii be ml [bo ne]

—

C

The following rules relate to the pronunciation of c or cc before a vowel or consonant, and of c when it occurs as the final letter of a word. For the pronunciation of Sc, see page 150. Also see “The Letter X” on page 151. Pronounce c or cc, before a, o, u, or a consonant, as [k], as in the English word kit. When c is pronounced as [k], it is called hard c. Read these words aloud using c before a, LL 3.4.02 [kumi cum

o,

sa-cu-la

[kor do] [se ku Ia]

lu-cam

[lii komJ

cau-sa

[kou zci]

pec-ca-ta cre-do

:[pek ko [kr€ do]

lo-cu-tus

[lo kit ms]

cor-da

I -.

or u.

to]

Read these words aloud using c before a consonant. LL. 3.4.03

cre-a-tu-ra

[kre a tn ml

fa-dum

[to ktumj [Ia kri mo za] [se kium]

la-cri-mo-sa se-cIum

I I

Latin 143 pronounce c or cc before e, cc, 1, or y as [f], as ch in the English word chair. When c is pronounced [J], it is called soft c. ,

LL. 3.4.04

Read aloud.

lu-ce-at

[lu

lu-cis ci-nis

flu fis] [iji

nis]

ac-ct-pc ec-ce

tot

[i

be-ne-di-ci-mus

[be ne di fi mus]

Ije

at]

pe]

[ct: fc]

Pronounce c as [ii, the sound of sh in the English word she, when stands between ex and the vowel e, cc, 4 or y. The symbol [JI is called esh [eji. (See “The Letter X” on page 151, for a full description.) ,

LL 3.4.05

Read aloud. [ek fel sisi

ex-cel-sis Pronounce final c as [kJ LL 3.4.06

Read aloud.

fac

[fok]

nunc

imigk]

Pronounce ch as [k] L.L 3,4.07

Read aloud.

Chri-stum

[hi stum]

ma-chi-na

[ma ki no]

Pronounce the letter d as the sound of d in dog. However, the Latin d is more dental and less aspirate than the English d. LL 3.4.08

Read aloud.

do-mi-ne

[do mi nd

De-um a-do-ra-tur

[dc urn]

De-i

[dc ii

[a do re turl

Latin 144

a Pronounce the letterf as in the English wordfeet.

f

EL 3.4.09

Read aloud. ri mus]

of-fe-ri-mus

[3f: fe

fi-nis

[fi

fa-vil-la

[fo vii: lo]

fons

[fanz]

nis]

Pronounce g as [gi when it occurs before a, o, u, or a consonant other than n. The sound [gi, as in the English word gone, is called hard g. How ever, the Latin g is less aspirate than English d. EL 3.4,10

Read aloud.

a-gas

[a gas]

g1a.di..us

[gb di usi [plo go]

pla-ga er_go

[er g1 [gb fi a]

gb-ri-a

I I

I

a

Pronounce g before e, e, ce, i, or y as [d31 as in the English word fudge. When g is pronounced as [d3], it is called soft g. EL 3.4.IJ

Read aloud.

vir-gi-ne

[vir d3i nd

ge-re re-sur-get

[c13e rd [re sur diet]

re-gi--na

[re d3i no]

co-get

[ko d3ctJ

ge-ni-turn

[dc ui turn] [in d3c mi sko]

in-ge-mi-sco

gn Pronounce gii as [p1. The symbol enya [p] represents a sound similar to the ni in onion [An jan]. However, [p] is a palatal consonant, made with a single articulatory action. The blade of the tongue lifts to touch the boundary between the teeth ridge and the hard palate.

a I I I

Latin 145 LL 3.4.1.2

The letter h is silent in Latin. Read aloud.

LL 3.4.13

[ I 1o-.a n-na LIio—cii

[o Z0n no]

[ di

I

[ mi ni busi

ho-mi-ni-bus

Exceptions: In these two words,

h

is pronounced [k]. In

ancient manuscripts these words were spelled

nichel

and

michi. LL

3.41.4 Iii kill

[n—hil

ku

—_____________

4

The letter j is pronounced as the glide jot U]. The symbol U] represents the sound of y in you and is often called a semi-consonant or semi vowel.

Read aloud.

LL .3.4.15

J e-su

[je

ma-je-sta-tis

[me je

cu-jus

[kujus]

ju-di-ca-re

Iju

Pronounce

k as [k],

as in the English word

rate than the English

iLL]

di

sic tisi

ko rel

kit. The Latin [k] is less aspi

[kJ.

IL .3.4.16 ka-len-da

[ko

len

k-sa

[ke

wj

dcl

j

Latin

I

146

I

The letter 1 is pronounced as “clear” 1 [11, the sound of 1 as in leap. The Latin I is articulated more dentally than in English. 11 3.4.1.7

Read aloud.

la-tro-nem lu-ce-at

[Ia tro nemi [lu fe at]

tol—lis

[tol: us]

il-lud

[ii ludj [lu mi ne]

lu-mi-ne

F

or details on how to pronounce a dental [1], see “The Consonant 1” on page 62.

m n

Pronounce m as [ml, as in the English word me. LL .3.4.18

Read aloud.

me

[me]

mor-te

[mor tel

sum

[sum]

mun-d 1 do-mi-ne

[ mun dii [do mi ne]

se-c1um

[se klum]

Pronounce n as [n], as in the English word note. LL .3.4.19

Read aloud.

ne

[nd

in-cu-na-to sunt

[in kh no to] [stint]

tre-men-da

[Ire men dci]

venit

[ye nh

an-ge-li-cus

[an d3e li kus]

I II

I’ II II ‘I RI I

Exception: When n occurs before g in a separate syllable, the n is pronounced [n], as in angelicus. However, in a few words, n before g is pronounced as [ifi : sanguis [soij gwis], and tango [tolJ go].

I

Latin 147 gn pronounce gn in the same syllable as enya [p1 when the letters occur in the same syllable. (See page 66.) LL 3.4.20

Read aloud.

A-gnus

[a 11us]

nfl

[mci 110]

nct Pronounce n before ct [ktj as [ijj. The symbol eng [ij] represents the ng in song. English words also use [iji before [kt], as in banked. LL 3.4.21

Read aloud.

san-cto

[saij kt3]

san-ctus

[saij ktusl

Note: The n before c in the word nunc [nuijk] is also pronounced [ij].

The letter p is pronounced [p1, as in the English word put. The Latin p is less aspirate than in English. LL 3.4.22

Read aloud.

pi-e

[pi ci

pro-pter pi-us

[prc pter] [pi us]

pa-ter

[pa ten

Spi-ri-tu

[spi ri tu]

Pi-la-to

[pi 10 to]

Pronounce ph as[f]. LL 3.4.23

Read aloud.

Pro-phe-tas

[pro fe tos]

pltre-ne-ti-ci

[fre nc ii fi]

Latin 148 In Latin, q always combines with u and is pronounced as [kw]. LL 3.4.24

Read aloud

qua-rens

[kwe renz]

re-qul-em

[re kwi em]

qua-si

[kwo zil

quo-rn-am Fi-li-o-que

[ kw m om] [fi ii kwel

S

r

The Latin r is pronounced as flipped [ii or trilled [ri, as in Italian. It is never the retroflex r of English, as in the word run. When r stands between two vowels or is final, pronounce it as flipped r.

I I II I hi I

Read these words aloud with r between two vowels. LL 3.4.25 Ky-ri-e e-rat gb-ri-a

me-mo-ca-ri o-re-mus sa-lu-ta-re

[id ri ci [e cot] [gb

ci

[me m to ci] [ re mus] [so in to cc]

$1

Pronounce these words with final LI. 3.4.26

sem-per

[scm pet]

con-fun-dar

[kDn fun dot]

mi-ser

[mi zen

cla-mor

[kb mar]

p

,/\Ihen r is not between two vowels or final, pronounce it with either flipped or trilled r. Soloists usually use the trilled r in these words, whereas choral singers use flipped r. Read aloud these words with an r before a vowel. LL 3.4.27

re-gi-na

[re d3i no]

no-stri

[n stri]

re-spi-ce

[re spi Ic] [hi stum]

Chri-stum

I

I I I

Latin 149 Read aloud these words with a double

LL 3.4.26 ter-ra

[ter: raj

ter-ne

[ter: rd

Read these words aloud with r preceding a consonant.

LL 3.4.29 per-so-nec

[per so ne]

mor-ti-us

[mor ti us]

a-ter-na

[e ter nol

a-sper-ges

[o sper d3cs]

The letters s and ss are usually pronounced [SI LL 3.4.30

as in the English word sit.

mis:

re-mis-si-o-nem

[re

bap-tis-nia

[bop tis mu]

tri-stis

[tn stis]

di-scus-si-o

[di S1dUS: Si o

sunt

[sunt]

spi-ri-tum

[spi n

al-tis—si—mus

[ol: tis: Si mus]

sa-lu-tem

[so lu tern]

est

[est]

When s stands between two vowels,

Si 3 nern]

turn]

pronounce it as the voiced [z]

sound as in the English word zero. LL

3.4.31

S

Read aloud.

In some words (as

miserere), when s

occurs between two vowels, it is pro

Read aloud.

nounced with a sound that is halfway

mi-se-re-re

[mi ze re rej

Je-su

[je

Ec-cle-si-am

[ek

between

[s] and [z]. Some systems of

zu]

pronunciation use kle zi urn]

[s] instead of [z]

for this intervocalic

1Vhen s is final, usually pronounce it as [s]. LL 3.4.32

Read aloud.

vi-vos

[vi vos]

e-is

[e is]

mor-tu-os

[mor tu os]

tu—is

[tu is]

the sound.

s to transcribe

Latin 150 re-ges

[re d3es]

se-des

[se des]

W hen final s follows a final voiced consonant, it is pronounced [zj as in the English word tens [tdnz]. LL .3.4.3.3

Read aloud. [o ‘mni po tenzj

o-mni-po-tens

Sc

when sc occurs before a, o, u, or a consonant, pronounce it as [ski. LL 3.434

[sko ‘beli lum]

scu-to re-qui-e-scat

[‘skii to] [re kwi e skot]

Scn-ptu-ras

[skri ‘PtU ros]

when sc occurs before e,

,

Read aloud. [su ii pi at]

sci-o

[ji o]

a-scen-dit

[a jen diti

su-sci-pe

[‘su ii pci

sch ‘Vhen sch occurs before a, o, or u, pronounce it as [ski.

t

Read aloud.

scho-la-sti-ca

[sko la sti ka]

Pa-scha

[‘pa ska]

scho—la

[sb la]

Pronounce the letter t [t] as in the English word tote. However, the Latin t is more dental and less aspirate than in English. LI. 3.4.37

I II I ‘I

ce, i, or y, pronounce it as [j].

su-sci-pi-at

LI. 3.436

II

Read aloud.

sca-bel-lum

LL 3.4.35

I’

Read aloud.

et

[Ct]

tan-turn

[ton turn]

II II

I I

Latin 151 rim-po-ra

[tern po ra]

[-rum

[‘i

te

rum]

[te ste

te-sta-men-tum

men

turn]

pronounce the letters ti as [tsi] when they follow any vowel or con sonant and precede any letter except s, t, or x. Otherwise, ti is pro nounced [tij, as in majestatis [me je ste tis]. LL 3.4.38

I I I I

Read aloud.

gra-ti-a

[gre tsi a]

ter-ti-a

[ter tsi ci]

Pon-ti-o

[p311 tsi 3]

o-ra-ti-o-nem

[3 ra tsi , nern]

The letters th form a digraph that is pronounced with the single sound [1]. LL 3.439

Read aloud.

Sa-ba-oth

[so be

Ca-tho-li-cam

[ko t3 ii

311

kern]

[tr3 nurn]

_thro-num

Pronounce the letter v as in the English word vet. LL 34,40

V

Read aloud.

vox

[voksj

vi-sce-ra

[vi je ml

vi-vos

[vi v3s}

no—vurn

[113

vo—lun—ta—tis

[v3 Inn to tisi

vi—si—bi—li—um

lvi zi hi

vum]

Ii

urn]

—

The letter w is not used in Latin.

The letter x appears in Latin words in initial, medial, and final syllables.

x

Latin 152

I

It has several different pronunciations, [gs], [ks], [kj], and [kskj, de pending upon its position in the word and the adjoining letters. The spellings for these pronunciations are listed below.

Ii

In initial ex and exs before a vowel, pronounce x as [gs]. LL 3.4.41

II II

Read aloud.

ex-al-to

[eg sd to]

ex-sur-ge ex-er-ce-o

(eg sur de) [eg ser fe o]

ex-su-les

[eg su les]

ex-o-pto

[eg so pto]

II

Note:

The sound of [egs] can be heard in the English words egg sandwich.

Note: In words pronounced with [gsj, some people choose to use an acceptable variation of [gz]: [eg zal to] In initial ex and exs before a consonant, pronounce x as [ks]. U. 3.4.42

Read aloud.

‘-po-si-k

[ek

e\-sttr-no

(ek ster [ek spun go]

SpO

JI tel

no)

e\—pu-flg( (Jo

(\—t(’fl—cIu

(dc spe lao) [ek sten do]

ex-spi-ro

(ek gpj ro

(X-Sp(.

Note: Hard [ks] can be heard in the English words licks and hex. Exception: In initial cx before the silent consonant h, pronounce x as [gs]. LL 3.4.43

ex-hi-be-o

[eg si be 01

In initial cxc before a forward vowel (i, e, ae, oe, or y), pronounce x as [k]] LL 3.4,44

I

I I I p

Read aloud.

ex-cel-sis

[ek fel sisl

ex-ces-sus

[etc Jes sus]

Note: The sound [J1 called esh, is the sound of sh in she. The

p

sound of [kfl can be heard in the English words pink shells or peck shells.

1

Latin 153 In initial exc before a back vowel (a, o, or u), pronounce x as [kskj. LL 3.4.45

Read aloud.

ox-can-to

[ek skon to]

ex-car-ni-fi-ca-re

[ek skor

ex-cu-so

[ek sku zo]

111 fi

ko re]

Note:

The sound of [ksk] can be heard in the English words Nick’s car.

Pronounce medial x as [ks]. LL 34.46

Read aloud. zur:

rek sit]

re-sur-rex-it

[n

ci ox—fe—ram e-rex-it

I deL sir iciinj [e ok sill

cru—ci—fi—us

lkrii gi lik stisi

Pronounce final x as [ks]. L.L 3.4.47

Read aloud.

pax

[poks]

vox

[voks]

lux

[luks]

sup-plex

[sup picks]

The letter z is pronounced as [dz], as in the English word beads [bidzj. It is never [ts] as it sometimes is in Italian. LL 3.4.48 La-za-ro

p p I I

Read aloud. [la dza

fO]

z

I

Latin 154

fl

I I

The Ordinary of the Mass

Kyrie Kyrie eleison. [ki Li C

C IC i ZOfl]

Lord, have mercy. Christe eleison. [‘kri ste c 1€ i zon] Christ, have mercy.

I

Kyrie eleison. [ki fi C C ic i zoni Lord, have mercy.

Gloria Gloria in exceisis Deo. [gb ri a in ek j’ci sis dc 0] Glory to God in the highest. Et in terra pax hominibus bona voluntatis. [Ct in tcr ra puks o mi ni bus ho nc vo inn to tis] And on earth peace to men of good will. Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. [lam do mus te be ne di [i mus tc] We praise You. We bless You.

II

Adoramus te. Glorificamus te. [ci do ru mus te gb ri fi ku mus tel We worship You. We glorify You. Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam. [gre tsi as a di mus ti bi pro ptcr ma jiam gb We give You thanks for Your great glory.

I Li am

Domine Deus, Rex colestis, Deus Pater omnipotens, [do mi ne dc us reks tfc ic stis dc us pa teL o mni Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father almighty. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe. [do mi ne fi ii u ni d3c nile je zu kri ste] Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son. Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. [do mi ne dc us a pus dc i fi ii us pa tris] Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. Qui tollis peccata mundi, [kwi ‘toh us pek: ku to mun di] You, Who take away the sins of the world,

p0

tn am]

tcnz]

I I

Latin 155 Ordinary of the Mass

miserere nobis. [mi ze re cc 110 his] have mercy on us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, [kwi toll us pet ice to mull di] You, Who take away the sins of the world, suscipe deprecationem nostram. [‘su ji pe de pre ko tsi o nem receive our prayer.

no strom]

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, [kwi se des od dek ste rom pa tris] You, Who sit at the right hand of the Father, rniserere nobis. [mi ze fe cc no his] have mercy on us. Quoniam tu solus sanctus. Tu solus Dominus. [two ni om tu so ins so ktus tu so ins do mi Ems] For You alone are holy. You alone are Lord.

p

Tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe. [tu so lus ol us: si mus je zu kri ste] You alone are most high, 0 Jesus Christ, Cum Sancto Spiritu, [kum soij kto spi n tu] the Holy Spirit,

p

Dei Patris. Amen. in gloriaWith [in gb ii a dc i p0 tris 0 men] in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Credo Credo in unum Deum, [‘kre do in u num dc um] I believe in one God. Patrem omnipotentem, factorem cli et terra, [po trem 3 mu po ten tem fo kto rem Ic Ii et icr: rd Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, visibilium Theomnium, et invisibilium. [vi zi hi Ii um 0 mni um et in vi zi bi bi um] all things visible and invisible.

I

of Dominum Jesum Christum, Et in unum [et in u num do mi num je zum kri 5mm] And I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

Latin 156 Ordinary

of the Mass

Filium Dei unigenitum. [fi ii urn dc i u ni d3c ni turn] the only-begotten Son of God. Et ex Patre natum ante omnia scula. [ct cks pa trc no turn on tc ci rnni a Born of the Father before all ages. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, [dc urn dc dc ci lu rncn dc God of God, Light of Light, Deum verum de Deo vero. [dc urn vc rum dc dc ci true God of true God.

sc ku lo]

lu mi nd

vc rd

Genitum, non factum, [d3c ni turn 11311 fe kturn] Begotten, not made, consubstantialem Patri: [kcin sub stun tsi 0 1cm pu tn] of one substance with the Father: per quem omnia facta sunt. [pcr kwcm ci mni a Ta kto sunt] By Whom all things were made. Qui propter nos homines, [kwi prci ptcr los 0 mi ncs] Who for us men

I

et propter nostram salutem [ct pro ptcr no strum so lu tcrn] and for our salvation descendit de c&lis. [dc ‘fcn dit dc [c us] came down from heaven. Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto [ct in kcir no tus cst dc spi ii tu srnj kto] And He became flesh by the Holy Spirit ex Maria Virgine: Et home factus est. [cks mu ri ci vir d3i uc ct ci mci fe ktus cstj of the Virgin Mary: And was made man. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis: [km fi fik sus c tsi am pro no his] He was also crucified for us,

I

I

sub Pontio Pilato passus, et sepultus est. [sub pon tsi ci pile to pus: sus ct sc pul tus cstl suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was buried.

I

r

Latin 157 Et resurrexit tertia die, [Ct re zur: ‘rek sit ‘ter tsi a ‘di ci And on the third day He rose again, secundum Scripturas. [se kun dum skri ‘ptu Los] according to the Scriptures. Et ascendit in calum: [et a ‘fen dit in ‘Ije lum] He ascended into heaven sedet ad dexteram Patris. [se det ad ‘dek ste rum pu tris] and sits at the right hand of the Father. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria, i te rum yen ‘tu ms est kum ‘gb ri a] [Ct He will come again in glory judicare vivos et mortuos: [ju di ku me vi vos Ct ‘mor tu os] to judge the living and the dead: cujus regni non erit finis. [ku jus re jii non ‘e mit Ti nis] And of His kingdom there will be no end. Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum et vivificantem: [Ct in ‘spi Ii turn ‘sal] ktum ‘do mi nurn et vi vi fi ‘kan tern] And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit. [kwi eks ‘pa tre fi ii ‘o kwe pro ‘Ije dit] Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur [kwi kum ‘pa tre et Ti Ii o ‘Si mul a do ru tur] Who together with the Father and the Son is adored

p I

et conglorificatur: [et kon gb ri fi ku tur] and glorified, qui locutus est per Prophetas. [kwi bo ku tils est per pro fe tasi and Who spoke through the prophets. Et unam sanctam catholicam [Ct ‘u narn ‘sal] ktam ka ‘to ii kam] and one holy, Catholic, et apostolicam Ecciesiam. [Ct a po ‘sto Ii kam ek: kie zi am] and Apostolic Church.

Ordinar of the Mass

I

Latin 158 Ordinary of the Mass

Confiteor unum baptisma [kon fi te or u num hop tis ma] I confess one baptism in remissionem peccatorum. [in re mis: Si 3 nem pek: ka to ruin] for the remission of sins. Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum. [Ct ek spe kto re zur: rek tSi 0 nem LThW tu And I await the resurrection of the dead.

3

rUm]

Et vitam venturi saculi. Amen. [Ct vi torn yen tu ri se ku ii a men] And the life of the world to come. Amen.

Sanctus Sanctus, Sarictus, [soij ktus soij ktus] Holy, holy Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. [soij ktus do mi ntis dc us so bu ot] holy Lord God of hosts. Pleni sunt cali et terra gloria tua. [pie ni Sunt [c ii et tcr ro gb ri a tu a] Heavens and earth are filled with Your glory. Hosanna in excelsis. [o zon: no in ek 5c1 sis] Hosanna in the highest.

Benedictus Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini [be ne di ktus kwi ye nit in no mi ne do mi nil Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in excelsis. [o zon: no in ek Sc! sis] Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi: [a jius dc i kwi to!: lis pck: ku to mull di] Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world: miserere nobis. [mi ze re mc no his] have mercy on us.

I

Latin 159 Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi: [u jus dc i kwi bi: us pek: ku to mun di] Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world dona nobis pacem. [d3 flu n bis pu [cm] grant us peace.

p p p p p p

Ordinary of the Mass

Latin

I

160

I Ii 11

I hi II

I I I 11 I Ii

I

I

German

N

German Diction The accepted standard of German for public performance is called BQhn enaussprache, or Stage German. In

To many Americans, German sounds dark and guttural—probably because it contains several sounds and speech patterns foreign to American English. In reality, though, the majority of German vowels and consonants are clear and forward, promoting good vocalism.

this book we follow Bohnenaussprache.

As you begin to study German diction, you will find that you often turn to the parts of language. To apply rules of pronunciation, for instance, you learn to pull apart prefixes, suffixes, verb inflection endings, and compound words. It can seem daunting at first, but several traits of the language will ease your work. For instance, you see fewer exceptions in general rules than in Italian or English. And the majority of exceptions you do find occur in prefixes and suffixes, which you can learn to identify. You can also learn to spot verb inflections with a few examples. You will notice usually no more than one or two pronunciations of a letter, and few orthographic spellings for a particular sound. And you will see clear principles of syllabification, helping you recognize sound groups to guide your pronunciation. You will also find many sounds common to German and English. Other sounds are closely related to their English allophones; you make only minor adjustments in the articulators to produce the German sounds. You will discover several unfamiliar vowel sounds (called mixed vowels) represented by the orthographic symbols ö, and ii, and two other new sounds to Americans: the icklaut and achlaut—the fricative pronunciations of ch. As you read the descriptions and go through the exercises, you will learn to feel the shapes of these German sounds as well how they can enhance your singing. To begin your adventure with German, we suggest you first orient yourself to the unfamiliar sounds, reading “Distinctive German Vowels” on page 173, paying special attention to the umlauted vowels and “Distinctive German Consonants” on page 184, paying special attention to the consonant cli. Next, jump back to the Chart of German Sounds, noticing the letter contexts that guide you to in applying rules of pronunciation, allowing an overview to emerge. With the unfamiliar now familiar and an overview to orient you, finally begin the “Syllabification” section and work your way straight through the text.

I

German —I

162

Chart of German Sounds

I

The following chart lists the letters of German in alphabetical order. Refer to this chart to quickly check the sound of a spelling. Although German is quite regular in its forms, there are some special circumstances and exceptions that cannot be presented easily in a simple chart. For details, see the discussions of the individual sounds later in this chapter.

I

German Letter and Position in Word

a

IPA

Example and

IPA

Page

[a:J

Saal

ia:I]_____________

1Q2

[a:]

MaN________

[ma:1]_____

I 93

[I

Wa%er

I va sarI

193

ai

lac

Mm

ay

lad

Bayern

I maci______________ 182, 193 I hac am 1 182, 103

an

I aol

Baum

a

aa ab a

in same_syllable before two consonants

usually

before one consonant

h* *

in

same

syllable

before two consonants

Lr:I usually lrJ

au

1 82, 194

spit

I baom 1 l[pr:I]

Krähe

[krv: al

195

Manner

I mr tiar]

N5

194

[ø]

Träume

[traø ma]

182, 196

initial in word or syllable

[bi

Bube, geben

[bu:bal [ge ban]

211

b

final in word or syllable

[p1

Dieb

[dipj

211

b

before t and st

[p]

lebst

[lepst]

211

c

before afront vowel sound

[tsj

Citrone

[tsi tro an]

211

c

before

[k]

Café

[ka f1

211

a back vowel sound or Ii)

a consonant (except

ch

after afrant vowel, consonant, umlauted vowel, or diphthong (except an)

[ci

ich, weiche

[iç] [vel cal

184, 213

ch

after a back vowel or diphthong au

[xl

Bach, doch

[baxi [daxj

184, 212

when s is part of the root word

[ksl

sechs

[zcksl

215

[kj

backen

[ba kan]

212 185, 216

chs ck

d e

—

b b

C

—

d

initial in word or syllable

[dl

anders

[an dars]

d

final in word or syllable

[ij

Tod, Widmung

[to:tj

[t]

Stadt

[Stat]

215

[ci

ewig, beten

[e: vIcl [be: tanl

197

[ci

Seele

[ze: Ia]

197

Ic:]

sehr

[ze:r]

199

dt e

in a stressed syllable and before one

in same

mol)]

185, 216

I

p p I

p p II

I

p

consonant

ee eh

[Va

I p

syllable

*The umlauts ä, ö, and u are sometimes written ae, oe, and ue. These spellings do not alter the pronunciatio n.

I

__ __

___

I

German 163

I

e

I

I I

Example and

IPA

Page

usually

[e]

Bett, helfen

[belj [hel fon]

197

final or in an unstressed syllable

[oJ

Liebe, gesund

[‘ii bol [go ‘zuntl

198

e

[ae]

em

[aen]

182, 200

ey

[ael

Meyer

[mae or]

182, 200

eu

[oØ]

heulen

[hoØ ion]

182, 200

f

[f]

fein, Tafel

[faeni [ta: foIl

216

Igi [k]

Gott, fragen

[got] [fra gon]

216

g

initial in word or syllable final in word or syllable

Tag, Flugzeug

[ta:kI [flu:k tsoOk]

216

g

before t or st

[k]

fragst

[frakst]

217

g

insuffix-ig

[ci

Konig, Ewigkeit

[‘ko: niçi [‘e viç kaetj

217

g h

in some words of French origin initial in a word or element**

[31 [hi

Genie

[3e: ni]

218

Held, Gottheit

[helt] [‘got haet]

218

h

after a vowel in same syllable

silent

Wahn, gehen

[va:n] [ge on]

218

i

before one consonant

[ii

Bibel

[bi: bol]

200

[ii [i:]

Liebe

[li bo]

202

ihr

[i:r]

202

e

g

g

I

I I I I I

IPA

German Letter and Position in Word before two consonants e

h

•

“

ie

ih

in same syllable

ieh

in same syllable in the stressed ending -ik

[i:]

Vieh

[11:]

202

[ii

Musik

[mu ‘zi:k]

200

[i]

i

before two consonants in the suffixes -in, -nis

[i]

[‘km don [1st] Kinder, ist Mullerin, Bildnis [mY lo rin] [but

i

in the suffix -ig

[ij

willig

i

[u] in the unstiessed ending -ik usually [ii in some words of French origin

i i

j j k

200 nis]

200 217

Lyrik

[vi l’ci fly: ruk]

Jahr,ja

[ja:r] [ja]

219

[3]

Journalist

[3ur na ‘hsti

219

[k]

Klause

[‘klao zo]

219

zurück

[isu ryk]

200

k

1

[1]

hell, loben

[hell [b: bon]

219

rn

[m]

Mode

[mo: do]

220

träumen

[‘troØ

[ni

Nonne, Wein

[non: no] [vaeni

220

1111

lang, si-ngen

[laij] Izi ijonl

220, 221

[a gi

hin-gehen

[hun ge: on]

220, 221

III n

I’[

ng ng

in same element** in separate elements**

For a definition of element, see page 166.

I

German 164 German Letter and Position in Word

n 0

Page

Fqkl

dank—en

[dali kani

221

nk

in separate elements**

[n ki

An-kiang

[‘an kialil

221

o

before

lo:]

Rose, Ton

203

So,wohl

[ro: zI Eto:nl lzo:n1lvo

203

lol

Moos, l3oot

lrnos1 Eho:11

203

l,l

Ort, kommen

13111 L’k3Ln: mnJ

203

101

Ode, hören

[0: dal [hø: ranl

205

10:1

Fföhe, Iröhlich

206

kcl

Gottlich

[hO: al IfrO: Lid [‘gcct lid

205

[p1

prosit,

Puppe

[‘pro zfll [pu p31

218

stumpf

[pfrit]

218

out’ consonant

lo:l

o

beLore two consonants

o”

before

oh*

in same syllable

o’

before Iwo consonants

usually

one consonant

usually

p pf

-

lpf I

Pferd,

ph

IfI

phantastisch

[fun las ifJ

218

qu

fkvJ

Quelle

[kve bI

222

erquicken

Irr ‘kvi konJ

In

Regen, Herr

Ire:

hI

Silber, Absicht

[zil ban [‘ap zicil

223

r

r

IPA

in one element**

00

q

Example and

uk

insanwsyflable

P

IPA

flipped or trilled;

lftumpfJ

gaul

lherl

223

Hazier the American 1.11

S

•s

initial in word or e[ement

s

between

vowels

H

Rose

[no: ‘al

223

s

final in word or syllable

[sI

Glas, lbsbar

Egla:sl I’IO:s han

224

[sJ

mUssen, Ku

[my saul Ikus]

224

‘

Ef]

schnell, Tisch

Ijheli Ilfl

224

**

[s

Häus-chen

lhaos çanj

224

fiN

Aussprache

laos fpra xal

225

[spl

Knospe

l’knas

pal

225

[Jil

Stein, FrUhstück

(J’Laeni [fry: jk]

225

NI

ist, trOsten

lisil

Iii

Ton, Sonntag

[lo’iil [‘zan takl

1&, 226

hI

lhema,Theater

[c:malIic’aHarl

226

Ii I hi

Rathaus,

[‘ra:l liaosl

226

mithören

22

ss, f sch

in same element

sch

in

sp

initial in word or element

sp

in all

st

initial in word or element

st

in all other positions

two elements

other positions

t

th

msame element

th

in two elements **

ti tsch t/

**

*k

in [1w endings —tion, —tit’nt in same element **

**

ci

l’tiO

sian]

lLsj I

Nation, Patient

[mit hØ: rani lila ‘isjo’nl I pa ‘tsjnhl I

[iii

deutsch

[dDY!ji

227

hisl

Plat,, sitien

[plalsl I” icanl

227

The urni ants ä, ö, and h are sometimes written ae, oe, and ne. These spellings do not alter the pronunciatio n. **Far a definition of element, see page 166, *

225

I 1 I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I I

I I

German 165 German Letter

I I I ‘I I

1J

Position in Word

consonant

u

before

uh

in same syllable

u

before two

one

consonants

usually

and

IPA

Page

Blume

Iblu: in]

207

[ii:]

Stuhi, Uhr

208

[u]

Mutter, Bruch

liu:1] [u:rJ [mu trl [brox]

207 208

IPA

Example

Lu:j

u

before one consonant

[y:l

für, grun

[fy:r] [gry:n]

jj.*

in same syllable

[y:1

fühlen

[Ty: bnj

210

u

before two

hi

Muller, Cluck

[my 1r] [glykl

208

[II

Vater, bray

ETa ian [brafl

227

lvi

Vase, November [va

[ksj

Hexe

[‘lie ksal

228

consonant

FYI

Lyrik, Physik

[‘ly nk] [‘fy: zik]

210

consonants

[1

Rhythmus

[ni mus]

210

dyHisch

Fi ‘th’ ITfl

v

‘\,7 v

w x

and

consonants

usually

in all German words, or final

in

other

pitions in

foreign

words I

iwords

tal [no

‘vrm

han

227

‘

x

y

in derivations from Greek: before

one

y

before ftvo

I

in derivations from other languages

210

Zimmer, Herz

liarkl [isi marl [heilsi

228

iwei, ,wischen

llsvacl [‘isvJ

[anl

228

Tyrol,

lii

YonL

‘

lisI

zw

lisvl

or

—

Iii raIl [pi d3a mal

lii

y

—

Pyjama

The umlauts ä, ö, and 6 are sometimes written ae, oe, and ne. These spellings do not alter the **For a definition of element, see page 166.

pronunciation.

___________________________________

German 166

Special Features of German Syllabification

II I 11

To apply rules of pronunciation, you must learn to break words into smaller units. To learn this process in German, you must think conceptually at two overlapping levels: syllables and elements. A syllable, the smallest unit in a word, contains a single vowel (or single diphthong). A syllable may be a self-contained word (as in Mond) or it may be a member of a multi-syllabic word (as in A-bend). An element is a word, prefix, or suffix, which forms a self-contained unit within a larger word. An element may contain a single syllable or multiple syllables. To illustrate the overlapping levels, consider the following examples: n the compound word Hundehaus (dog house), there are two elements (Hunde- and haus) and three syllables (Hun-de-haus). The first element, Hunde, has two syllables; the second, haus, one syllable.

In the compound word Abendessen (evening meal), made up of two elements, Abend is one element composed of two syllables and essen is one element composed of two syllables. In gegeben, there are three syllables and two elements. The prefix ge is an element and the root verb geben is an element. Generally, first divide a word into its elements and then the elements into syllables. Sometimes, however, as you will see, you need to look across element boundaries to determine a pronunciation. Lets begin with the letter contexts that tell us where to divide words into syllables.

Single Consonant between Vowels \Then a single consonant stands between two vowels, put the consonant with the second syllable. The consonant ft. called Esett [es Iset], is a single consonant nv—

LL 4.2.01 Va-ter

[Ta: tar]

itounced [s] and can also be written

Flu-gel

[fly gall

as ss.

he-ran

[ho ra:nl

ge-ge-ben

[g ge: b.’iJ [‘Itra: sj

Example: Stra-fle [j’tra: s] or Stras se [Jtra: sn].

Stra-e

I I

__________

I I I I I I

German 167 Exception: When h follows a vowel, put it with the first syllable. The h is silent and tells you to pronounce the preceding vowel close and long in duration.

For the meaning of close end long

LL 4,2.02

vowels, as well as open and short

ruh-ig

[rw

‘ci

vowels, see “General Rules for Pro

rnuh—c

[my: oj

nouncing German Vowels” on page 175—a primarli key for understand

—

-(_‘

I—IoN—mass

Lho:I [nasA

steh—Ien

[[ic: bul

muh-se-Iig

[my: ze hç]

ing German diction.

However, when Ii is part of the suffix -heit or -haft, or when it begins the second element of a compound word, put it with the second syllable and pronounce the Ii.

LL 4.2,03 [ho: haetj

Ho-heit

In orthographic spellings, we use a

1[hundahaosl

Hun-deihaus

Treatfi and the digraphs ch, ck, ng, ph, sch, and th that begin the next syllable.

as single consonants

[x]

Spra-che

[hv:carl LJ’pra: x]

ck

[ki

he-gIu-ckon

Iha gl

ug

l’ji [fI

Wa-nge

Iva hal

Pro—phet

Ipro fci I

Lau—chen

[hio JnI lisi Ian

cli

sd, ti,

of a compound spelling. In IPA transcriptions, however,

LL 4.2.04

ph

vertical bar to show the two words

1

Ii] III

—

—

Bu-cher

-

zi—ther

—

note

that

a vertical bar indicates a glotal stop

details see page 189.

(also called a glottal stroke). For

kati]

The combination of two or more —

zvritten consonants that produce a single consonant sound (such as: ch,

Multiple Consonants

ph, th) is called a digraph.

When two or more consonants stand between two vowels, divide the word between the consonants and put the last consonant with the second syllable.

LL 4.2.05 Hol-de

[hol_da]

wer den

[vc:i dan]

be—merk—ten

I ha nwrk i an I

steh-len

flic: lan]

Ar-b eits

[ar baetsl

-_____

I

German 168 Exception: When st is initial in a word or word element, put both s and t with the second syllable. (See page 225 for more information about St.)

I

LL 42.OS

[siJ

‘.,[

sihOn-.,tem

--

tief—stem Lieb-ste st

[Jt]

Feld-stein

-

—

fruh-ctuck

lian’IomI jti:f_stomi IIi:p siol lfIt jtaenl [try’

‘tykj

Exception: Beause they are digraphs—two letters that represents a single consonant sound—putfl, ck, cli, ng, ph, sch, and th with the second syllable. (See previous rule for single consonant between two vowels.)

Prefixes and Suffixes Prefixes and suffixes are separate elements. Notice how the words divide into separate elements—the root as one element, and the prefix or suffix as another. Ll. 4,2.7

Prefixes zu I gleich

Itsu glaeçj

he I glu-cken

Iho gh’ koni

ib I bren—nen

Ltsii:aeg 111)1.11 lap ,brr 110111

durch I spie-len

I’dnrc Jpi: loni

‘U

Cig—Il ung

I I

I T 4,2

I I I I p p

Stiff I \CS Mad I clwn

F’nw:l con}

I’üs I Iei ii

lrO:z Iacn I

l..,and I schaft

[laift

Jail I

Fröh I licht keit

Ifro:

ITç

scherz I haft

l.frrts hail I

-

kacij

While you must know which parts are prefixes and which are root words, you can learn to recognize common prefixes and suffixes, as shown below.

p p I I I

I

German I

I

169 LL 4.2,0

Common prefixesI

I

I

ab

[api

her—

Ilierl

an-

Ian]

hin

[hinj

auf

[aofj

mi1-

[misj

be-

[b1

nach

[naxi

bei

[had

üher_______

[y hor]

da-

Idal

urn-

lüml

dar-

[dan

un-

[on]

durch—

I dorç]

unter—

loll tan]

em

Iacnj

ur—

I tin

rnt]__________ ver

it-

1

[erl

en-

fort-___________ [fDrII

—

*

S

I

lforj

weg-

[vkl

/cr-

[gal

ge-

vor—

jistil

vu—

Exception: While you would normally divide a word into separate elements, in the prefixes her-, Jim-, dar-, or vor; look across the element boundary and notice whether the next element begins with a vowel. When any of these four prefixes join another prefix that begins with a vowel, begin the final consonant with the next syllable. For instance, her + ab = he-rub. (See “Medial Position” on page 189.) LL 4,2.10

p Ii

Common suffixes -bar

than

-c’hen

[c’,iil

—haft

Iliafil

-keü

[kaci I

-1cm

[lacul

-lich

(I’d

-10%

___________

-__________

—

Iii’,

—sal

-

—

-schaft

Elos.i___________________________ Iiiisl hail

I,ainl [[aft I Iiiinhl

—warts

[vcrcsl

—

I

German 170 Compound Words Divide a compound word between the word elements and then by syllables. LL 4.2.11. Zug_I ut Don—ners I tag

I Ii

[isii:k I(Jftj Ido

—

Ar—beit’, I tich

nors

taLl

I ur hacts LIII

A-bend I es-sen

-

[a:

bont r snJ

Often, you an recognize a compound word by the syllables e, en, er, and es connecting the two words: LL42.12 e as in Scheide

en as in Linden Nouns and words used as nouns are

grus.s

I

[jtc do grusi

baum

[un don haomj

or as in Räder I gebraus

Crc: dor go braos]

es as in Liebes I gabn

[ii: bos ga honi

a

always capitalized in German.

Stress German, like English, is metric, rising arid falling with similar patterns

of primary stress, secondary stress, and unstressed syllables. Primary stress occurs in most German words on the root syllable, which is usually the first syllable in simple words. In IPA, we indicate the stressed syllable with diacritical mark Ii placed above and before the syllable. Secondary stress occurs in multi-syllabic and compound words, which we indicate with the diacritical mark [1 placed below and before the syllable. We don’t mark all secondary stress syllables in this text; we only mark it when it helps clarify pronunciation. An unstressed syllable occurs when the single letter e occurs in any of four particular contexts (See “Unstressed Syllables” on page 173). With unstressed syllables, we simply pronounce e as schwa [o]. Follow these rules to determine the stressing of syllables. Keep in mind that these rules are general and a particular sentence may vary from them. When in doubt, determine the primary stress by observing the stress of the melodic line of your music or check a reliable dictionary. Simple words: In simple words, stress the first syllable. LL42.[3

Mut-ter Schu—k’ le—ben ha-ben

[mu tori —

liii: Lol I Ic: both [ha: honj

—

I I

I I I I

I N N

German 171 Compound words: In compound words, place the stress according to the following context: Nouns: Stress the first element in compound nouns. Maybe place

secondary stress on the second element.

N N N N

Haus tür

[‘huos ,iv:r]

Schneel ball Früh Ijahr

[fnc: ball Iiry: Jan

Dank sa-gung Wald ein-sam-keit

[‘daijk zagolil [vail aen zam ,kactj

—__________________

Adverbs: Stress the second element in compound adverbs. You can

find most of the elements that make up compound adverbs in the list of common prefixes. See “Prefixes and Suffixes” on page 168. LL 4215 [hi ‘naoli

hi—nauf i nau_-

-

he—rein da-her

—

liii ‘naos.I Jhr ‘raenJ

—__________________

-____________________________

[da he:rl z,nctJ

urn—coivt

10111

dafilr

Ida ‘ly:rI

Prefixes: Notice that the stressed syllable varies in words with

prefixes according to the following context: Jn words with one of these seven prefixes emp-, ent-, er-, ver-, zer-, be-, and ge-, stress the root word. 1L 4.2A6

[ci emp-

[crnpj

emp-fin-den

Icmp ‘fi:n doni

ent—

I rut]

ent—flieh—en

er—

[cr1

fli: an I I [rr raectl

ver—

I IrrI

/cr-

llsrr]

—

-

cr—reichi

-

Ver—stand—en

[fcr lr:n

,er-reif—en

Itscr ‘rae saul

dani

I al

be-

[ha]

be-glu-cken

[ha ‘gly:k kon]

ge-

[çja]

ge-ge-ben

[ga ge bani

Other than these seven prefixes, usually stress the prefix.

——

hi

German

I

172 F or instance, in words with the common prefixes ab-, an-, auf-, bei-,

eiii-, in it-,

and

ui-,

I aus-,

stress the prefix

Li. 4.2.17

ab warts auslge-hen Bei I fall em I sl-ngen mit leid ur al-te

[ap vcrtsj [aosge ani [bae fal) [aen zi ijon] [mit Iaetl

[‘ur I a! tal

dar-, durch-, Or in the words with the common prefixes cia-, vor-, and zu-, her-, hin-, in-, rnj-, oh-, hber-, urn-, Un-, unter-, you-, usually stress the prefix.

Li.

4.2.18

du rch /WIi—i.fl mi I brauch

1durc Isi: .,nl

Vor sicht

[fo:r /içLJ

zu I kom men

[Isu:

Urn weg_________

I(flU ‘ick1

un I kiar

Ion klan Ihc:r ko man I

her kon—rnen

[‘mis hraox]

When a prefix separates from its

Here are two exceptions to this rule:

verb and stands alone at the end

ii.

of a phrase or sentence, it takes the

vu-fri e-d en mi—gönnt

primary stress of the sentence: “Ich

vom

komme

[Ic

kom

(Schubert,

f3m

Gebirge gobirgo

her]

mnj

I

..1,

I is U 1 ri: daii] Inn’s qcnI I

em prefix to the root word for

connotation phasis or to change the

of the word: unrnenschlich means inhuman (cruel); unmenschlich

means inhuman—(excessive)-as

Foreign Origin syllable. In words of foreign origin, usually stress the last

Der Wanderer).

“an inhuman pace.”

LD

her”

shift the stress Speakeis sometimes

of the

I

in

gn origin, such In borrowed words and in German words of forei as those that end with -ci, stress the last syllable.

I

LL 4.2.20 Stu—d eiit

Ijin dm1 I

Pa-pier Phy-si.k

[pa pi:rI Ify zi:kJ

Bi-bli-o-tek N4a—le—rei

[hi bli o iu:kl

I

Irna Ia raci

I

I

German

a

173 However, in the ending -ieren, which is also borrowed, stress

You will often need to look up a

the-ie.

word in the dictionary to determine

LI 42I

whether it is borrowed or not. Words

hal-bie-ren

[hal hi ran]

ending in -le or -leren give you a starting point.

Unstressed Syllables

a a

In German, as in English and French, stress patterns include weak stressing, which we call unstressing, and the unstressed vowel migrates to a neutral sound, most often to schwa [al. You want to be aware of several considerations about unstressing. First, notice that unstressing occurs on different vowels in various languages. In English, any vowel might be reduced to a neutral [a] in an unstressed syllable. For example, the following vowels may be reduced to [a]: a in [brek fast]; o in contain [kan teini; u in suppose [sa pouz]. But in French and German, only an unstressed e reduces to [a]. breakfast

Secondly, you want to know when to unstress a syllable. See the rule on page 198 for the four contexts where e becomes unstressed in German. Next isolate the German pronunciation of [a], which is slightly different from other languages. In English, you sing [a] much like its stressed partner [Al, but less open. In French, you articulate [a] with very round lips, like a close [01 (umlauted o). In German, you produce [a] like an open umlauted []. You shape your lips like “aw” [ol and simultaneously raise and arch your tongue forward to “eh” [ci. Avoid opening the vowel as much as “uh” [Al or “eh” [ci or rounding as much as [o]. Lastly, although [a] is a neutral sound, sing it with good resonance, consistent with the other vowels in your songs, counteracting a tendency to sing it wth a dull sound. As an American singer, you may need diligence when singing this neutral sound because, in English, we often hear it when people hesitate and can’t remember what to say—a dull, flat sound, devoid of vibrant resonance. It can be easy to transfer this unfocused stressed “uh” [Al—and its partner unstressed [al—into your singing.

Distinctive German Vowels The German vowels a, e, o differ from their American counterparts in a few ways. They need special attention so that your articulation habits from American speech do not carry over.

II III I

German 174 The letter a Pronounce the letter a only as [ai] or [a], never rounding it to [o] or [a], as you might in English. LL 4.2.22

Compare and contrast.

America altar

1

German

English [a me ri ka] [l tar]

Amerika Altar

[a me ri [al ta:rj

The letter e Pronounce the letter e only as [er], [e],or [a], never as the diphthong [ei] as you normally do in English. Also pronounce the German [e1 with a closer position than the American [e], placing the arch of your tongue more forward and closer to the teeth ridge than in English, creating a sound approaching [i]. LL 4,2.23

Compare_and contrast. German

English sail

[seil]

Seele

[ze Ia]

way

{wei]

Weh

[ve]

Pronounce the unstressed German [a] similar to the sound of the mixed vowel ö [cci, rounding your lips slightly more than you would for the American [al and placing your tongue in a higher position, leaning toward pronouncing [ccl. Be careful never to pronounce the German [al as [ci or [A]. LL 4.224

Compare and contrast.

German

English nb]

comma

[ko

about

[a baut]

Komme

[k,mi ma]

gebaut

[go baot]

Pronounce the letter o only as [o] or [a], always as a pure [ol, never the common English diphthong [ou]. Also pronounce the German [o] with more close, firmly rounded lips than in English.

II

Compare and contrast.

English

[

II I

p

The letter o

LL 4.2.25

11

German

note

[flout]

Not

sew

[soo]

Sohn

[not1

II

I

I

German 175

I

General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels In German each vowel has a close and an open pronunciation—and this key concept will guide you with regularity. To undestand this concept, the terms close and open refer to the space between the tongue and the roof of the mouth. The rule is simple: When the arch of your tongue is closer to the roof of your mouth, the vowel is close; When your tongue is further from the roof of your mouth, the vowel is open. For example, i can be pronounced as close ee [ii or open ih [II, two similar sounds that differ in how close the tongue is from the roof of the mouth. The general rules, which apply to all German vowels, indicate when to pronounce vowels as close or open in individual words. For example, one rule says that before a single consonant in a syllable of primary stress, vowels are usually close; therefore the letter u in Bruder is close [ul— u is in the stressed syllable Bru. Another rule states that before double or multiple consonants, vowels are usually open; therefore the letter ii because in unter is open [ui—because u comes before the two consonants n and t. Besides open and close, the general rules also specify a long or short pronunciation, referring to the duration of the sound. Here, the rules are also simple: letting a vowel sound with a longer duration is called a long vowel; with shorter duration, a short vowel. The difference between long and short vowels, simple as it is, characterizes German diction distinctly—and deserves special attention. In IPA transcriptions, you use the symbol F:] to indicate a long vowel. To indicate a short vowel, simply write the vowel without [1. Usually combine the close/open and long/short distinctions: pronounce close vowels with a long duration; open vowels with a short duration. In the example above, pronounce the letter u in B ruder [u] as both close and long; likewise, pronounce the letter u in unter jul as both open and short. In music, where duration values are fixed, you can suggest the duration: Sustain the vowel as long as possible before pronouncing the following consonant for long vowels; slightly anticipate the following consonant for short vowels. The following rules for pronouncing German vowels are more consistent than in other languages. Once you know them, you can apply them equally to all vowels, across letter contexts. Common exceptions to these rules are included in the detailed discussion of vowels in the “German Vowels in Detail” section beginning on page 191. Study the chart below and keep the close/long, and open/short character of each vowel in mind while learning the general rules.

German

I

176

a

LL 42.26 Letter

Close/long

i

[it]

[Ii

e

[e:j

[ci

0

[0]

o

[01

Open! short

[ce]

I u]

U

Ii’]

[yl

U

;;-

a and a are slightly different: distinguish them primarily by duration, rather than close/open—same sound, only longer or shorter. You nevertheless determine the duration by following the same rules for close/long and open/short vowels. (See page 191 for a more detailed discussion of the letter a.) LL 4.2.27

II I II II

I’ ii

Close and Long Vowels In syllables of primary stress, pronounce vowels close and long in the following contexts. When vowels are doubled, pronounce them close and long.

II

LL 4.228 Seele

-

[ic: Ia]

Moot-

[mo:s]

r’v[eer

Imcri

Saal

Iiatl

II

1/\Then a vowel is followed by Ii in the same syllable, leave the Ii silent and pronounce the preceding vowel close and long. ilL 12.29 mehr

[me:rl

Sohne

[zo na]

Zalilen

ILsr: lani

jIn er

[i: rorj

Frühe

t!ial [za]

sahe

II

I

I I p I I I I I

German 177

When vowels occur before a single consonant, usually pronounce them close and long, as illustrated in these contexts:

In polysyllables, pronounce stressed vowels before a single consonant as close and long. (See “Stress” on page 170.) LL 4,2.3() Bru-der

[bru: dan

re-den

[re dan]

Flu-gel

[fly: gal]

o-de

[0 da]

In monosyllables, usually pronounce vowels before a single consonant close and long. H.. I .2. Grab

[gra:pJ

schon dir

[[oii1 [di:rj

Ton

[on]

für

lfy:rl

zuni

Elsurnl

rot

I ro:t]

E xeption: vowels in some monosyllables vary in their close/ a long and open/short character and you will need to consult dictionary. Here is a list of common monosyllables and their close/long, open/short character.

LL 4.2.32 Open and short

Close and long

mum]

nur

[non

urn

LumI

Von

1V3fl1

VOrn

lvDrnl

ob

Lpl

(vc:kl

weg_(adverb)

lvLI

her

lhe:rl

es

(us I

der______

ldc:rl

dec,

[dud

nun

schon

Weg (noun)

LJ031]

-

hi German 178 [fy:r]

für

[di:rJ

dir

in

[xnj

im

[imj

mit

[miii

bin

[bmj

hin

[hinj

I I

When vowels are final in a monosyllable, pronounce them close and long.

LL 4.2.33 [(till !___

Lkh11

_________

—

- — [vo:1 [tsu:J

I(liI

die

wic

-

Ivil

-

I I

—_________________

F or some verbs, nouns, and adjectives you must retain the the close and long character of the root word’s vowel, even when the vowel changes in the different forms of the root word (from [e] to [iJ, for instance). Verbs: Determine the pronunciation of the root verb and, thoughout its different inflections, maintain the close/long character of its vowel, regardless of the letter endings that follow the vowel. In the following example, for instance, consider the root verb geben. Because the e comes before a single vowel, pronounce it close and long. When the verb changes form, to gibt, the vowel changes from e to i. The vowel i now comes before two consonants, bt, which would usually tell you to open and shorten the vowel. But with this verb, you must retain the close/long character of the root verb gehen and pronounce gipt with the close/long [i:j, as in [gi:ptl, not [gIpi].

LL 4.2.34 leben

[le: ban]

to live

becomes

lebt

[le:ptj

he lives

gben

[ge: bani

to give

becomes

gibt

[gi:ptj

he gives

Note: To apply

this rule, you must first know the root

verb, which you can often

see in a dictionary. You can also

anticipate the root word by recognizing common letter endings of verb inflections through the sample conjugation of lehen (to live).

I I I I I I I 1 I

German

I I I I I I I

179 ich lebe

I live

wir leben

we live

du lebst

you live

ihr lebt er lebt

you live

sic

he lives

they live

1eben

in , Nouns: When a noun becomes plural with an umlaut mainta vowel. word’s root the the close/long character of Buch

Ibu:ç]

book

becomes Bucher

[‘by: cr1

books

Adjectives: When the adjective changes degree with an umlaut, also maintain the dose/long character of the root word’s vowel. LL 4.2.36 high

hOher

[ho:ç] [‘hø: r]

hochst

[‘hø:çstj

highest

rot

[ro:tJ

red

rötlich

[‘røa liç]

reddish

hoch

higher

Vowels That are Close but not Long: In syllables that do not carry primary stress, close vowels are not long. Notice the unstressed letters i, e, a, o in the following: LL 4.2.37

Read aloud.

A-Ii-bi

[‘a: Ii bij

dc-li rii-tion fif-bu-lie-ren

Lde

jt—Z()

ni ‘sjo:nI Ifa bu ‘ii: r3nl [‘jet: isoJ fi

a Close vowels are not long in unstressed monosyllable words within sentence (such as words for the English articles the and an). LL 42.38 da’

I(Iasl

der

Eden

den

[deLi]

an dem

lani Idemi

—

German 180 Open and Short Vowels Pronounce vowels as open and short in the following contexts:

Usually

pronounce vowels before double or multiple consonants as open and short.

II II I II II

LI 4.2.3% Double:

Multiple:

Sonne

[‘zDn n]

schiaf-fen

[fla fnj

un-ter

[on tr1

hel-fen

[hI fnj

II

Note:

Double and multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable with the vowel to affect the open character of the vowel. Pronounce all vowels before ck iki, ng [iji, and sch [ji

as open and short.

II

LL 4.2.40 ck:

ng:

schickt

[jiku]

pflücken

[pfl kDnl

Blicke

Ibix kol

stock Hoftnung

[ji :,k]

[hot

finger

ITt qor]

‘mgen

-—

iluili

l/t ijonl

-

-________

sch:

I

Ti’ch

—

BLische

lull [ho jol

Fi,che

I ii

I

I

Jol

Pronounce vowels before the letter x [ksl as open and short.

LL 3.2.41

Hw exakt

Ihrk coj

-.

-

-.

l1’ikul

Before cli, f (Eszett) and Always pronounce the forward vowels e and i as open and short.

I I

LL 4.2.42 cli:

[xc]

ich riicht

____________

Imici jBecher

[hr çor]

I

I I I I •

German 181 B:

vergil3

[fer gis]

Fe snJ

ss:

el3en wissen

[‘VI

sani

Vowels other than e and i have variable pronunciations before cli, 13, and ss. You will need to consult a dictionary. LL 4.2.43

I I I I

ch:

Open and Short [d3xI doch

-

Close and_Long________

hoc!,

[ho:xl

irncl

[nDxI

suchen

[zu: xau]

Dach

Idaxi

Sprach

Ipra:xJ

Nacht

liiaxll

Stach

Iita:xl

Flu ch

13:

absch)u13

Jap JlosJ

flO13en

1 fliux j 1110: snJ

ss:

Fluss

Fuss

llu:i

Kuss

Lilosi [kus)

Kussen

[ky san]

Schoss

[jo:sl

nu Ross

[iIos I

gr ss

I gro:I

.

Gruss_—______ lgru:s)

[r,s]

Before st, all vowels have variable close/long and open/short pronunciations. You will need to consult a dictionary. LL 4244

st

open and short [kD stnJ kosten

close and long Trost

[tro st]

lost

[lO:stl

Before the combination of r plus d, t, 1, or 12, all vowels also have variable pronunciations. Again, consult a dictionary. LL 4.245 Open

close and long

and short

rd:

rt: ri:

verden

[ver dani

Pferd

Iplc:rLl

Geburt

Ig’ hu:riI

Hirt

[1)1111

zart

Plorten

[pf3r 1.oiil

Bart

[ba:rt I

perlig

lpe:r liçI

—

Ilsa:rII

German 182 See the chart of prefixes and suffixes on page 168 for many

the common

exceptions to the rules for open and

close vozoels.

In the prefixes her-, da-, or dar- when followed by a consonant, you

must first determine stressing to know how to pronounce the vowel. When the prefix is stressed, pron ounce the vowel as close and long; when unstressed, pronounce it as open and short. Consult a dictionary for stressing. LL 4.2,4i

Read aloud. Close and long (stressed) herstellen [her fri n1

Open and short (unstressedJ hernieder [bcr ni dr] dadurch

Fda durçj

Mixed Vowel Sounds German has four mixed vowel sou nds, which are indicated by an umlaut () over the letters ö and ü, as in sch&n and fruh. Note: The umlaut vowels ô and ü can also be written by eliminating the dots and adding the lette r e: oe, and ue as in schoen and frueh. These two spell ings are interchangeable. To pronounce a mixed vowel sound, combine—or mix—different lip and tongue positions: round your lips for a back vowel while raising and arching your tongue for a forward vowel. For example, round your lips to the position of oo [ul as in boot and then, without moving your lips, arch your tongue into the forward position for ee [i] as in beet. Add voice, and, though unfamiliar, you will hear the close mixed vowel sound of u [yl, a blen ding of the back vowel sound of [u] and the forward vowel soun d of fyi. LL 4.2.47 Authorities vary their opinons about

Chart of Lip and Tongue Positions for the Mixed VoweI

Lip position

Tongue position

transcribing the sounds of the Gei

do’wd Li

[Ill

+

man diphthongs. Siebs, who wrotefor

open Li

iii

[ci]

+

[i

=

Mixed vowel Iy:I [vJ

a German-speaking audience, used

closed

fo]

+

ci

=

10:1

[aej, [aol, and [ø]. Other authorities

OpL’flO

i]

+

=

[o.1_____

o

Id

employ [au, [no], and [vu] or [vy] or [vy].

In this text, we use the symbols

[ae], [aol, and [vø].

I I I I

Diphthongs German has three diphthongs. Each is pronounced with the

first vowel sound receiving longer duration. Compared to English diphthongs, German diphthongs have a dar ker quality, which adds to the characteristic sound of the German language.

I

I I I

German 183 The Diphthong [ae] Pronounce the letter combinations ai, mj, ei, or ey as [ael. The sound of the German diphthong is similar to the diphthong [au in the English word

I I I I p I I I I

bite,

but darker in quality because of [el as the

second sound LI.

4248

Compare and contrast. German

English my

[mail

Mai

[mae]

dine

[dam]

dein

[daen]

Examples:

LL 4.249 fail

[fael]

Bayern

Ihae arni

Reich

lraecJ

Meyer

[mac on

-

The Diphthong [aol Pronounce the letter combination au as [aol. The sound of the German diphthong [aol is similar to the diphthong [aol in the English word

house [hoosi, but darker in quality because of the

more rounded [o] for the second sound. LL

42.5O

Compare and contrast.

German

English house

Ihausi

about

[o ham]

4.2 1

ii

—

Haus

[haos]

baut

[baoil

Examples: laofl

Shift from the first vowel to the sec

faiul

(faolI

ond vowel of a German diphthong by

auch__--_____________________________

laocl

Tau

[taoJ

aut

-

-____________________

changing the tongue and/or lip posi

-

tion, but not bj lowering the jav

-

The Diphthong [Dol Pronounce

the letter combinations eu and du as [oo]. The sound of the

German diphthong [oo] is similar to the diphthong [oi] in the English word

boy,

but darker in quality because of the more rounded

the second sound. When you pronounce the German

and

and glide from [31

round your lips energetically

moving forward as you

[301,

[01

for

protrude

feel the arch of your tongue to

[01.

___________ _________ ___ _____ _________ __________ __________ _

German

I

184 LI. 42.52

Compare and contrast.

English

German

Troy

[tr3il

LL 4.2.33

Read aloud:

neu_______

treu

-____________

heute

‘I

[tr3O]

[nooi

——

l’h30 iai

me

11330 ina]

Iäute

1130 lal

Distinctive German Consonants The Consonant ch Pronounce the letters cli with two different sounds in German, both unfamiliar to English speakers. These are the ichlaut [ci and the achlaut [xi. Pronounce both the ichlaut and the achlaut as voiceless consonants. Ichlaut

I I LI I

[ci

Pronounce the letter ch as ichlaut [ci after forward vowels, umlauts, diphthongs (other than au), and consonants. You can discover [ci when you say the initial h in the name Hugh using a high, forward arch of the tongue and emphasizing the initial aspirate sound. Isolate the initial sound [ç c c ci, then precede it with a bright [ii, [iç iç c ici, allowing an energetic stream of air to flow over your arched tongue. You will feel the air flow between the center of your tongue arch and your teeth ridge. TO

pronounce the German word ich, repeat the process above using the vowel [ii, [iç ic iç ici. Once you find the sound, you will notice that the sound naturally adjusts its position slightly, depending on the sounds surrounding it. The ichlaut remains an aspirated sound, however, and never becomes the fricative [J] or plosive [ki. LL 42.54

Compare and contrast.

English

German

dish _wrecked

kli.Il -

I.irLII

-

-

dich

ithcj

Recht

LrcLI

Achlaut [xi

0

a I Ii

Pronounce the letters cli after back vowels and the diphthong au as achlaut [xi. The voiceless sound of [xi resembles the sound of a whispered ah [ai.

w

______

German 185 You can produce the achlaut [x] by whispering [a]. Allow the air to rush between the velum and the arched back of the tongue. Isolate the sound [x x x xl, then precede it with [a], to pronounce [ax ax ax ax]. Note that the achlaut is always aspirated and never pronounced as the plosive [k]. Compare and contrast.

LL 4,255

German

lish box

[boks]

Baths

[baxs]

fluke

[fluk]

Fluch

[flu:xl

H

Ichlaut and Achlaut with Forward and Back Vowels The following progression of ichlauts and achlauts moves from the most forward to the most back position. Read the syllables, which may feel very unfamiliar, then read again reversing the pattern. I..L

Iici eçc

eche ächä

-__________________

laxa oxo uxu]

acha ocho uchu

Dental Consonants D, T, N, and L Make dental consonants with the tip of your tongue touching the gum line behind your upper teeth. In German there are four dental consonants: d, t, n, and 1 (all, oddly enough, found in the English word dental.) For German dental consonants place the tip of your tongue more forward than for their English counterparts. [d] and

[ti

In German, allow less air to escape with the explosion of d and t than in English, producing what is sometimes called a dry sound.

[n] Pronounce [uj with the tip of the tongue more forward than in English.

[1] pronounce [1] as a clear dental sound, somewhat like the 1 in the English word let. Avoid the alveolar dark 1 as in all, which is the most common sound of 1 in English. IL 41.J’

Read aloud.

German

English

dandy

-

-

[i” thi

dadurch

jLda dorçl

_______________—

‘U German 186

rtotal

[ll

total

[nAnj

1N1onne

[to tall -

In3I1 ha!

Voicing and Unvoicing b, d, g Pronounce the consonants b, d, and g as either voiced or unvoiced, depending on the following contexts:

I LI I

When they are initial in a word or syllable, pronounce the consonants b, d, and g with their normal, voiced sound.

Li. 42.58

I

I However, pronounce the consonants b, d, and g as unvoiced p, t, and k when they are final in a word or syllable or when they occur

rn

before t or st.

LL42.39

IDieb

—

-

Idi:pI

—___________________________

tic]

end-lich

1ni

ab—fahren

[a:pla rail

lebL

—

-___________________

I I I

[le:pt]

tragst

IIrr:kctI

Tod

EIo:Il

Weg__________________

Ivc:kl

er-f olg-reich

Err_talk mccl

Magd

[ma:k.il

Whether you voice or unvoice the single consonants b, d, and g depends entirely upon the position of the consonant in the word. The pronunciation may even change in different forms of the same word. For example, notice the pronunciation of the final g and d in the following words as the form of the word changes.

LL 4.260 Weg

[ve:k]

becomes

Wege

[ye: gal

Leid

[laetl

becomes

Leider

[lae dan

I I

When the combinations of -bt and -gd are final in a word, pronounce them unvoiced.

I

I I I I II I I I!

German 187 LL 4.2.61

4

[gi:pt]

gibt

Ljaktl

Exception: When the letters -ig are final in words or syllables, pronounce the letters as [xc]. LL 4.2.62 billig

[hi

wichtxg

[vxç

hc]

tic]

emsig

[m zxçj

Ewigkeit

[e vickaetl

1

X’Vhen the digraph ng occurs in a word, the letters are pronounced as [ij]. The g is not pronounced. [1. 4.2.63

singen

[zx ijnJ

Hoffnung

[hDf

flux)]

Occasionally, Germans contract a word by omitting the letter When a voiced b, d, or g occurs in such a contracted word, and when it occurs before 1, n, or r, still pronounce the stop-plosive consonant as voiced and pronounce it with the second syllable. Li. 4,2.64 bcconies

Wa-gner

becomes

re-gnet

gol—de—ne

Lrc: g nail I gal da noj

becomes

go—Idne

Frc gnoii I ga Idnal

‘Van-direr

Ivam da

becomes

Wan-drer

Fvandran1

re-ge-net

I I

I

va qnrj

vu ga nrI

Wa-ge-ner

ran

Interpretive Use of Consonants German consonants carry expressiveness to an even greater degree than in Italian or English and must be articulated precisely and clearly. The great German artists sing energetic consonants to shape their words and enhance the meaning of the text. They emphasize consonants by lengthening their duration or increasing their loudness, using artistic freedom to articulate consonant sounds richly. Refer to a word-by-word translation of the text to become sensitive to the meaning of the words and to determine which consonants to emphasize. In German, as in English, you may shift the emphasis when words are repeated. However, emphasize consonants only to enliven the expression: Be careful not to destroy the vocal line! When emphasizing consonants, follow these guidelines:

Pronounce initial consonants before the musical beat and the vowel on the beat to avoid slowing the tempo.

Note: It may be helpful to think of linking initial consonants to the end of the preceding word.

German 188 In consonant clusters, emphasize only one consonant. The consonant you choose to emphasize will generally be the one that can be the loudest or longest of the group. For example, lengthen the s in stille, not the t, stile; and the r in fi:zsch, not the f, frisch.

I I 1

Within a word, emphasize only the consonants that follow an open, short vowel, as in wunderhell.

Do not emphasize a consonant after a close, long vowel. Double Consonants In speech, Germans usuaily pronounce a double consonant only slightly longer than a single consonant. They use the double consonant to essentially open and shorten the preceding vowel rather than focus on the consonant. However, you can often lengthen double consonants for emphasis and expressiveness. Where we might say, Everything’s going my way, a German would exclaim, Es geht miT alles gut! and lengthen the ii. Outstanding singers of German Lieder enliven both diction and meaning this way. Note: The long duration of a consonant is indicated in IPA transcriptions by a colon [j. In this text, we transcribe double consonants with a single symbol and uses the [1 and doubled consonants only where context warrants their use. LL 42.t5

Read Aloud.

Himmel [Wonne

Lter i\Then the final consonant of the first word is the same as the first consonant of the second word, lengthen the consonant. You essentially stop the first consonant and explode the second. A similar sound occurs in English when the same consonant ends one word and begins the next. LL 4.2(

English

German

ban noise quiHalking

[him ne man]

Fest tag

jfcst ta:k]

I I I I I I I I 1 I I I

I I I

German 189 Glottal Stop A glottal stop is articulated by a brief, but complete closing of the glottis

in the larynx. You can hear a glottal stop between these two example English words: the answer. Unlike the French or Italians, who link sounds across syllables, Germans insert glottal stops in the following contexts:

I I I I

Initial position Usually precede words beginning with a vowel with a glottal stop, being careful not to link it to the previous word. LL 42.67 an alle

[an

I alilo]

Am offenen Abend

[am

I

Dein Abschied

[daen

Etwas in ihm ist anders

[eas

ofonon

I

I

abont]

apitj

I

ian

iii

ist

I

andorsi

Medial Position

I

Within a word, use a glottal stop in two instances: Jn a compound word, when the second element begins with a vowel, separate it from the first element with a glottal stop.

LL 4.2.68 Land I urlaub

J lani

Mannes I art

jman:ns

Em I akter

lacu

I

Erdlapfe]

len

I aptoil

uriaopj

!J_______________

akiij

When a prefix is a separate element, separate the prefix from the root word with a glottal stop.

LL 4.2.6 Er I innerung

[r

au I atmen

aos I alinoill

utwr I all

ly: bor

Un

I endlici,

I

m:noroIl I

Ion I

hin I arheiten

ibm

Vor I ahnung

[for

all

I I

I’d

arhaclonl a: nuij]

II German 190 Exception: When the prefixes her-, hin-, dar-, and vor- are combined with another prefix that begins with a vowel, do not use a glottal stop. Begin the second syllable with the medial consonant. Refer to the chart on page 168 to help you recognize prefixes that may be combined. LL 427()

her

he-rab

[h rapi

dar± an= da-ran

[da ran]

hin

+

em

[hi naenj

vor

+

aus = vo-raus

+

ab

=

=

hi-nein

I I I II

[fo raosJ

I I I I I I I I

I I I I

German 191

German Vowels in Detail The German language contains six vowels plus three umlauted vowels. Each vowel letter has a close and open sound; e and y each have an additional sound. The letters and their respective sounds are indicated in the chart below. Other Open! Short Letter Close! Long

t

l___ lc.’l___________________ Erl

0

lo:l

lol

u

lul

lol

y

[vi

lvi

0

10:1

u

fyi

i

lol

lii

Ill

[vi

You contrast the two possible pronunciations of a ([a:] and [a]) and a ([ei and [el) by their long or short duration. To know which duration, apply the rules for close/long and open/short vowels, but maintain the same vowel sound.

Pronounce the German letter a as either long [a:] or short [al. Under the section of “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175 in Special Features of German, you can read the generally consistent rules for pronouncing close/long vowels and open/short vowels. However, as demonstrated in the Vowel Chart above, the letter a does not fit into the pattern for close and open, but does fit the pattern of long and short vowels. In German, the long or short duration of the vowel a is of greater importance than its close and open character. Although the duration of the vowel is predetermined by the melodic notes in singing, you can nevertheless define the duration of short [a] by moving more quickly to the consonant that follows. Pronounce a as long [a:J when the spelling of a German word follows the rule for a close/long vowel. Pronounce a as short [a] when the spelling of a German word follows the rule for an open! short vowel.

The letter

a

___________

_

German 192 Read aloud to compare and contrast the long and short duration of these vowels.

I I I

LL 4.3.01 La:] Kahn

[uj kann

ikani

Abend

lka:nl [a: hajiti

ApM

Ia pall

WahI

Iva:ll

Wald

Saline

I/a: nal [fa tan

sandt

Ivalt] [ian 131

Wasser

[va sarj

Vater

I I

Caution: As an English speaking American, you must be careful never to pronounce the German letter a as [o] or [al.

I

Note: Some German authorities use the symbol [oj to represent the close/long pronunciation and the symbol [al to represent the open/short pronunciation of the vowel a. In this text, we eliminate the symbol [ol because the contrast between the sound of [a] and [a] is subtle in singing.

p

a, aa When a or an are followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce a or an as long [at]. LL 4.3.02

Read Aloud.

Vater

ETa Ian

Grab

IgrapI

Stciat

IiiaaI

SaaE

i,a:li

Exception: In several prefixes when a is followed by a single consonant, pronounce it as short [a]. LL 4.3.03

I

Read Aloud.

ab-ordnen

[ap I ardnanj

areint

jjan I rrkanil

1 -

Exception: In several one-syllable words, when a is followed by a single consonant, pronounce it as short [al. LL 4.3,04

Read Aloud.

p I p

German

I

I I I I

193 When a is followed by double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce it as short [al. Note: The double or multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable to affect the open/short pronunciation of the vowel. However, they must be in the same word element. LL 4.3.05

Read aloud. ha sJ

]j’.1’

halt I dfl (lorSi IL_____________________ [a lnl ander

Because it varies, you cannot apply a rule to Exception: know how to pronounce the vowel a before ch,fl (Eszett), ss, and st. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

ah Pronounce the letter combination al-i in the same syllable as long [a:]. When a vowel is followed by Ii in the same syllable, the h is silent, signalling you to pronounce the vowel as close and long.

LL 4.306

Read Aloud.

Bahn

[barn]

fahren

[ fa rn]

al, ay Pronounce ai and ay as the diphthong [ael. The sound [ae] is similar to the diphthong found in the English word bite, but darker in quality because of the use of Eel as the second sound. LI. 4.3.07

Read aloud.

Laich

Ii-i’el [Iaec}

Kaicer

Rae ,r]

Saite

[/ae IJ

Bayern

Ibae riiI

Tokayer

[tokac r]

I\lai

-___________

-___________

German 194 au Pronounce au as the diphthong [aol. The sound of [aol is similar to the diphthong found in the English word house, but darker in quality because of the use of more rounded [o) for the second sound. LL 4.31)8

Read aloud.

1-laus

lhaosl

Laub

LIaopl

.Auge

[ao (J.)J

auf

[aefi

Faust

[Iaostj

tauscben

[lao [onj

a Pronounce the German letter ü as long [ci or short [ci. Under “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175 in Special Features of German, you can read the generally consistent rules for pronouncing close/long vowels and open! short vowels. However, as demonstrated in the Vowel Chart above, the letter a does not fit into the pattern for close and open, but it does fit the pattern for long and short vowels. In Germa n, the long or short duration of the vowel a is of greater importance than its close and open character. Although the duration of the vowel is predetermined by the melodic notes in singing, you can nevertheless define the duration of short [ci by moving more quickly to the consonant that follows. Pronounce a as [ci when the spelling of a German word follows the rule for an close/long vowel. Pronounce a as [ci when the spelling of a German word follows the rule for an open/short vowel. ‘‘\Jhen a is followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce it as long [c:]. LL 43.09

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Read aloud.

baten

[bc: tnj

Bader Vater

[be dr1 [fc: tori

Schwane

[fvc noj

I I I

U I N

German 195 spat

[Jpe:tl

erklären Scharii

[er kIr: rOn]

Mädchen

[inr:i con]

[J’: rnij

VVhen a is followed by double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce it as short [ci.

N I I

Note: The double or multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable to apply this rule. However, the multiple consonants must be in the same word element. Read Aloud.

LL 4.3.10 ApM

I’rp loll

Kälte ‘tärk

El-rl to) 111cr ko)

argern

[cr

Ias’ig

lie sicl [ [ver mon don]

,c]ivarmcnden

-_____

gomi

In Mädchen [mea çonJ, a common word with the suffix -chen,

notice that the multiple consonants are not in the same element, therefore pronounce a, followed by only the single consonant d in the first element, as long [e1.

Exception: The vowel a has variable pronunciations before ch,fl (Eszett), ss, and st, and when before the combination of r plus d, t, 1, and n. For more information, see “General Rules for Pronouncing Gennan Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

ah Pronounce

au

in the same syllable as [cr].

When a vowel is followed by h in the same syllable, the h is silent, signalling you to pronounce the vowel as close and long. LL 4.3,11

Read Aloud.

tic)

ähnlich

[r:n

nahen

[nc on]

Krahe erwähnen

___

-__________

l’krr: ol [er vr:n ojil

—

--

German 196 au

Pronounce äu as the diphthong [aol. Note: When you pronounce the German [ooi, round your lips more than for the English as in the word bay. Protrude your [si]

lips energetically and feel the arch of the tongue move forward as you glide from [J to [01.

LL 43.12 Fräulein

The letter

e

Read aloud.

Bäume

lTrDO Iaenl JhØni]

Flauser

[hDO zrJ

IäuterL

[130 Ion]

Bläue

[I,Ioø ol

Täubchen

[Loop çonj

—

Pronounce the letter e in one of three ways: close/long [eJ, open/short [s], and unstressed schwa [oj.

I I I I I I I I I I

Pronounce the German [e1 with the high arch of your tongue closer to the roof of your mouth than for an American [ci, and without a trace of the diphthongal [ii used in our langua ge. When pronounced correctly, “0, Web!” [o ve:1 sounds almost like [o vi] to our American ears. Pronounce the German [e] with your tongue slightly more foward and your jaw more open than an English [el. Pronounce the German schwa with the lips slightly rounded toward [cJ. The sound quality varies slightly in openness according to its position in the word, but you will feel your tongue consistently a more forward and higher than for either the English [A] or [ol. Be careful not to open schwa all the way to [El or over-round it to the French schwa. LI. 4313 [ci

Compare [e:} and 11: -

[e]

den

[cle.nl

denn

[den]

beten

[be toni [Ste Ion]

betteri

[be toni

stellen

[jie lan]

stehien

p I I I I

German 197

I I I I I I

When e and ee are followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce e and ee as [e:j. Read Aloud. LL 4.3.14 ewig

Ce: vicj

Regen

Ire:

der

IderI

Seele

lie: ]J

Elend

Ic: lonil

er

lerJ

qMl]

-

Exception: In some monosyllables when e occurs before a single consonant, pronounce it as open/short [el. J L-1-.3.15

Read Aloud. [r’ I Ldrsl

e

des ‘es

Ivcsl

Note: In some prefixes when e is followed by a single consonant, pronounced it as [ci. LL 4.3.16

Prefixes:

er-

[cr1

her—

[hcrl

as in erachten

j as in lierauf

[cr I ‘ax ton] 11w ‘raoil

Note: Always pronounce the noun Weg, written with capital W, as [ve:k]. But pronounce the adverb, prefix, and suffix weg as [vcki. /\QThen e is followed by double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce it as open/short [ci.

Note: To apply this rule, the double or multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable, but they must be in the same element. LL 4.3,17

Read aloud. [vclt]

Welt I-Icr,

i_m i’d Ihrrtsl

\,enn

Iwrani

emsig

// /

-_____________

Exception: Because the pronunciations vary, you cannot apply this rule before st. (See ‘General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175.)

________

_________

I I I

German 198 Exception: In some verbs, nouns, and adjectives, you need to retain the close/long character of the root word’s vowel as it changes form. For example, pronounce the consonants in

lebst as

II

two

close/long because the original vowel

leben

is before a single consonant in the root verb (See page

e before

(to live).

178.)

ich kbe

(I lit’t’)

du Iebst

you 1iz’’l

/\/hen single e occurs in an unstressed syllable, generally pronounce it as schwa [J. Germans unstress syllables in four circumstances.

I I

1. When the single letter e occurs as the final letter or in a suffix of a word, usually pronounce e as [1. LL 43J8 Read Aloud.

I

Final letter:

Wege

-

lye: g1 Ilia: h] frO dol [,e: Io

-

hahe Freude

-

Seele Shuie komme

Ik

—

-

kleinen

[kiac

langern

I Ia ipml la!: losi

alles

bitter h’end el t

When single

e is

l.fvii dolil in

word, pronounce

LL 43.2O

liornj

I hit: tori [[a font I___________________________

Shaffend

2.

mol

Aloud.

Suifi\:

S(

p I

[[u I

—____________

Read

II -________________________

the unstressed prefixes be-

or

ge-

before a root

e as [ol. Read Aloud.

begangen

[bo gaij oni

geliebtes

Igo lip

betrogen

[ho

geucht

go/ux1]

beglucken

Iho

benehmen

Ihe ne: moni

tos]

tro: goni

gh’

Loni

—

—

-

—

I

_

__________

_____

German

N

199 [ga ge: an]

geben

[9;) boil

Note: In words such as geben [ge: ban] and gehen [ge: an] go- is part of the root word and not a prefix. You can identify root words when the final unstressed syllable cannot stand alone. In the two syllable words above, ge- is a part of the root word because -ben and -bot cannot stand alone: therefore, ge receives primary stress. ,

I I

3. When the single letter e occurs in the final syllable of a word

element or as a common connective syllable which often occurs in a compound word, pronounce e as [al.

I I

LL 432i

Read Aloud. [hun da haos]

e as in 1-fund ehaus

e as in Scheidegru1

-

[Jae cia grusi

en a in Lindenbaurn

Ilrndan baumi

or as in_Radergebraus

[ru: clar çja braus]

es as in Lwhesgaben

Iii: ha ga ban]

-________

Nouns and words used as nouns are always capitalized in German.

4. When the single letter e is in a consecutive syllable and when an adjective ending is added to a verb form, pronounce e as [a]. LL 4.3.22

Read Aloud. [hel fan dan]

helfen

[hel fan]

becomes

helfenden

brennen

[brun: nan]

becomes becomes

brennend en [brurn nan dan] schaffenden [fa fan dan]

becomes

spiegeinden [jpi: gain dan]

[fa fan] Spiegein [fpi: gain] schaffen

eh Pronounce eh in the same syllable as [e:1. \Then a vowel is followed by h in the same syllable, the ii is silent, signalling you to pronounce the vowel as close and long. LL 4.3.23

Read Aloud.

mehr

[nle:r]

stehlen

[j’te: lan]

________-

In

German

p

200 ei, ey Pronounce ei and ey as the diphthong [ael. The pronunciation of the diphthong [ael is similar to the [au pronounced in the English word hcight [bait], but darker in quality because of the [e] as the second sound. LL 4.3.24

Read Aloud.

dein

Idadnl

Leib

[Lacpl

biciben

Ihiac hnj

Veilchen

11acI çnj

Heine

Lhac nI [mac rJ

Meyer

1

p

eu Pronounce eu as the diphthong [ool.

The sound of [‘o1 is similar to the diphthong found in the English word boy, but darker in quality because of the more rounded [01 for the second sound. When you pronounce the German [ool, protrude and round your lips energetically and feel the arch of the tongue move forward as you glide from [Di to [01. LL 4.3.25

Read Aloud.

iieu

IIJDOI

heute_______

IhDO iDj

Reue Freude

IrDo ] [frnO dol

treulich

[trDO lId

Atreus

[a trDOsJ

II ‘I ‘I

S

The letter

i

Pronounce the letter as [i:j or the English word might.

[i],

not ever as the diphthong [an, as in

When followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce i as [i:J. LL 4.3.26

Read Aloud.

Mine Sirup

j

[mi: nDl Izi: rDpJ

‘I

German 201 Exception:

In the combination -ik, when the syllable is stressed, pronounce i as [i:1, and when the syllable is unstressed, pronounce i as [ii. LL 4.3.27

I I

I

Musik

[mu ziki

Fakrjk

[fab rik]

Irigik

I(ra qiki

iyrik

I p I I

p I

-

——

[ly rikj

Exception: In the following words and suffixes, when i occurs before a single consonant, pronounce it as [iJ. LL 4.3.28

I

Read Aloud.

Words. Read Aloud. bin

bjs

[mj [mu [bis]

hin

[hini

April

LL 4.3.29

Suffixes. Read Aloud.

in, im

mit

[

[bini

Jjmt]

[ [a prili 1icr tiçi

-ig

[‘ci

as infertig

-ms

[rnsj

as in Bildnzs

-in

[in]

as in Studentin [ftu

[but nls] dcn

tIn]

Exception: Pronounce i as the glide [ii in a small group of words borrowed from foreign language that end in -ie, -ieiz, and -ient. (See sample words under the heading “ic” below.)

/Vhen i occurs before double or multiple consonants, usually

pronounce it as [ml. Note: The double or multiple consonants do not need to be in

the same syllable with the vowel to affect the open character of the vowel, but do need to be in the same element. Read aloud. Bitte

[bi tal

Winter

[vm tar]

spricht

[fpnct]

frisch

[friji

Exception: The close/long character of the vowel in the original form of certain verbs, nouns, and adjectives is retained in the changed forms. For example, in the following example, even though the vowel changes and occurs before two consonants, the close/long character of [e:i in the verb geben is kept in the close/long character of [i:i in gihf. (See page 178.)

II

German

I

202 ii 4.3.30 geben

[ge bon]

to give becomes gibt

[çji

ptl

he gwe]

Exception: When it occurs before st, the vowel i has variable pronunciations. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

11 I

ie Pronounce ie as [i1. In German the letters ie form a unit and are pronounced [ii LL 4,3,31

Read Aloud.

bier

[Ii: h31 [hi:rJ

wie lied

lvii Ili:1]______

Melodic

i1 di:] [Ian ia ,i:l

Lithe

Phantacie

II II

Exception: The letters le do not form a unit in a small group of words borrowed from foreign languages that end in -ie, -ien, and -lent. Pronounce i as the glide [ii. LL 4.332

Read Aloud.

Lilie

[li hal

Faniihie Italien

[fa miljal [i ta: ljanj

Patient

[pa tsjentl

Portier

[par tie]

II

‘I ih pronounce iii in the same syllable as [ii. 11hen a vowel is followed by h in the same syllable, the 1, is silent and the vowel is pronounced close and long. L

L

i

±.J.J3

Read aloud.

ihr

[i:r]

iii in

[ianj

p I’

German

I I I

203 German letter o has two pronunciations: close and long [o:1 and open and short [o]. The Vowel o [o:] is a long,pure sound, more rounded than in English and with no trace of the English diphthong [ou].

The

LL 4.3.34

Compare and contrast. English diphthong [oul

German pure [o;j [ro;zoj rose Hof

[ho:fl

rose

[rouzi

hope

[houpi

The German open/short [oJ is pronounced

with lips slightly more

protruded and rounded than for its English equivalent in the word

I I

caught [kotj. LL 4.3.35

Compare and contrast. German lol [ The [‘von: no] Wonne

The German pure [o:1 [‘vo; nol wohne Ofen

[o fan]

jffen

[‘o: fan]

When followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce o as [o:1.

I I

EL 4.3.36

Read Aloud. Ilo: hon 1 [ho: don]

lohen Boden

nobel

lo: dol [o monl [no: boll

Mode

11Th):

ode OfllCfl

—

do]

EXceptions: When followed by a i ngle consonant, several words an’ pronounced with open / short 101. 1.1 4.3.37

Read Aloud.

op

lop)

von von-i

(toni

Marmor

[foinl -

[mar mon

Bischof

(‘hi [ofl

Doktor

Idok tori

The letter

I --I

German 204 When followed by a single cononant in a monosyllable, usually pronounce o as close and long, but not always. Consult a dictionary. LL 4.3.38

Read Aloud.

schon

lJo:nJ

rot

I rol)

Brot

I hLO:I I

Strom

lStroml

Ton

110111

‘or

lfo:r]

Flor

IIIo:rI

Not

1i1011

R I I I

1 \T[111

o is the final letter in a monosyllable, pronounce it as [ol. LL 4.339

Read

Aloud. [vol

wo

When followed by a double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce o as 131. Note: The doubled or multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable with the vowel to affect the open character of the vowel, but do need to be in the same element. LL 4.3.40

Read aloud.

Sornmer

[73

you

lf.ill

Dorf

ld3rfl

son’4

[zDnsll

koninil

1k311111

Gott

Lg3(]

111311

Exception: The close/long character of o in the original form of certain verbs, nouns, and adjectives is retained in the changed forms. For example, the vowel from the verb ibsen retains its close/long character in the following chart, even when o changes to ô and occurs before two consonants. (See page 178.) LL 4.3.41. lOsen

[Ic: z3nl

Ito loosen

becomes erlöst

[cr lØstl

Lofr]

Exception: In one important word, the letter o is pronounced as close/long [o:j when followed by two consonants:

I I

I I

German 205 LL 4342

I I I

[rnont1 Exception: The vowel o has variable pronunciations in these spellings: when before ch, L (Eszett), ss, and st; when before the combination of r plus d, t, 1, and n. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

O, oe The German letters ö and oe have two pronunciations: close and long [01 and open and short [oJ. (The letter ö is sometimes written as oe; this spelling does not alter the pronunciation of O.) For example:

LI... 4.3.43 schon

können

I I

=

In both words, the vowel is close/ long

schoen

U:n1

koennen

[kcv nn1 In both words, the vowel is open/short

Close/long ö [01 is a mixed vowel produced by simultaneously forming the lip vowel [ol and the tongue vowel [al. In pronouncing the umlauted sounds, be sure to avoid any trace of a diphthong. Maintain your rounded lip position until the beginning of the next sound. Open/short o [01 is a mixed vowel produced by simultaneously forming the lip vowel [ul and the tongue vowel [e]. In pronouncing the umlauted sounds, be sure to avoid any trace of a diphthong. Maintain your rounded lip position until the beginning of the next sound. When followed by a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce ö as [01. LL 4,3.44

Read aloud.

Konig

[O: mçj

Ode

10, dl

IOcen

110 scmj

knOten

[kno t”I

IKoder

1kO th,rI

FIOte

Iflo tj

Exception: When O occurs before a single consonant in monosyllables, as in schbn, pronounce it as close/long [01, but not always. Consult a dictionary.

I I

German 206 When followed by double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce band oeas[cej.

Note: Double or multiple consonants do not need to be in the same syllable with the vowel to affect the open character of the vowel, but do need to be in the same element. LI.. 43.45 Read aloud. Gotter HOlle

L gcc L3r1 Lk’c n)Ilj [Ili IDJ

plötAich

[plts i’d

kOnnen

-

Exception: The close/long character of the vowel in the original form of verbs, nouns, and adjectives is retained in the changed form. For example, the ö keeps its close/long character before two consonants in the following chart. (See page 178, or consult a dictionary.)

L5ren [hO: roni to hear becomes hörbar LhO:r hal audible 1 Exception: The vowel ö has variable pronunciations in these spellings: when before ch,fl (Eszett), ss, and .st; when before the combination of i plus d, t, 1, and n. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

oh Pronounce Oh in the same syllable as [01.

When a vowel is followed by 0 in the same syllable, the h is silent and the vowel is pronounced close and long. Ti

.1

-

LL±.3.

/

Read Aloud.

lohnen SOhne

The letter

[10: nnj .

[z0: nj

The German vowel u is always the pure sounds [ui or [ul. It never has the glide [ii of the English diphthong [jul as in the word music [mju ziki.

1 I I 1 1 I I I I I I I I I I 1

German 207 U

When u occurs before a single consonant in a primary stressed syllable, usually pronounce it as [m]. LL 4.3.48

Read Aloud.

J\lut

linhi:1l

du

[diii

Musi

linhl: 1

nur

[nu:rI

Lu

[Isiii

nun

[itu:nJ

Exceptions: When u occurs in monosyllables, prefixes, or before a single consonant or digraph, the letter u has variable prounciations. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

In the following monosyllables and prefixes, pronounce the letter u as [ul. LL 4.3.49

When final in a monosyllable, pronounce u as [ml. Read Aloud. LI. 4.3,50 [tsu:j zu du

fdii:I

When followed by double or multiple consonants, usually pronounce ii as [u]. Pronounce [ul like the oo sound in the English word look, but with the lips more rounded and slightly protruded. LL 4.351

Read Aloud.

J’vi utter

[mu I r]

drucken

[dru knJ

Sturm

[fturmj

Busch

[bufj

I

German 208 Exception: The close! long character of the vowel in the original form of certain verbs nouns, and adjectives is retained even when it occurs before two consonants in the changed form. (See page 178.) Exception: The vowel u has variable pronunciations in these spellings: when before h, j? (Eszett), ss and st; when before the combination of r plus d, t, 1, and n. (See ‘General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

uh Pronounce uh in the same syllable as

[11:1.

When a vowel is followed by h in the same syllable, the Ii is silent and the vowel is pronounced close and long. LL 4.3.52

Road aloud.

I u The German letter ii has two pronunciations: close and long [yj and open and short y]. Close/Long ii is a mixed vowel produced by simultaneously forming the lip vowel [uJ and the tongue vowel [iJ. You will feel a downward pull on your upper lip, creating a beak-like sensation. The proper shape may also be found by whistling a pitch at medium range and then, with out changing your mouth formation, shifting from a whistle to a vocal sound. In pronouncing the umlauted sounds, be sure to avoid any trace of a diphthong. Maintain your rounded lip position until the beginning of the next sound. Open/short ii fri is a mixed vowel produced by simultaneously forming the lips for uj and the tongue for [ii. Although the shape is more relaxed than [yj, your lips must maintain enough rounding to prevent stücken [fry kani from becoming confused with sticken [jh kani. In pronouncing the umlauted sounds, be sure to avoid any trace of a diphthong. Maintain your rounded lip position until the beginning of the next sound.

I I

German 209 ü,

I

d syllable, When followed by a single consonant in a primary stresse usually pronounce ü and ue as [yj.

Note:

The letter ü is sometimes does not alter the pronunciation of u.

written as

ue. This spelling

LL 43.53 uben

=

ueben Muellerin

Mullerm

Fy: ban] Imy b rm]

=

j

]

Read aloud. ühen

fy: I)fl1

FIugel

[fly: ql1

grufl

yry:nJ

süd

[zy:Il

ür

[fy:r]

mude

[my: th,l

When followed by double or multiple consonants, pronounce ü

as [yJ.

to be in the N ote:Double or multiple consonants do not needcharac ter of the same syllable with the vowel to affect the open vowel, but do need to be in the same element. Read aloud.

LL 4.3.54

Hutte

[hy tj

Glück

[glyk]

Müllerin

[mylarmni

Pflücken

[pfl kan]

Exception: The close/long character of the vowel in the original form of verbs, nouns, and adjectives is retained even when before two consonants in the changed form. For example, in the following words, the u in Bitch retains a close/long character with ü in Bücher. (See page 178.) Read Aloud.

LL 4.3.53 Buch

[bu:ç]

book

Bucher

[by:

car]

books

Exception: The vowel u has variable pronunciations in these spellings: when before ch, g (Eszett), ss, and st; when before the combination of r plus d, t, 1, and n. (See “General Rules for Pronouncing German Vowels” on page 175, or consult a dictionary.)

ue

U II

German 210 uh Pronounce üh in the same syllable as [yl.

LI

When a vowel is followed by h in the same syllable, the h is silent and the vowel is pronounced close and long. LL 4.3.56

Read Aloud.

gluhen

The letter

rulunhch

[gly nJ [ry m liçl

kuhn

[kyrn]

The letter y appears only in words of foreign origin and has four pronunciations.: [y, [ii, [ii, and [ii. In the majority of cases, the German derivation is from Greek and y will follow the rules for the letter ü. Words of other derivations are given the sound found in the original language, usually i. When in question, refer to a dictionary.

I these words, pronounce the letter y as close/long [y:l. LL 4.3.57

Lyrik

liv: riki

typisch Mythe

Ety pifi [mv: i

Symphonic

Izym_foni:J

In these words, pronounce the lettery as open/short [yl. LL4.3.58 Nyrnphe

[ n’m fol Inlyr al [tse fyr]

Myrtus Zeph r

I”

In these words, pronounce the letter y as [ii. LL 4.3.59

Tyrol

[ti roll

Zylinder

[tsi un dr]

In these words, pronounce the letter y as [ji. LL 4.3.60

York Yeoman

-

IirkI Ijo rnon]

I I I I

I I I

German 211

German Consonants in Detail The letter b has two pronunciations, voiced [b] and unvoiced [p1. h is initial in a word or syllable, pronounce it as [b].

I I I

LL 4.4.01

Read aloud.

Bett BibA

—

-____________________

[bell

[hi hIl

ubir

jy: hrl

Iie[wn

[Ii: honl

Ebbe

h,I

Bube

Ibm haj

—

—__________________

When b occurs before s or t or at the end of a word or word element, pronounce it as [pJ.

I

LL 4.4.02

Read aloud.

Knab

[knapi

abnehmen

[ap ne

Grabstein

[grap j’Laen]

gibt

[gipti

Herbst

[hcrpstj

erbebt

[er be pt]

nIn]

In German, the single letter c occurs only in words of foreign origin, where it usually retains the pronunciation used in the original language. The following rules generally apply. l’Vhen c occurs before a, o, as [ki. LL 4.4.03

ii,

or any consonant except ii, pronounce it

Read aloud.

Café

[I.a fc]

Crème

[.

rnj

In words of Latin origin, German pronunciations follow the rules of classical Latin and pronounce c before e, i, y, ae, or oe as [tsl.

Note:

The rule for Latin diction in Diction for Singers follows the pronunciation of liturgical Latin, which uses [] ch as in the English word chin.

C

I

German

I

212 LL 4.4.04

Read aloud.

Cis (C-sliaip)

I (ISIS]

Cäcilie Citrone

(tsr tsi l (Isi tro n,(

cito

(Isi tol

Cicero

(isi tse ml

Casar (Caesar)

(tsr: ian

II

I

In many words of Italian origin, pronounce c before e or i as ch [j]. LL. 4.4.05

Read aloud.

Cembalo

[lfriu ha 101

Cello

[hr 101

Celesta

Itjc Ir siaj

In a few words of French origin, pronounce c as RI. L.L 4.4.05

Ii

I

Ii

Read aloud.

Farce

liar si

Force

IThr

Cinemascope

(Si ne

I

S]

ma

sko:pl

I

ck Pronounce ck as [kj. The German [ki is pronounced with a sharper, more energized articulation than ck in English. LL 4.4,07 Ecke gIucken

Read aloud. 1 k] gl’ kui(

I

WCJYk

ch

I The two fricative sounds of ch, ichlaut [ç] and achlaut [xl, are a special characteristic of the German language.

When cli follows a forward vowel, an umlauted vowel, a diphthong (except for au), or a consonant, pronounce it as ich-laut [ci.

I 3

I I I

German 213 Note: i,e

Forward vowels: Umlauted vowels

a, a, ii

Diphthongs

au, eu, ai, ei (but

Consonants

All consonants

not

au)

Produce the ichlaut [ci by forming your mouth for UI as in yes and directing an energetic flow of air over the arch of your tongue.

I

Note:

Ichlaut [ci, is an aspirated sound. Do not substitute the fricative [J] or plosive [k]. Give special practice to the diminutive suffix -chen [ci, which must not slip to [[n] or [knI. For a full discussion of the production of [ci, see page 184. LL 4.4.08

Practice by reading aloud the ichlaut sound.

ichi

licil

eche

Iccel___________________________

acha

jrci

ocho

loçol

tichü

lycyl

1.. L 4.4.:

—

Read Aloud.

mich

[mid

Much

[milçj

Bthchkin

[hç Iaenl

möchten

[mø: çtn]

Bücher

[by: çr!

leuchten

[l,yç tan]

Clwrub

[cc ropi

Chemie

[cc mi]

Chirurg

[ci rurkj

Mädchen

[inr:1 can}

Liedchen

[lit ç.nj

Kätichen

[kis çiiJ

-

—

Pronounce cli as achlaut [x] when cli follows a back vowel (the letters a, o, or u), or the diphthong au. Produce the achlaut [xi by forming the mouth for [al as in ah and directing an energetic flow of air over the arched back of your tongue. (For a full discussion of the production of [x], see page 184.)

German 214 Practice by reading aloud the achlaut sound. LL 4.4i0 acha

{axa}

ocho

{oxo

uchu

uxuJ

1.14.4.11

Read Aloud.

hoch

Ihox]

Buch

Ihmxl

lachen

ll

auch

Jaoxl

Bruch

I hroxj

Sprache

[Jpra’ xl

Nacht

Inaxil

Loch auch,et

IbxI [aox tsM)

taucht

[taoxiJ

x,n]

Note: Auchlaut [xl is an aspirated sound. Do not substitute the plosive [k].

In words of Greek origin, usually pronounce ch LL 4.4.12 Read Aloud.

as [k].

Chor

[kor]

Christ

[IJTstl

Charakter

[ka rak tan

In words of French origin, pronounce ch LL 4.4,13 Read aloud.

I I 1 I I I I I I I I

as IJ].

Chef

fri I

Chaise

lfr za)

Chose

I 1° ii

Chanson

J?i

s.51

I p

I

German 215 chs Pronounce clis as [ksl when it is an mtegral unit of a word stem. Read Aloud. LL 4.4.14 ‘,ec1v

I,ekI

Ochse

[o ksal

Fuchs

IloksJ

wachsen or ‘V\[hen ch is followed by an s that begins a suffix, a verb ending,

a word that makes the whole a compound word, pronounce the combination of c/is as Içs] or [xs]. Read aloud.

LL 4.4.15

s as part of a suffix

[høç

höchstens hoch I stens

hoch + stens (adjective + suffix)

stalls]

s as part of a verb ending

lachst

*lach I st

lach + st (verb + ending)

llaxst]

s as part of a compound word

Sprechstimme Sprech I stimme

[jpreç fti ma]

sprech + stimme (compound word)

*(For details on st, see page 225.)

The letter d has two pronunciations, voiced [dl and unvoiced [t]. Pro nounce the German [dl and [t] as dental consonants, with the tip of your tongue touching the gum line of your upper front teeth raather than against your teeth ridge as in English. In addition, these conso nants are pronounced more crisply and with less escape of air than in English. A,Then d is initial in a word or syllable, pronounce it as [dl. LL 4.4.16

Read Aloud.

Dank

[dai1kl

du

[dm1

dadurch

Ida dorcl

i

Idraci

German 216

\Ihen

d

Rader

[rr: dan

and ers

[an dors)

occurs at the end of a word or syllable, or before

t or st,

pro

nounce it as [tj.

LL 44.17

Read aloud.

BUd

Ihilt]

Tod

[io:i]

hand

Ihanti

Stadt

[Jtat]

IKi nd heit

Ikint hail I

freundlich

Ifrvnt

sandte

[zan t,I

—

“ci

I I I I I I I I

A

f

Pronounce

f as [fi.

LL44i8

Read aloud.

1cm

ItaenI

Ofen

[o’

(‘)ffeIl

fn I fDIl]

Erfoig

[cr

funi

[fynfi

scharf

falki

l.farfl

A letter g c be pronounced as voiced [gi or unvoic ed [ki. The sound of [k] is pronounced more crisply and with less escape of air than in

The

English.

VVhen

g

is initial

EL 44.19

in a word or syllable, pronounce

it

as

[g].

Read aloud.

gchen

Igc

Geist

fqaesl)

Gegend

I1je

obgieich

lap glaeçl

gnädmge

lgnt’: dm gal

vcrgnugen

lfrr

ban

gall)

gny gan]

/Vhen g is final in a word or word element after any letter except i or n,

pronounce

it as [k].

I I I I I I I I I

I I I I I I I I p I I p

German 217 LL 4.4.20

Read aloud.

Tag

[takj

genug lag’ (lage)

[g nuki 1lak]

taglich

[teilc

Siegfried

[zik friij

“ci

When the combinations gd, gst, or gt are final in a word or word element, pronounce g as 1k]. LL 44.21

Read Aloud.

Magd

[ma:ktj

tragst

[tre kst]

birgt

tb,rkti

ng When g follows n in the same syllable, pronounce the -ng as [‘ji. Note: The combination [ugi as in the English word hunger 1 hAiJ gr], does not exist in German. (See page 220 for more information on -ng.) LL 4.4,22

Read Aloud. [hof nuiji

Hoffnung

J [zi ‘jan]

singen

p

ig When the combination ig is final in a word or word element, pronounce it as [,çJ LL 4.4.23 (‘wig

Read aloud. -

[e: viç)

Konig

[kO: uiçl

ckig

Irk içi

‘ichtig

Evic tic)

Ewigkeit

(C:

freudigste

[frDY (llç st)

viç kaill

--______

Exception: When the suffixes -lich or -reich are added to a word ending in -ig, pronounce -ig as [,kJ.

I I

German 218 LL 4.4.24 ewiglich

[e: vik i’d fv nik hç]

wonniglich koniglich

I nik hcl FkO: nik mccl

Konigreich

Ii —

In words of French origin, usually pronounce g with its French sound [31. LL 4,4.25

Read aloud.

Genie

13e m}

Loge Gigue

lEo 301 [31

Regisseur

Ire

31

sørl

When h is initial in a word or word element, pronounce it with the aspirate [hi found in the English word house. LL 4.4.26

Read aloud.

Hut

[hit:t1

l—iimniel

[lum: iiioll

Haud,

fhaoxJ

herzhaft

[hcrs hafil

erhahen

[er ha: hoiiJ

hwrher

[hir her]

Haushalt

[haos halt!

V\ihen not initial in a syllable, Ii is silent. When Ii follows a vowel and is not initial in a word or syllable, it is silent and serves as a sign that the preceding vowel is pronounced close and long. LL 4.4.27 ru hig

Read aloud.

seheri

[ ru: id [‘e oiiJ

Ehe

Ic. 01

mu hselig

[‘my: ze IiçJ

frühe

I try: I

I I I I I I I I I I I

p I

II

German 219

I ti ronouncej as [ji, as in the English word yes. Pronounce IJI energe cally and move quickly to the following vowel. LL 4.4,2

Read aloud.

ja

[ja1

Jahr

[jar]

jeder

[je: drj

Junglrng

[jij

j

luji [jaox tsanl

jauchzen

In a few words of French origin, pronoounce j with the soft sound of [31. Read aloud. LI 4.4.29 [30r nail Journal [y n]

Jury

r Pronounce k as [k]. Pronounce [kI as a crisp, energized plosive with less escape of air than in English. LL 4.4.30

Read Aloud.

Kind

Ikinti

Kette

[kc 1)I

keine

[Lie no]

Knospen

Lknos pn I

krumm

Fkroml

Rock

[r-L]

Kerker

[ kr korl

Pronounce I as [1].

1

In German, 1 is a linguo-dental consonant.

The tongue is just touching the tip placed more foward than in English, the gum line of your upper teeth, rather than the teeth ridge as in the English word wall. LL 4.4.31

Read aloud.

hell

[hclj

Felder

[fri don

1

___________

_______

German 220 leben

[‘let bon]

moll

!1DlI

alien

la lonI

I leblich

Ii.pdn

Ili:p 1’cI Ills poliil

huld

Iliolti

Pronounce m as [ml. LL 4.4,32

Read aloud.

N4cinn

Iniani

Kummer

[kunionl

rnanchmai

Inianc mall

Samt

[iaiinj

Schrneri

([mriisl

Karnpf

Ikanipil

a I I I I I

Pronounce n as [nj.

n

I

In German, n [n] is a liguo-dental consonant.

The tongue is placed more forward than in English, the tip just touching your gum line rather than your teeth ridge as in the English word north.

LL 4.4.33

Read aloud.

nun

[non

‘I’annenbaurri

[Ia

Sin n

I un]

/Voflflcn

Ivo non]

unklar

[(In

angenehn

Ian qo ncmj

neL,n

(nc: h-onj

11011

I

haomj

klan

ng

$ p I

When the letter combination ng is part of the same word element, pro nounce it as [ijj.

Note:

In German, ng is pronounced [qkj only in dialect, and the combination [ijg], as in the English word hunger, does not exist.

p 4

I I I p I I p I I I I I

German 221 LL 4.434

Read aloud.

Hoff nung

[‘hof nuiji

singen

[zi ipn]

Finger

[‘Li ipri

Wange

[va

ip]

England

[uij

Ianij

Angst

1aisII

W hen ng does not occur in the same word element, as

when it is at the juncture of a compound word or at the combination of a prefix and a word, the letters retain their individual sounds [n] and [gi. LL 4435

Read aloud.

angehen

[an ge n]

hingeben

[bin ge bul

Eingeweidc

L’acn qa vac dol

nk VVhen the letters nk are part of the same word element, pronounce them as [ijkl II 44.36

Read aloud.

When the combination of nk does not occur in the same word element, but occurs at the juncture of a compound word or at the combination of a prefix and word, the letters retain their original sounds [n] and [ki. 1. L 4437

Read aloud.

unklar

[‘on klan

Einklang

[‘aen klaij]

anklagen

[an kia gon]

I I

German 222

Pronounce p as [p]. Give the German [p1 a more sharply articulated sound, as in initial p of the English word pepper, but with less escape of air. LL 4.4.38 Read aloud. Papier [pa pir] plotzlich

Ipkcis I’d [kn3s p1

Knospc

I I I I

pf Connect the two consonants of the combination pf in a quick and energetic manner without an intervening schwa. It is most easily accomplished when the position for p is as close to that of f as possible. Practice cupful, with an exaggerated pf, gradually shortening and finally eliminating the first syllable. LL 4.4.39

Read aloud.

Pfui!

[pfu iJ

Pferd Stumpf

[pfrt] [,ftumpfj

Apfci

[ a pta]

ph Jn words of Greek origin, pronounce ph as [f]. LL 4.4,40 Read aloud. Philosophic

[fi lo zo fi:]

[pk

Jjfik]_-____

Pronounce qu as [kvj. The letter q is found only in the combination qu with the [vi clearly voiced without a trace of schwa between the two consonants. LL 4.4.41

Quelle

Read Aloud. [kve lj Jjkvc:hn]___

1

hi I II I I I I I

I I I I I I I I I I I

German 223 jer kvi kon]

erquicken

[bo

piem

Pronounce r as flipped In singing, use the flipped r. At the end of an unaccented syllable, give only one tap. Otherwise, give 2 to 3 flaps. The

with the emotional value of the word. Avoid the American retroflex r [r] at all times

number of flaps and their intensity will vary

r

when singing German!

LL 4.4.42

Read Aloud.

Rädr

In. don

Rhem

Jraenj

Tür

[Iy:rI

Garten

-_________________

-

-.______________

[qar toni

-_________________

lEril

irrt Werke

Iver ko]

--

erreichen

—

frr: raeçonj

When s is initial in a word or syllable, pronounce it as [zj.

LL 4,4.43

Read Aloud.

sanft

[zauft]

Silber

[zilbor]

sorgsam

[zork zarn]

When s

occurs between two vowels, pronounce

LL 4.4.44

Read

[ro: zo]

lecen

jie: zoni

Musik

Irnu zi:k]

säuselt

[zoo

,oLtI

LL4.4.45 eisig

-

——

suffix beginning with a vowel is added in s, pronounce the s as [s].

Exception: When a

Eis + -ig

it as [z].

Aloud.

Rose

to a word ending

S

[ae sic]

—

German 224 \/\/hen 5 is final in a word or syllable, pronounce it as [si. LL 4.4.46 Read Aloud. Haus

[haosl

als

[als}

dies

[di:sJ

langs

[leijsl

[n each of the following words, s is final in a compound word. To determine which words are compound words and how they divide into syllables, you may need to consult a dictionary.

I I I I I I

LL 4.4.47

Liebespaar (Liebes-paar) Fruhhngstraum (Fruhhngs-traum)

[ii: bs pail [fry lujs traom]

Waldeseinsamkeit (Waldes-ein-sam-keiO

[val ds aen zam kaetj [ vm das at mn1

Wind esatmen (Windes-atmen) Pronounce the letters ss andj? as

[si,

The letterfl is named Eszett jes LL 4.4.38

tsetj and can be spelled as ss.

Read aloud.

wissen

[vIs snJ

essen

IC sn1

F1u13

[flusi

strafe

[‘Jiia sj

sch Pronounce the combination sch as LL

4.4.4c

Initial: Medial: Final:

[J]

Read Aloud. Schall

[fall

schnell

IjiiclI

Asche

[a

Abschlu

lap flosi

Bursch

lhurj’l

NI ensc h

[me nfJ

f]

I I I I I I I I I I I I

I

German 225

I sp&st I

I I I I I I I I

p

\iIhen the letters sp and st occur as initial letters in a word or syllable of primary or secondary stress, pronounce them as [fpl and [$tj. Read Aloud. LL 4.4.50 Initial in word: spieJen

jjpi: Joiij

spat

ljpu:tl

Stein

lIiaenl

Stunde

I lion dal li’Liil

Still

in primary and secondary streed syHable: [ao jpra xoj Aus-sprache

lmtial

iruh-’.tück

Ifry:jtLI

Feld—stein

lick fiactil

Grah-tein

Igrap Jlacnl

Lippen-stift

lii pan ifiJ

—________

When the letters st are final in a word, pronounce them as [sil. LL 4.4.51 Last

[lasti

Trost

[trost1

zuerst

[tsu

meinst

[maenst]

weist

[vaestj

West

[vesti

fest

[festi

I

ersti

When sp and st occur before an unstressed [a], pronounce them as [sp] and [sti. Note: The sp and st do not need to be in the same syllable for this rule to apply, but they do need to occur before schwa lal.

In adjectives, put the st and sp with the second syllable. LL 4.4.52

Read aloud.

schoensten

schOen-sten

[1011 stall

loveliest

tiefstem

tief-stern

[tif starnl

deepest

Liebste

Lieb-ste

[lip sta]

dearest

German 226 In nouns, adverbs and verbs, divide the two consonants. LI. 4.4.53

Nouns: Rasten

Ras-te

Knospe

Knos-pe

fras t1 [knDs p]

bud

Espe

Es-pe

[es p]

asp

Meister

Meis-ter

[mae s tar]

master

Adverbs: gestern

ges-tern meis-tens

[ges tarni [‘maes tans]

yesterday

meistens

rest, repose

—

most

Verbs: iis-pehjrhspalnltoUsp

-

I

In German, t is more dental and plosive than in English and is pronounced more crisply and with less esca pe of air.

t

Note: The archaic spelling of tli for t is found in som e song texts and a few words in modern German. For example: Mut is sometimes spelled Muth; Ted is sometimes spell ed Theil.

LI. 4.4.54

Read aloud.

Tod N4ut

[to:t] (niLI:il

Gott

1(J3iJ

Thron

lixo:nl

Theater

lie ‘a: i an

Rath

fra:i]

fheil

(taell

Exception: When th occurs at the juncture of two word elements, pronounce t and Ii as separate soun ds.

r

Rat I haus

lra:t haosj

mit hOren

I’rnn

I J1

I II

-tion, -tient

In borrowed words ending in the suffixes -tion and -tient, pronounce the combination of ti as [tsjl.

I I p

German

I I I I I I I I

227 LL 4.4.55

Read aloud.

tsjo:n]

Nation

[na

Aktion

[aic tsjonj

Funktion

[fuijk tsjo:nJ

Patient

[pa tsjentj

-tsch, -tz [hen the combination -tsch occurs in the same word element, pronounce it as [tJl. LL$.4.56

Read Aloud. [dDotJ]

deutsch Pronounce -tz as [ts]. LL 4.4.57

Read aloud

Platz

[platzj

Schatz

[Iatzj [sIt znJ

sitzen

Note: When t ends one word element and z begin the next, prolong the sound of the t. LL 4

58

entzwei

[em: lsvaej

entzucken

[Cut tsy ken]

Pronounce v as [fi. LL 4.4.59

Read Aloud.

Vater

Ila: torI

vergessen davon

Irr

Volkslied

[ fIks Iii]

Archiv

lar çi:f] jhra:f star]

gr sonj

[da I n

bravster

When v occurs in words of foreign origin, pronounce u as [vi. LL 4.4,60

Read Aloud.

Vase

[va: zoj

Vokal

[vo ka:ll

November

[no vern brJ

V

___________

________

I

German 228

I II

j [u ni ver si Lea]

Tuniversitat

nervOs

[ncr vØ:sl

Pronounce w as voiced [vi.

w

The movement from unvoiced [fj to voiced [vi need special practice. [1 4.4.61 Compare and contrast.

:

auffallen

jjaoi: fa lii1

[

aufvaIlen

ji va lnJ

Read Aloud.

Waer

[va srJ

Winter

—

viruni Schwalbe

[viii Ir1 Iva rum I [Ival bol lur vrLil

Ur’welt Schafwolle Volks ageil

[[al v hI [1 1ks va g all

verwöhrien

(frrvonanl_______________

Pronounce x as [ksl.

Note: The letter x acts as a double consonant and causes the preceding

vowel to

LL 4,4.63

be open.and short.

Read Aloud.

l-Je\e

lh’ ks]

Nixen

liii

exakt

l Lsakll lks prusj

Fxpref

Lsonj

pronounce z as a crisp [tsj.

z

Aloud. iart

Schmerzen zrej

iwisclwn Mov

jJsarii

J[Jiiwr tsanl [vac I I [isvi [aul Jnotsa

-

-

-

-

11 II I I I I I I I I I I p I

I’

French

I

French Diction U U U U N

In all languages, there is an academic approach to presenting the content of the language—syllabification, stressing, etc.—which is useful for organizing the information and returning to it later. This academic approach offers a whole picture, like a jigsaw puzzle, of how the language is put together. Yet, in French, perhaps a more useful way to begin is to pull out a few unusual pieces of the puzzle and become familiar with their distinctiveness before placing them into the whole picture. One unusual “piece” of French diction is that several letters are often pronounced as a single sound, as in the word beau [bo], where the three letters eau are pronounced simply as [ol, or the word t,uuailler [isa va jel where the three letters ill are pronounced as the single sound [j]. Also, many letters in French words are silent, particularly final consonants, final mute e, mute Ii, and the m and n that follow nasal vowels. There are sounds in French that do not exist in English. These include mixed vowels, nasal vowels, the enya [p], and the glide [ql. And there is a stress pattern in French that differs from other languages. You will find all of these unusual “pieces” of French diction discussed in the “Special Features” section. Your first challenge will be to learn how to group Letters together. You will find the chart at the beginning of this chapter helpful because it displays the most common letter groupings. As you read through the text you will find exercises and word lists that repetitively illustrate those letter combinations. Finally, under the headings “French Vowels” and “French Consonants,” you will find each spelling described in detail. By getting a handle on the letter groups, you will quickly become facile with French spelling and pronunciation.

French 230

Chart of French Sounds The following chart lists the most frequently used sounds of French in alphab to this chart to quickly etical order. Refer check the sound of a spe llin g. For special circumstances the sounds that cannot and exceptions to be presented easily in a sim ple chart, see the discussio sounds later in this chapte ns of the individual r. French Letter and Position in Word a, a

a

a a

IPA usually [a]

before N and In before linal silent s

a

I] usually [nJ usually [oJ

ai, al

usually Ic]

ai

final

tel

aient aim, aink

au au

b

before s or t final

b

final after nasal consonant before a, o, u, or a conson ant before a, 0, u, or a consonant before e, i, or y before e, i, or y

ç c c

final final after n

ch ct or

*

I

[o me]

mais, comparaltre gal

2h0

260

lmeI

26U

[ko pa re ro] Igel

261

[C Ic]

261

ll] [r si]

245, 262 245, 262

iRl

funiant

Ify inol

chevau\

263

payer

[pe je]

[hi [b]

263

bois

[bwal

286

abbesse

286

absent

[a be so] [ap sOl

286

snob

[snob]

silent

286

plomb

[plo]

[k]

286

encore

[0 to rol

[Ic]

287

succulent

[s]

287

cede

[sy ky 10] [sc do]

[ks]

287

accent

[ak sO]

[si

287

garcon

[gar so]

287

avec

[avekl

287

blanc

[blOl

288

chemin

[[om]

288

acquitter

[a ki tel

silent

289

respect

[res pc]

289

[ku

direct

[di rcktj

[p1 usually [hi

usually [k] usually silent usually [ii usually [ki

cqu

l

âme

‘ol

[cj]

b

cc

[ho]

259

flo vol Ifo re]

bb

c

bas

Ski

Fauré

before r

b

cc

[ck

Page

N lo]

ay

c

exLase

let_____ taient VI faim, ainsi [01 champ

am, arl*

b

Example and IPA Paris, là [pa ru [[a]

This letter combination can be nasal or non-nasal. See “Nasal Vowels” on page 245 for details.

2h3

French 231 I

I

I

IPA

Example and

IPA

Page

d

[dl

diable

[dja blaj

290

dd

[d]

addition

[a di sjO]

289

French Letter and Position

in

Word

d

e

d

final

silent

grand

[grö]

289

d

in liaison

[ti

quandun

[kO t1

289

[el

été

[e tel

264

In

pre

[Pc ral

2b4

Iorêts

[i ml

Noel

1n cli

li

cheval

ISo vail

25

e

e,

,

e

I

betore a single

e

consonant

and a

VOV% ci

I

I

e

belore two consonants

H

eLk

In hi

25

e

before finaL pronounced

ml

fer

urn

26

H

pied

Ipjei

267

Inn

hiver

Ii

vrrl

267

Id

parler

Ipar Id

267

boulanger

[hit

lol

parks

[par IaJ

264

Id

des

[dci

2h8

COfl sona ut

e

before final silent consonant (excepts or

I er

final

er

final

I

t;

see

below) sometimes

in verb

endings and

some nouns and adjedives

lO -‘ic I

es

final

es

tinai in

et

fina’

in]

filet

Ifi ml

268

et

(meaning_and)

Ic]

et

[ci

2b8

e

final

silent

park

[parl]

268

monosyllables

or final_in_monosyllable

[par lol

Lol

268

lol

je

lol

beau

Ibol

In]

seize

[Sn ioi

cim, ein*

H

p1cm

lpiPl

em,

H

ensemble

V’ s

H

combien

245, 270

I ‘l

parlent

IkO hj] [par lol

[hi

firmament

I flr ma mOl

270

Ii

heu re

[

240, 272

10I

creuse

[krO io]

240, 272

[01

peu

[p01

240, 272

f

I II

foyer

ifwa jel

290

[1

[1’l

effort

Ic

290

e eaU

ei

-

en*

en

after i

ent

finaL

ent

final otherwise

eu

in the intei mr of

eu

before

eu

as final sound

in

verb_endings

H

a word

26Q

blol

rI

f3ri

f

*

245, 270

This letter combination can be nasal or non-nasal. See “Nasal Vowels” on page 245 for details.

245,

270

270

French 232 French Letter and Position in Word final I in liaison f g

[91

gant

(91

aggraver

13]

genou suggérer

g gg

before

g

final

(931 silent

g ge

in liaison

(kI

i,

t’,

or y

before a or o

131 usually liii

gn gt

gu

silent

before a vowel

h

[

hi

Example and IPA coii Iswafj neutheures lure vuc r31

before a, 0, U, or a consonant before a, o, ii, or a consonant before e, i, or t

gg g

IPA usually [11

1, i

final or before a consonant

Igl (a gra vel

Page

0 290 292

porng

13 nul (syg 3e re] jpwP1

291.

sang impur

(sü ke pyrl

2Ql

bourgeois

[hur 3waI

291

compagnon

[ko pa pOl [dwal

292

292

[ía

2Q2

1

291 292

[gi

doigt fatiguer

silent

lwure

gel Ire ‘al

lii

lIe, linir

Ii bJ

274

Licrl

274

Ii

—

2(J

I I I I I

—

I I

250, 292

I

—

i i

--

--

--

before a “stressed” vowel usually [ii before a mute L’ [ii or(i 1 --

-—

--

-

-—

bier

__

-—

partie

(par

UP]

bien

[par ii a) [hjP I

[i(

rient

jQfl*______

ient

final,

verb ending

or

ii, ill

initial

il, ill, ille

after a vowel*w

ill, ille im, in’

k

after a consonant

(i

[nj or iii a]

aj

liii usually (jj or (p1 usually [ijj or 1.ijal

illusion

Ii]

I 245, 274 275 275

soleil

[sa lrjl

243, 275

détaillant

de Ia o(

abeille

[a bc aj_________

brillant, file

277

[P1

timbre

(hnijUj 1fi P1 lie brol

131

Jean

(3(1]

293

[kJ

kilo

[ki b]

293

k

*

274

iIyzjJ

—

This letter combination can be nasal or non-nasa l. See page 245 for fidl explanation. **See page 275 for afti 11 explanati on of these letter combinations, including exce ptionsforfinal ii, lie, and the words mile, tranquiie, vile.

I

276

I I I

I I I I I

___

___ ___ ___ ___

I

French I

233 ‘

[1]

larme

[‘lar mJ

294

[11

appel

[a pci]

294

[1J

belle

[‘be l]

294

[m}

mar che

[mar fo1

295

silent

parfum

[par ‘f]

295

combat

[kö ba]

[ml

comme

[to m]

295

[ni

nous

[nul

296

silent

non

[no]

montre

mO trol

silent

poing

[pw1

296

[n]

donne

[‘do no]

296

[ol

fort

[for]

277

[o]

chose

[‘Jo zo]

278

[ol

gaiop

[ga b]

278

ô

[oj

vôtre

[vo tro]

278

oeu

[cel

coeur

[keen

240, 279

oi

[wal

vois

[ywa]

243, 279

oin*

[wtl

loin

[lwPl

243, 280

om, oii

[j

rond

[no]

245, 280

ou, ou, oü

[u]

fou

[ful

280

1 final

11 after

11 I

i

(see

ill

above)

m final or

m

after a nasal vowel I

mm

I

ri

final or

n

after a nasal vowel ng

I

final

nn usually

o I J

fri

o

before

o

as final sound

I

I I p p

[w]

oui

[Wi]

243, 280

ou

before mute

e

[u]

denouement

[de flu mO]

243, 280

p pp final

p ph

‘

296

before a “stressed” vowel

oy

q

[‘

ou

[de nit o mO]

or [u o]

P

Page

Example and IPA

I

I

in Word

IPA

French Letter and Position

final

q qu

[wail

royal

[rwa jaIl

243, 281

[p]

pas

[pal

296

[p1

application

[ap

silent

corp

[Lor]

[f]

morphine

[mor

[kI

coq

[kokl

297

[ki

quand

[kO]

297

ii

ka sjo]

297 296

ti

no]

297

r

flipped

[r]

ronde

[no do]

298

rr

flipped or rolled

[rJ

terre

[te ro]

298

*

Tins letter combination can be nasal or non—nasal.

See

“Nasal Vowels” on page 245 for details.

111 French

p

234 French Letter and Position in Word

r

final

r

usually

-er

r

as final

r

as final -er, -ier, -yel

in verb endings

or

usually

Page

[ri

amour,

[a mtirj

298

professeur

[pro fe scerl

silent

parler

[par le]

299

silent

boulanger

[bu Ia 3ej

299

foyer

[fwa je]

usually

Isi

sport

[spot]

--

N

tase

lb

hi

maison

300

silent

repos

lme iOl Ito pol

hi

puisil

300

[ski

5candak

Ipiji zill lsk cia lol

300

[s]

sceptre

[scp Irol

301

schma

[je ma]

301

total

301

quitter

[to tall [ki tel

silent

saint

[sl

301

lii

théâtre

[te o tro]

302 302

299

sol

--

s

between

els

-

[inal s

in liaison

sc

before

sc

before e or i

--

a, a, ii, oi c. onsonant

sch

uuaIiy FJ] lii

t tt t

iii final

th

—

-

ti

in suffixes -hon, -hence

Isi]

ciection

[e lek sjO]

Lie

final

liii or lii ol

sortie

[sor ti]

lyl

une

lyl

ti

300

301

J

suhito

y hi 101

240,282

iIJ]

nuit

IyI or [y o]

revue

ImPI I ro vy I vy o]

silent

gultare

[gi La r]

240 283

[ce]

cercuell

[ser kcejl

240, 283

urn, un’

Lc]

parfunchacun

[par fl [a kl

245, 284

v

[v]

violon

[vjo b]

302

Iv]

wagon

[va go]

302

-

u

final or before a consonant before a “stressed”voei

U

before final mute e

u

after g and before a

ue

before

-—

vowel

ii, ill, ille

-

J p J I I

ol 240, 282

u

111

[sor 302

I y no]

U,

{j

IPA

ometin,es

s

t

Example and

in some

nouns and adjectives

S

IPA

240, 283 I ro 240, 283

I

V

w

w

usually

I

________

___________

__________ ______

II

I I I

French 235 French Letter and Position in Word before a consonant x before a vowel or Ii x

)(

y

[ks]

Example and IPA [tek sI] texte

Page 303

usually [gz]

exile

[eg zi l]

303

usually silent [z]

doux

[dul

303

deuxaniis

[dø za mi]

303

x

final

X

in liaison

y

initial

[ii

yeux

[iol

284

y

before or after a conconant

Li]

lyre

lii m J

284

y

btwen two vowels= ii

liii

rayon

285

[t]

thym

Ir joj (tt9

[zJ

Eiechiel

[e ze lcjell

304

silent

allw

Ia tel

304

yrn,

z

IPA

yn*

z 1

final

245,285

I I

French 236

Special Features of French Syllabification French is a language of long vowels! That is, when you are pronouncing

correctly, you elongate the French vowel to the greatest extent and then articulate the following consonant only at the beginning of the next note or the release of the note. Neither emphasize nor elonga te a consonant in French, even when the consonant is doubled. This differs from English, Italian, and German where you give considerable emphasis and prolongation to consonants. The way a printed French word looks may not match the way it is pronounced. For example, in the text of a song, the word connais may be printed as con-nais; the first syllable is shown ending with ii, ostensibly making it a closed syllable. The closed syllable implies that the first vowel has a short duration followed by a prolonged [ni in the same syllable. When singing, however, you pronounce the word as co-nnais [b nej, giving the first vowel long duration and putting the consonant [ni on the beginning of the second syllable. In this text, we’ve divided syllables as they are printed in songs to keep the visual representation of words consistent with what you normally see. The IPA transcriptions also follow that same syllabl e division to avoid confusion. You must remember, therefore, that regard less of the printed syllabification, you must pronounce the vowels long and the consonants short. The rhythm and flow of the French language depends upon keeping French a language of long vowels! Many French words end with the letter e, which is silent in speech, and is referred to as the mute e. Composers often give a note to a mute e, which is then sung as schwa [J. The final mute e is so freque ntly sung in French songs that in this text we treat it as a separate final syllable. For example, in this line it appears in all but one word. LL 5.2,01

Toute fleurie semble ma destinée

[tut fkri söbl ma dsti ej

from “Depuis le jour,” Louise (Charpentier) The rules on the following pages govern the division of French words into syllables.

Single Consonant Between Vowels a single consonant stands between two vowel sounds, put the consonant with the second vowel sound.

I

French

I

237 LL 5.2.02

I I I I I

re-ve-ler

[ro vo lel

pi-co-ter

IpikD tel

plai-sir na-tal

un [na tall

je-ter

J_id

fau yes

[lo vol

Exception: When x occurs between two vowels, put it with the first vowel sound.

LL 5.2.0.3 [g za 3e re]

ex-a-gé-rer

Two Consecutive Consonants Divide double consonants. LL E.2.04

Lko_nrl

cor-flc1Is

vei —rneil—lc’.

[gli sill [vrr nw jo]

ap-pel-]ent

[a pr I]

ghs-sant

I I P

—

horn—me’

—

sug-g&rer

—

F,, mol [syg 3C

-

__

--_________

--

rd

-

lak si thu

ac-ci-dent im-men-se

-—

[i mo so]

Usually divide two different consonants. LL 5.2,05

P

ber-ceau

[b?r so]

en-fant tan-te irn-por-te ver—’e an-ge

[0 liii _______

--_________

-—___________

--________

tol [i por tol [vrr ‘3l

[tO

Co 331

When a consonant is followed by 1 or r, put both consonants with the second syllable. LL 5.2.06 in-te--grant

étran-gler

[ te grol [e tro glel

French

—I

238 blo]

ta-bleau

[ta

rou-vrent

Iru vro

dé-bris

Ide hri] ide LLn se]

dé-clas-’er

p

Exception: Divide the combination of r and 1 as in par icr [par lej. When two consonants form a digraph, put them with the second syllable.

I I I p

Note: Two consonants with a single phonetic sound (such as ch, th, ph, and gn) are called digiaphs. They are treated as single consonants and join the second syllable. Li 52.07 ci,:

—

ph: t1.

—_____________

gn.

cher-cher

IIr fe] sy—phi—lis_____________ [si fi .Iisi nw-thn-de

Lmc

mi-gnon

Irni pol

ID

dD]

Three Consecutive Consonants Usually divide three consonants between the first and second letters. LL 5.2.08

Each syllable in French contains one, and onli one, vowel sound. However, a single vowel sound may be indi

soul-her

Isu Hel

niorphine

Im r hi nd

en-dave

10 LIa vDJ

con-sti—tu—tion

Iko sti ty sjöl

When consecutive vowels are pronounced as a single vowel sound, put them in the same syllable. LL5.2.0’

ters. In the word beauté [hotel, for

beau-coup

example, the three letters eau stand

vais-seaux

for the single vowel sound [01.

de-main

—

—_____________

--

crain-dre A sijllable may contain a glide and a

-________

I ho Ivy

Lii

I

SOJ

I(l inOl [krP drDI

a—n_IOU I.

a mu ri

[bj1. A glide alone,

cou-Ieur

Lkuiosr]

however, cannot constitute a syllable.

tau—reau

liD rol [ro vjPi

vowel, as in bien

There are three glides in French, [ji.

[wi, and [qi

II

Consecutive Vowels

cated by multiple orthographic let

ie-viens

-

I

—

--

-_________

-

I I p p p P I

I I I I I I I I I

French 239 When one of two consecutive vowels appears under a dieresis [dai c r sxs] (two dots), divide the two vowels into two syllables. LL 5.2.10 rNoel haw ThaIs

cli

(No-el)

[113

(ha—ir)

[a ir]

(Tha-is)

[ta is]

Exception: LL 5.2.11 [st sos]

Saint-Saëns

Occasionally divide two consecutive vowels into two syllables. Check a dictionary. LL 5.2.12 jkrv dl tra va je]

cruel

(cru—el)

travaWer ‘allir

(tra-va-iller) (—illir)_______________ isa un

théâtre

(thé—â—tre)

[te

ci 1r3J

Stress In English, Italian, and German, you create strong and weak stress patterns in words by changing loudness and pitch of different syllables. Do not carry this practice into French, however; pronounce all syllables with almost equal emphasis. To pronounce a tonic syllable in French, give it a longer duration than the other syllables. In French, the last syllable of a word is usually the tonic syllable. The only exception occurs in words ending with mute e, when the second-to-last (penultimate) syllable is the tonic syllable. This pattern is so regular that some texts do not even indicate the tonic syllable in WA transcriptions. To become more accustomed to this unfamiliar pattern of stress, listen to recordings of outstanding singers and speakers. Before you begin to sing a song, read the lyrics aloud to establish the pattern of stress. The special rhythm of the French language is achieved by the prolonged tonic syllables. This feature has considerable impact upon the melodic line of songs. Exercise: In the following list of words, the final syllable is the tonic syllable. Read these words aloud prolonging the final syllable.

The syllable that has the primary stress in a word is called the tonic syllable. Final e is usually silent in French and is called mute e.

French 240 LL 5.2.13

perdu

[pcr dy}

liberté

[Ii hrr ‘tel

peivif

[p sill

occasion

[ ko /.jöl Flu 31111

touours

wagon

[va qôi Ipar id

parler

In the two columns below, all of the words end with mute e, so the tonic syllable is the next-to-last syllable (the penultimate syllable). Pronounce the words in the first column of IPA transcriptions, omitting the final mute e as in spoken French. Then pronounce the words in the second column, voicing the mute e as you would in singing. In both columns, as you pronounce the words, prolong the tonic syllable. LL 5.2.14 carte

[kwh

(kar raj

charme

[Jännj

[jr

[Lain

[La irj

école

Fe tall

[C

flèche

(fIrj’l

écoute

Ic kuti

theatre

[fir .N Ic ‘Lu tol

lie urn

lie o 1 no)

impossible

lr p. sihil

Ic p si blol

qudtre

—

tuj

‘ka laJ

In short phrases, the primary stress, or longer duration, is reserved for the last tonic syllable of the phrase. This gives French a very smooth rhythm. Read the following short phrases aloud and prolong the last syllable of the phrase.

I I I I

LI. 5.2,15

de ta pene au cri doux

(a pñ se [o kri diii

Features of French Pronunciation The Mixed Vowels Mixed vowels are those that combine , or mix, the articulation shape of a of the lips for a back vowel with the articulation shape of the tongue for a forward vowel. For example, roun d your lips to the position of 00 ml as in boot, and then, without moving your lips, move your tongue to the

I I I I I

I I I

I I p

French 241 forward arched position for ee [ii as in bt. Add voice and you will hear the close mixed vowel sound [yl, a blending of the back sound of [ul and the forward sound of ji]. Of the four mixed vowels, only three are found in French. (All four are found in German.)

Mi-ued vowels are not found in

The lip and tongue positions for the three French mixed vowels are indicated on the following chart. For each mixed vowel, start with the rounded lip position suggested by ([ul, [o], or [Dl). Then, without movtng your lips, move your tongue to the high, forward positions suggested by ([i], [ci or [e]). Notice that to produce the mixed vowel, you do not glide from the back vowel to the forward vowel. Instead, you produce both vowels simultaneously. By combining the two sounds into a unified single vowel sound, you produce the mixed vowel.

epsilon [] as in the word bird when

English, but the sound of reversed

spoken with a dropped r as in a British

accent,

[b3d],

is

very

similar to open [cc]. For [cc], the lips are more rounded and the jaw more dropped.

LL 2.i6

Those familiar with German often

Chart of Lip and Tongue Positions for the Mixed Vowels mixed vowel tongue position Lip position

choose to refer to the mixed vowels as

[ul

+

(iJ

[oj

+

Id

ID]

+

[ci

=

—

=

lyl Closeü 101 loe c

close umlaut u [y], close umlaut ô

[], and open umlaut o [cc].

icc] Open ö

When reading IPA transcriptions aloud, refer to the mixed vowels by their sounds, or call them close [y], close [0], and open [cc] to identify their method of production (from the most close to most open). In certain tenses of tile verb avoir, eu

These are the usual spellings for [y]: t2 and u when final, or before a consonant or a mute e

as

II 52A7

salut

[r ‘vy j [sa ly]

une

[‘y nDl

studio

[sty djo]

dü

[dyl

purée

[py re ]

revue

eu, eus, eUmes, eGtes, eusse,

eusses,

eussions, eussiez, eussent.

en or oeu as the final sound of a word (not necessarily the final

letters of the word) LL 52i8

[p01 IvO]

[y]:

eurent,

These are the usual spellings for [01:

peu

and eô are irregularly pronounced

-______

eCit,

French 242 dieu

tdjOl

peut

] [i’ol

eu before [zi

LL 5.2J9 creuse

[krO z]

chanteuse

[lu

10

zj

I I p I p

eu

LL 5.2.20 jeüne

[30 nJ

These are the usual spellings for [cj: eu or oeu when in the interior of a word

LL 5.2.21 heu re peuple

[ r] [ma krl [pe p’I

coeur

lkcrl

maiheur

ue when followed by ii or ill [.. L

2.22

1 ir

orguejl —

To familiarize yourself with the various spellings of [0] and [], read the following lists of words. Recall the rule that govern s the pronunciation of the underlined vowels. C Io’e 101

Open [l

bkjj hjrmonieux

heure

jeune

jeunesse

mysterIci\

cieLx

deimjare I Ieur

rniux

plexirent

malheureusc

malheureuse

anioureue

I I p p P P P p

I bi1f

To familiarize yourself with the spellings of the mixed vowel [yl, read through the following words. Recall the rule that govern the s pronunciation of u as [yl.

p P

II

French

I

243 une

I I I

—

finie

revue

lune

ti

perdu________________

importune

plias

raiTlures

pure

sur

vue salut

connu

Glides A glide is a speech sound characterized by a movement of the articulators from one position to another. Glides are classified as consonants, not vowels, because they do not form the core of a syllable. The glides in French, [ii, [wi, and [‘ii, are described below.

The glide [j], called jot [jot], is the sound of y in the English word you [jul. Pronounce UI by moving the blade of your tongue to a high, arched

position, close to your hard palate, similar to the vowel [il, then quickly shifting to the vowel that follows.

Below are the usual spellings of UI. i before a stressed vowel is U]:

LL 5.2.2.3 dieu

IdjøI

nation

1110 sjO]________

bien

ibIil [pra mid

piemier

ii, ill, and ilit are pronounced as UI or I I

.2

“OICLl__________

iso h’jI

famille

Ifa ‘ml .i°I_______

(For details on these letter groups, see “il, ill, ille” on page 275.) y is pronounced as UI: LL 5.2.25

(For details on these letter groups, see “The Letter y” on page 284.)

Glides are sometimes referred to as semi-vowels or semi-consonants.

i1

French

-p

244 The glide [wi is the sound of w in the English word wear. Pronounce the [wJ sound by rounding your lips and raising the back of your tongue as if saying the vowel [ul. Then quickly shift to the vowel that follows. Below are the usual spellings of [w].

oi is [wa]:

EL 5.2.26 moi

[niwal

voix

[vwaj

oin is [w]: EL ‘.2 27 loin

[lw]

poindre

[‘pw drl

ny is [wajj (see page 281): EL .2.28 royal

[rwa jail

soyeux

[swa jøl

ou is [w] when before a stressed vowel (a vowel other than mute e.)

EL 5.2.29

When ou occurs before mute e, it is

pronounced

[U]

(See page 280).

olli

Iwi]

ouest

[wesl

p

Note:

In singing, if two notes are provided for a one syllable word like jouer, the ou becomes [uw]: [3uwe].

The glide [ij] has no equivalent sound in English. It is the gliding articulation of the mixed vowel [y]. The symbol [qJ is called by its sound.

[qi must not sound like

w]. Your

tongue should be more forward and our lips more tensely roundedfor [ii].

Exercise: Discover the sound of the glide [iii by first sustaining the mixed vowel [yl. Then speak the word puis [pqil, shortening the duration of the first vowel until it becomes the glide [qi, a sound that is not sustained but rather moves quickly from one position to another.

I

The usual spelling of [qj is u when before any vowel except mute e: LL 5.2.30

lui

nuage

—

[liii]

[nqa3J

p I

French

N N I I I I I I I I I

245 suis

[siji]

Pj1s

[da pqij

pluie

[piqi J [sqa v]

suave

To familiarize yourself with the spellings of the glide [qJ, read

through this list. Recall the rule that governs the pronunciation of the underlined vowel. luisant nuit bruit

luette

cuivre

enfuir

conduit fruits

When u occurs before a mute e, it is

pronounced [yi. (See pages 240.)

wvi

bruissant In IPA transcriptions, the diacritical

Nasal Vowels

mark H, called a tilde, indicates that

The following chart describes the four nasal vowels of French.

the vowel is nasalized.

LL E2,3i The Four French Nasal Vowels

The nasal vowel [P1 is nasalized eh as in bet [1. The nasal vowel [01 is nasalized ah as in father [ci]. The nasal vowel [0] is nasalized o as in pole [o], The nasal vowel [] is nasalized oeu as in coeur [cvi.

Notice how the nasal vowels are ordered in the chart to help you identify the sounds. The order [P], [01, [61, [] indicates how the lips gradually increase their rowiding and the jaw drops.

Produce the nasal vowels by slightly lowering your soft palate (velum) and permitting air to enter your nose. You must watch that the nasal vowels do not become so nasal as to be sharply twangy. Listen to French singers to hear how beautifully these vowel sounds can be sung.

A vowel becomes nasalized in French under the following two conditions.

1. When a vowel precedes a final m or n, as in the word son Isol,

the letters on form a unit that you pronounce as a single sound: the nasal vowel [oj. Do not pronounce the n; it is silent.

2. When a vowel precedes an m or n that is followed by another consonant other than in or n, as in the word songer [sO eJ, the letters on form a unit that you pronounce as [01. Do not pronounce the n; it is silent.

These are usual spellings of the nasal vowel [P1.

French 246 For clarification of the nasal sounds,

aim

you can refer to theni as:

LL

1st position 2nd position 3rd position 4th position

or

am

5.2.32

f aim

[1

[fJ

main

[o]

[mel

sainte

[sC

daim

[dci

eim

ta)

or em

LL ,2,33 Reims

[rCs)

teint

im

or

[tCl in

LL .2 4 simple

[sC pkl

matin

ym or

[ma

tC]

yn

L S 3,3, thym

[tel

synthcat

en

after

1s di ical

i

LL 5.2 3o bien

[bjCj

reviens

These are usual spellings of the

am

or

[r nasal

vjCl

vowel [ol.

an

LL 5.2.37 champ dans

devant

or

[fOl [dO]

grands

em

I I I I I I I

[gra] [d vOJ

en

Ll_ 5.2.34 temps

[10]

ensemble

jo

sO h131

I I I 1

French

I I I I I I I

247 [0 tor]

[encor

[prO dro]

prendre

These are usual spellings of the nasal vowel [01.

Didionaries often transcribe this nasal vowel as open [5]. This sound is

orn and on

currently being identified in French

LL 5.2.39 tornheau

-

-

speech as close

Ito hol

SOfl

Isol

ombre

[o brol

flj()fl

[mo]

These are usual spellings of the nasal vowel [J. urn and un

LI.. 52.40

Ipar f1 E hiol

parfurn humble un lundi

—_____

[ki

di]

Do not nasalize a vowel followed by rn or n under the following two conditions.

1. If a vowel precedes an rn or n that is followed by another m or n, do not nasalize it. LL 52.41

comme

[ko mol

donne tienne

[do no]

connaItre

Itje no] [ko ne tro]

sonnée homme

[so ne o] [ o moj

2. If a vowel precedes an rn or n that is followed by a vowel, do not nasalize it.

LL 5.2.42

émule timonier domaine image

[e my lo] [n mo njej [do mn nol [i

ma

30]

[61

French 248

For a full discussion of liaison, see page 256.

[sonore

iso no roj

[ineste

[fy ne sto]

In liaison, when you connect a normally silent final consonant to the

initial vowel sound of the next word, pronounce the otherwise silent final in and ii. The vowel retains its nasalization and you attach the fmal consonant to the initial vowel of the following word. LL 5.2.43

enest fanée

[6 ne fa ne a]

qu onaime

[kO ne ma]

mon amour

[mo na mur]

To familiarize yourself with the spellings of the nasal vowel

I I

[p1, read through this list. Recall the rule that governs the pronunciation of the underlined letters. soudain

chemin

thym

scm

viendra

main

invisible

crams

chien

p1cm

rev jenc

vaing ucur

vmgt

maul

prmternps

chte

To

familiarize yourself with the various spellings of the nasal vowel [61, read through this list. Recall the rules that govern the pronunciation of the underlined letters. quud

grnd

tlirnber

legnce

hanche

blanche

repad

rcnds

silence

vent

chimps

chLrnps

sentior

naissarit

couclts

tmps_________________________

ernhrasse

devant

tnt

phalnge

santa I

ch a rrnants

To

familiarize yourself with the various spellings of the nasal vowel [6], read through this list. Recall the rules that govern the pronunciation of the underlined letters.

I I I I I V I 11

I

French

I U II I

249 son

mon

tombe

mter

n

profnde

ombre horizons

souffrons venions

monceau

monde

rnbrages

rnbreuse

To familiarize yourself with the various spellings of the nasalthe [J, read through this list. Recall the rules that govern of the underlined letters. pronun vowel ciation

I Final mute e spoken French, the final e in a word is silent (“mute”), unless marked with an accent (e). However, musical notation often requires the mute e In to be sung; when this occurs, mute e is pronounced as schwa [a].

I

The French schwa [a] is a more forward and rounded sound than the schwa [aJ of English. It is more like the sound of the mixed vowel [01 than that of the weakened, neutral vowel uh as in about [a ‘baotj. You must bring your lips forward into a more rounded position to achieve the French schwa. Exercise: Read these words aloud to contrast the pronunciation of final mute e and the accented é. LL 5.2.44

Final accented é

Final mute e marque

[mar kal

marque

[mar keJ

locale

[Ia ka lal

localité

[lo ka ii tej

personne

[per sa na]

personalite

[per sa na li tel

The Pure Vowels [el and [ol The vowels [e] and [01 are pure vowels in French, so you must never turn them into diphthongs as in the English words bit [beiti and bçt [bouti. Because American speakers consistently use the diphthongal forms of these vowels, you must be careful to identify and produce the pure vowel sounds that occur in French. In English, these pure vowels can only be found in a few unstressed syllables, as in some pronunciations of [e] in chaotic [ke o tiki and [olin obey [o bexi.

French uses these accents:

(e) grave (e) acute

circumflex

(e)

French 250 The French [eJ is unlike English in a second way. In the French [ci the

11 —N hi

high point of the arch of the tongue is more forward and close to the alveolar ridge than in English. To American ears, the resulting [eJ sounds almost like the [ij in beet.

The alveolar ridge, also called the

Rcad these words aloud using a pure [eJ.

teeth ridge, is the hard gum ridge

LE 52.45

behind the upperfront teeth.

frter

lire tcJ

turner

Ifymel

détacher

jde

manger

lmi

et

tel

détirer

Ide ii rd

Read

these words

aloud

using a

td

pure

let

I

3d

$1

lol.

lL:.2

faux

hot

haurne

11,0 flii [o 1)l

chauffe repos

It I

Ir pot [to iI [hoj

taute

beau

II

Mute and Aspirate h The two kinds of h in French are mute and aspirate. Both are silent. The term aspirate indicates a special speech classification in French; it does not indicate that any air escapes, as it does with the h in English words heat or home. Liaison is the linking of a normally silent final consonant to the initial vowel of the following word. Elision is the omission of a sound,

French pronunciation forbids the linking of words through liaison or elision with any word that begins with the initial aspirate h, while permitting the linking with a word with an initial mute h (see page 292). You should check the words in a dictionary to know whether a word begins with an aspirate or mute h. Often the dictionary will employ an asterisk (*h) before the aspirate Ii.

such as the dropping of the final mule e.

Examples:

Mute Ii: Linking of words is permitted. LL 5.2.47

r1

heure

[o ral

quelleheure

[kn ku

herbe

[cr b1

uneherbe

[y ncr b1

p I p I I I I

_____________

_____

I

French 251 Aspirate Ii: Linking of words is forbidden.

I

[o taj *haiI.e

[vwa o

voix haute

RI r:_I

Jhainc

p

_____1

The Enya I

I

The sound of enya [p1, as in bagne, is not found in English. It resembles the sound of [nil in onion, but you form it with a single articulatory motion. You make [p1 by touching the tip of your tongue to the back of your lower teeth while simultaneously arching the blade of your tongue upward to touch your alveolar ridge. Enya is a humming type of sound similar to [nj.

I

p

rn

cognac

Iko pakJ

poignet

[pwa

jiu]

Pronounced and Silent Consonants Consonants in the interior of a word (called medial consonants) are usually pronounced. LE 5.2.49

Iva ml Lug ial (ci

venais e\alter

I

jardin

-

[ga lal

gala_____

p

13,ur dii

Note: Consonants before a final mute e are classified as medial in a word even when the mute e is silent and the consonant is the final sound. LL 5.2.50 0(?

I I

envoles Ievres sonores blanche

7i Ii v Ia]

(p0

I lu vraj [so no raj [blO fol

or or or or or

Medial in and n after a nasal vowel are silent. LL 5.2.51 monter

[n ic I

timbre

Itc bra]

(poil ((1

—

—

‘ali

I luvr] [so nor] [blOJ]

French 252 There is an old saying that the only final consonants which are pro nounced in French are the letters in

The final consonants c, r,f, 1, b and q are usually pronounced. Final c is usually pronounced: LL 5.2.E 2

the word careful. Final b and q are rarer.

Note: Final c is sometimes silent (see page 287). In spoken French, the uvular r

[RI

Final r is usually pronounced:

is commonly used in Paris and the

LL 5.2.53

lie de France. However, in sing

professeur

ing, always use the tongue point r,

secteur

[pr3 fe scer] lsk ‘tcerj

either with a single flip

servir

cr yin

particularly

between vowels—or a rolled r (two or three flaps).

voir

lvwarl

soupir

[su piii

tour

[tur]

hver

livrr] (karl

car

I 1

Note: Final r is sometimes silent as explained later in this section and under “The single letter e” on page 264.

F inalf is usually pronounced: LL 5.2.54 —---——-——

———

[L_______

Lou_____________

Final 2 is usually pronounced: LL 5.2.55 ida(

[i

racinal vol

Ira si nal] (vDIl

bal

[bal]

(IC

all

Final b is usually pronounced: LL 5.2.56 Jicob --

Note: Final b is silent after

LL

I I I I I I I

I I I I I I I

French 253 LL 5257 lomb

[plol For more information about final

Final q is pronounced:

letters see “The letter c”, “The

LL 5.2.56

coq

[koki

Otherwise, final consonants are usually silent.

letter r”, “The letter f”, and “The letter I”, under French Consonants in Detail.

Final d is silent: When r precedes a final silent con

L1 p.2.5°

regard pied

[ra garl [pjej

sonant, as in the word regard

pillard

[pi jail

pronounce the r.

Final g is silent: LL 5.2.50 sang

poing

[sOl

[pw]

Final m is silent: EL 52.61

parfum

[par f]

Final n is silent: LL 5,2.62

chemin

[J’a rnPj

canon

[ka

refrain

nöl [ra frPJ

Final p is silent: LL 5.2.63

camp galop

[kOl [ga 101

Final r is sometimes silent when following the letter Final r is silent in verb endings -er (first conjugation infinitives): LL 5.2.64 changer

chanter

[Jo 3e1 [JO tel

[r gar], where the final d is silent,

French 254 abuser

Ia by zel

regarder

[ro gar del

Final r is usually silent in nouns and adjectives ending -er, -jeT, and -yer (See ‘The single letter e” on page 264):

LL 5.2.65

boulanger

[bulö3e]

Cpicier

[c pi sje]

baiser (noun)

[he ic]

danger

[dii 3e]

toyer

fiwa jel [pra mid

premier There are a few common words in

Final s is silent:

which the final s is pronounced: hIs,

LL 5.2.66

hems, Saint-Saens and lis.

aprs

ja pril

bas________

1hf

mcliS

11T111

pa

[p01

Note: The addition of a final s for pluralization does not alter

the pronunciation of the word. Treat the letter before the s as a final letter. The following examples show the identical pronunciations of the singular and plural forms of words. LL 5.2.67 baiser

(he iej

baisers

(be

noire noires

rj Inwa raf

branche

Jhri fal

branches

[bra J’al

id

Inwa

Final t is silent: LL 5,2.68

bouquet taut

[bu ki tu]

secret

[sa krn]

port

[porl

parlent

[par lo]

firmament

[fir ma

ma]

I I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I

French 255 Final t frequently combines with other consonants:

Final ct: Sometimes both are silent, sometimes pronounced. Refer to a dictionary. LI. 5.2.69

Silent:

aspect

Pronounced:

direct

[as pci [di rektJ

Final st: Sometimes both are silent, sometimes pronounced. Refer to a dictionary. LL 5.2.70

Lest (is)

Silen

Pronounced

ert (east)

-

[ci [cstj

In final gt, it, and pt both letters are usually silent: LL 5.2.71

Edwal

doigt prompt

Iprol

Final x is silent: LL 5.2.72

[dul

doux prix

[pril

Final z is silent: LL 5.2.73

[a ‘lel [su frej

allez souffrez

Final silent consonants are often pronounced in liaison (see “Liaison and Elision” in the next section):

LL 5.2.74 pas

Ipal

est

[ci

faut leurs

[fol [sqi] [Icer]

sentais

[so tel

suis

pas a pas

[pa za pal

estun

[e tJ

fautil suis heureuse

[fo till

=

leursébats

[Icer ze ba]

=

sentasen

=

=

[sqi z rø z] so

te

zOj

French 256 Liaison and Elision French is a legato language. Its smooth flow results from the generous linking of words. The linking of most concern to you is that which is done through liaison and elision. The terms liaison and elision have been poorly defined in some diction texts, and are often mistakenly used interchangeably. Liaison [Ije zij is the pronunciation of a normally silent final consonant at the end of a word to link with the next word beginning with a vowel, a glide, or mute h. Elision [e ii zjo1 is the omission of a final mute e in a word that is followed by a word beginning with a vowel or mute lx. Exercise: Read these words aloud, linking the normally silent consonant to the initial vowel of the next word. This liaison is indicated by the curved line between the words.

I I I I I I 1

LL 5.275 aprbs

uii

Ia pri zi.1

revientun

[ra vP tcl

deSojseau\

[de

ton âme

ItO no ma]

ywa zol

Exercise: Read aloud these words that elide the mute e. Link the preceding consonant to the initial vowel of the next word. LL 5.2J6

âme en

[a mol

rose et

[ro ze]

notre amour

[na tra mur]

Rules for Liaison and Elision For further study of liaison see The Interpretation of French Song, Singing in French, and Phonetic Readings of Songs and Arias, which are listed in the bibliography.

Liaison and elision occur more frequently in singing than in speech. Deciding which words to connect in singing is a somewhat complex subject that requires understanding of the grammatical structure of the language: there are times when linking is compulsory, when it is optional, and when it is forbidden. Listening to recordings of leading French singers can help you build good discernment about the principles of liaison and elision. Meanwhile, these simplified rules can guide you into reasonable choices. You may link a word ending in a normally silent final consonant sound to a following word beginning with a vowel, a glide, or a mute Ii. The words should be closely connected (as an article connects to an adjective or noun, an adjective to a noun, or a personal pronoun to a verb).

I 11 I 11

I I I I I 1 I

French 257 LL 52.77 LIfl-CI1f1fll

unami bien- airnS. puis

ii revien[

Ia

‘Jo

•Ioi

k na nil] 1hj iw mc D1 [pqi

ui r vj]

Some consonants take on a different sound in liaison. s will sound like [z]:

LL 5.2.78 dan’,un sommeil

[dñ

7(

do tes traitrosycux

IdD

IC

SD

mcii

irr ir

‘jl

x will sound like [zi: LL 5,2.79

deuxamis

[d za mu

aux aurores

[o zo rz r1

d will sound like [11:

LL 5.2.80 de pied en cap gran4arbre g

[d pje tO kapi

[grO tar bra]

will sound like [ki:

LL 5.2.81 long hiver

[10 ki yen

You may elide the final mute e to permit the preceding consonant to be linked to the next word. LL 5,2.82 l’herbe agitee

[1cr ba 3i ic ol

Je rêve aux baisers

[ re vo be zeJ

la fille en rose

ha fi jO ro zal

IJo not link in these situations: Do not link words where a separation is needed to support the meaning of the text.

French 258 LI 5.2.83 Tu m’appelais, Ia terre si tu le veux, mais,

I

I

I

et je quittais [ty ma ple e j kite la

tn r]

o mon amour [si ty h ‘vØ o mö na rnurJ

o mon bien-aimée....

[me

o mO bj ne

me]

Do not link the word et (and) to the next word. LI 5,2.84

[e a br]

etalors

I o ci

et aussi In many dictionaries an aspirate h is indicated by an asterisk:

*hales

Do not link a final consonant to a word that begins with an aspirate Ii. LL 5.2.83 •s__— t

[[den

I —I I I I I I I

—____

[Ide cn

Do not link into oui (yes). LI 5.2.86

mais oui

[me Wi]

In words ending with rd, final silent consonant.

or rt, usually link the r instead of the

LL 5.2.87

sur le bordarrivée mortequise

[syr l bo ra ri ‘ye J [mrckskiz]

me penchant verselle

[m p6 ,fU ye re hi

Exception: When final -rs indicates pluralization, link the II 5.2.88 Si mes vers

avalent

des ailes

[si me ver za

ye de Zn hi

I

French

I I I

259

French Vowels in Detail a letter a in French has a variety of pronunciations, depending upon the following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of a, ask The yourself these four questions. .

The letter

Is there a diacritical mark over the a?

2. What letters follow the a?

3. Is the letter a found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group? 4. What is the position of a in the word? Is it initial, medial, or final? The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

I

the single letter a ‘Jhe letter a in French is frequently pronounced as [a]. And when i has a grave accent, it is always [a].

I p p

Note: Bright [a] is more frequently used in French than dark [cii (as in the English word father). In English, bright [a] is not used in isolation, but can be heard in the first part of the diphthong in the words I [au, by [bail, and might [mafl], or as Bostonians say, “pahk the cab” (park the car). Bright [a] is a more forward vowel than dark [a]. On the vowel chart it is found between [a] and [aj as in cat. Americans must be careful not to produce the bright [a] as [a]. LL 5.3.01

Read aloud.

Pan

[pa ru

chapelle

[a pr Ia]

chalet

fla Ic I

nativit

lila ti vi tel

pardon

[par dOI [ ka vjarJ

caviar

—

harpe________________

lar pal

dame

[da mol

IZi voith

Ila]

anii bagatelle

—

jvwa lal [a nul [ha ga tr lal

-________________

a

French 260 The

following spellings are exceptions to the above rule.

1. The letter a before the sound Note: The sound

[s] or [zj

[si or [zj is sometimes [oJ.

caii

be spelled by several

lacer,

orthographic letters; for example in

the letter

pronounced [si. LL

5.31)2

is

Read aloud.

passer occa

c

[po sel

iOfl

10 ko zjoj

lacer

lb se]

extase

1c

sb

rasade

Im

ia

raser

zaj

Em id

2. The letter a before final silent s is usually [a]. LL 5.3.03

Read aloud.

pa______

[pal

trpas

[ire puj

las

[lul

bas

Ibul

3. The letter a is almost always [a]. LL 5.3.04

Read aloud.

age

la 301

âme

[a

pale

[pa ll

male

[111(1

1110]

lol

4. The letter a in a few other words is pronounced as [a]. Refer to a dictionary.

LL 5.303

Read aloud.

crahe

I kra ho]

sable

130 hloj

flamme

lfl(1

proclamer

Ipro b.li mc]

diable

Idjo hbo]

inol

__

French 261

I ai when ai is in the interior of a word, the letters are usually pronounced [ci.

Note: The spellings a ale, ais, ait, aient are also pronounced [c]. LL 5.3.06

I I

Read aloud. Lmci [e irj

mais

taic’nt .erait

fc, rn __

[pin]

—__________________

plait

[In

I

comparaItre

i]

Ikopa ru tr]

Exceptions: ai is irregularly pronounced as schwa [j in some forms of the verb faire [fe rj (to do), when ai is before [zJ. LL 5.3.07 1aiscii

taisant__________________ ai

‘io

is pronounced as [ci: LL 5.3.08 [be ‘zel

baiser

‘\ihen ai is final in a word, the letters are pronounced [ci.

Note: To be pronounced as [ci, ai must be the final letters of the word, as in the following words. When a silent consonant follows ai, as in the word mats, ai is pronounced with the open vowel [ci. LL 5.3.09

Read aloud.

gai

[gel

serai

Es rcj

—

ijie letters art and ant are pronounced [aj].

Note: The letters an! and anll are composed of the single letter a followed by the digraphs il and ill, which are pronounced as [ii. In the word travail, ai appears to form the vowel unit, but

it doesn’t: the it actually forms the unit—pronounced as [ii— and the a is separate. The word travail is therefore pronounced as [tra ‘vail. (See “il, ill, file” on page 275 for more listings.)

French

I

262

I

Li. 5.310

Read aloud.

corail

lb raj]

cailloux

[ka jul

aim, am h

aim or am are final or before another consonant, pro nounce them as the nasal vowel [p]. Do not pronounce them and n consonants unless in liaison.

When the letters

Li. 5.3.11

Read aloud.

faim

Ifri

ainsi

E

daim

I

si]

ide]

grain aim or am are followed by a vowel or another do not nasalize them, but pronounce them as [em] and [eni.

Then the letters

Li.

5.3.12

in

or

n,

I

Read aloud.

hain_

(c ii

plaine

[pie n

je t’aime

Ic

gralne

inol

I

Igre nc,]

I

am, an Wlhen the letters

am

or

an are final

nounce them as the nasal vowel

or before another consonant, pro

[O]. Do

not pronounce them

consonants unless in liaison.

Li. 5,3.13

Read aloud.

champ grand

chantant

cepend ant secouant

[qrOj

[ 1(1 (s pO döj

ambigu

1s, ku i ü bi gy]

galaiit

[ga 1(11

an

[(11

I

and n

I I I I I 1

II

I I I I

French 263 /\1hen the letters am or an are followed by a vowel or another in or n, do not nasalize them, but pronounce them as [am] and [an]. Read aloud. LL 5..3J4 [ta mi] tamis manifeste

[ma ni fe sto]

animer

[a ni me]

p I

p

au The letters au and aux are usually pronounced as close [o]. Read aloud. LL 5,3.15

;;:;——

[01

Fenault

[ro nol

chevaux

[fo vol

sauve

[so voj

There are several exceptions to this rule.

I p P

au before r is open [o]:

LL 5.3.16 Fauré

[fo re]

aural

[o re] [re sto rol

restaurant

Other exceptional words are: LL 5.3.17

automne

[o to no]

màuvais

[mo ye]

Paul

[poll

ay The letters ay are usually pronounced as [cjJ. The sound of [ci] is similar to the sound of the letters ay in the English word say [sex]. LL 5.3.1.8

payer

[pe jel

rayon

[re jOl

__________

I

French

I

264 Note:

I

Exceptions to this rule are:

LL 5.3.1 pays

The letter

e

[peij

[‘adcrc

lhajadcro}

Lafayette

[Ia fa jc tal

-

I I

The letter e in French has a variety of pronunciations, depending upon the following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of e, ask yourself these four questions.

1. Is there a diacritical mark over the e? 2.

I

What letters follow the e?

3. Is the letter e found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group?

4. What is the position of e

in the word? Is it initial, medial, or final?

The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

I I

The single letter e pronounce é as [eJ, LL 53.20

I Read aloud.

(t

je tel

dfaut

ide fol Idikic ol

dictéc

élementjk1e

mö}

I

pronounce è, é, and ë as [ci. LL .3.21

Read aloud.

pere[prroI torêts

[to rn

sortilige après

l.•)I• Ii In 301 Iaprnl

r\J ocl

1110 ci I

rover

fr vcl

Exception:

I —

I

j I

32

nts-Saëns

[s sosi

I

I

II

French 265 1 Then

I I I I I

e

occurs before a single consonant followed by a vowel, it is pro

nounced as [oJ.

LI 5.3.23

Read aloud.

cheval

[fo vail

bariderilles

[hO do ri jo]

premier VCflCZ

Ipro mid [vo ne]

dernaiti

1(10 ml

cheveux

ISo

jeter

[30 tel

rayonnement__________________

Lrr jo no

Note:

e

after another

vowel

vØ]

mdl

or glide is usually silent.

LL 5.3.24

XA,Then

e

gaiement

[ge mdl

payement

[pcj mdi

occurs before two or more consonants,

(Note:

e is

it

is pronounced as [ci.

pronounced as [e] before the letter x which has two

netic consonant sounds,

LL 5.3.25

[ksl

or [gz].)

Read aloud.

esprit

Irs prij

perrnettre

Iprr mr Irol

elle nerveux

Ic lol [ncr vØl

e’.t

Id

servir

lsrr yin

esclave

Irs kb vo

verse

pho

vcr soJ

lol

exile

lrg

geste

l3rs

tol

expert

[rk

prrI

soutanelle

ln Ia ne lo]

ii

—

French 266 There are three exceptions to this rule: e in initial ess or effis close [ej.

EL 5.3.26

2.

essor

[e s3r]

effort

[e f3rJ

e in the prefix re- before two or more consonants is schwa lal. LL 5.327

r

refrain reflux

3.

[r3 fr1

e when followed by m or n and another consonant is lO]. (See “em, en” on page 270.) EL 5.3.28 eiriporte

I I I I I I I

lu p3r 131 IO r3 h3j

enrobe

1hen e occurs before a final pronounced consonant, it is pronou nced as[e]. LL 5.3.29

Read aloud.

avec hotel

[ vrII 13 WI]

chef

[lull

rappel

Ira plJ

Note: Usually r is a final pronounced consonant. However, after e, it is sometimes pronounced, sometimes not (See “The single letter e” on page 264); you may need to consult a dictionary. There is only one clear and easy rule: when er is a verb ending, pronounce it as [e]. These are examples of words ending in final pronounced r. (See

next page for discussion of final er in nouns and adjectives.) LL 5.3.30

Read aloud.

hiver

Ii vurj

cher

[jèr]

mer

[mcrj

ver

[vur]

I I

I I I I

_ _ ___ ____ _ ____ ____ ____

__ ___ ___

I

French

—

267

I I I 1 I I I p

e occurs before a Final silent consonant, it is [ej, [a], or silent. (See also “Pronounced and Silent Consonants” on page 251.)

1. When e occurs before a final silent consonant, it is usually [ej. CL 3.3.31

Read aloud.

[d

[pjel

Lz

[a leJ

Note: It is helpful to think of final er, es, and et as units by themselves.

2. Final er Pronounce er in verb endings (first conjugation infinitives) as [el. Read aloud. LL .3.32

chanter

I U (ci

chercher

Ucr

impot ter

Je]

pr tel

donner

Ld3 nel

rever

Fir veJ Idö sd

daiver

refiiser

Inio tel Irz ly id

aller

Ia lel

&outer

Ic ku

monter

Ic]

bouler

Ip() id Ihulel

doubler

Idu hid

charger

liar

posel.

—

3d]

‘Then final er occurs in nouns and adjectives, it is sometimes [cr1 but usually [eJ. In endings -ier and -yeT, the er is pronounced as [ci. LL 5.3.33 guerrier

Read aloud.

lgr rjej -_________________

kki3e] danger

premier

Ipr nijel

léger

LIe

berger

Ihcr

foyer

liwaje)

étranger

lctrö

portier

i pr

3d] 3d]

3d

ije I

I

French 268 boulanger

[bu là 3e1 [e pi sjel

épicier

3. Final es Final es in a polysyllable word is silent or schwa [], depending on the number of notes provided in the melody. Final es as a pluralization occurs frequently in French. L.L 5.3,34 Read aloud. parles

[par Ia]

cues Iettre

Lu la [lu iral

belles

[be Ia]

close%

Ic kio ‘al

noires

Inwa rol

Final es in a monocyllable word is pronounced L i

Id.

Read aloud

de’

[dcl

les

lid

te,

[tel

mes

lrncl

p II

Note: Some diction books transcribe final es in mono syllables as [el, others as [uI. Actually the vowel sound in these monosyllables might be described as a sound between the very close French [ci and the open [uJ.

4. Final et Final et is pronounced [uI. LL5.336

p

Read aloud.

goulet

Ig” lu]

filet Ilanchel

Ifi lu] (fl [u]

‘I

bouquet

[bii

ul

P 111

Exception: The monosyllable et-, meaning and, is pronounced close [el.

Final e without an accent is silent or schwa [a]. Final e in monosyllables is schwa [al

P

I I I I I I I I I I I I I p

I

French 269 Note: Final e in polysyllables, normally silent in spoken French, is pronounced as schwa [1 in singing when a note in the music is provided. See also “Liaison and Elision” on page 256. Remember that in French, schwa [] is more forward and rounded than the .schwa [1 of English.

LL.5.3.37

Read aloud.

Ic

Il1______

pane

[par b]

jC

t31

image

[i ma

fuméc

[fy

embruméc

Lö

mc bry

me

eau Pronounce eau (or eaux) as [ol. Read aloud, LL 5.338 [bol

beau

beaux

[hol

-

l’eau

FbI

rui’seaux

Irqi sol

tornheau

[to

lieU VCâU

11111 vol

hol -

ei Pronounce ei as

[ci.

LL 5.339

Read aloud.

seine

[sc na]

geignard

[3crn ‘par]

seize

[sc za]

cheik

[,fckj

Pronounce cit and eill

as [cj].

The letters cit and eu, are composed of the single letter e followed by the digraphs ii and ill, which are pronounced as [ji. When e is before these letters, it is pronounced as open [ci. The symbols [cii sound very lar to the

ay in the English word say [seil.

simi

____I French 270 LL 5.3.40 soleil

[so leji

appareIles vern,eil

Ia pa re jol lver nieji

meilleur

hue jcerj

veilk’

I’e jI

somrneil

[so niej]

eim, em when

ezrn or em are final or before another consonan t, pro nounce them as the nasal vowel [J. Do not pronounce them and n the letters

I I I I

consonants unless in liaison.

LL E,3.41

Read aloud.

Reims

Iresl

pein___________

IpIi9

t(’Iflt

[ft

peindre

I

[p dro

when the

letters eim or em are followed by a vowel or another do not nasalize them, but pronounc e them as [cml and [eul.

LL 5.3.42

I I m

or

n,

Read aloud.

reine

[re no]

L____ em, en

‘Vhen the letters em or en are final or before another consonant, pro nounce them as the nasal vowel consonants unless in liaison.

LL 53.43

[a].

Do not pronounce them and

Read aloud.

temps

[tO]

enfant

[0 Tol

ensemble

[0 sQ blo]

encor

[a kor]

n

I I I I I I

I I I I I I I I I I I I I

French 271 The letters en after i are less in liaison. LL. 5.3.44

pronounced as

[c]. Do not pronounce the n

Un

Read aloud.

bien

[bj1

combien

[kO bj]

rien

I’ji

reviens__________________ Irvi1

‘/\1hen the letters em or en are followed by

a vowel or another

m

not nasalize them.

LL 5,3.45

Read aloud. [e mi sjOJ [e my bi Fe ncr vol

emission emule énervant

[ sc ni] [ta fin [Ic nis]

cène tenir tennis

Exception: Initial emm is nasalized: LL 5.3.46

emmancher

[0

mO je]

emmeler

[0

mc le]

LL 5.3.47

Exception: [fa m]

femme

The final letters ent are pronounced in various ways. Final ent in verbs (third person plural) is silent or schwa [al, depending on the number of notes in the music. LL 5.3.48

Read aloud.

parlent

Ipar I

semblent

IsO h11

donnent

IdD II.,I 10 v Jol

envolent SOflg(.’flt

——

[li

plaignent

tOUi’fl(flt Cchangent

J.sO_3)]

—

-

,poi

IIiir n’ Lefr’

.o1

—

or n, do

____ ______ ____ _____

I —I

French 272 tombent

[tO b]

disent

Ni za]

—______

Otherwise en!- in nouns and adjectives is pronounced as [O]. Li. 5.3.49 Read aloud. lirmament

IIirmainl________

patient

[pa

Ijaj

excellent

In]

emplacement

o

pins iiiñl

eu /\jhen the letters eu are in the interior of a word, they are usually pro nounced as [cc]. LL S

50

Read aloud.

peupk’

[px pL)J

jeune

[3e

heure

[(v rl

malheur

[ma kvrj

seigneur

[Sc jxvr]

rnonseigneu.r

flO

[rIM) sc pn.rl

There are several exceptions to this rule. eu before the sound of [z] is [01. LL 5.3.51 Read aloud.

eEl

[uscL

I ikr zrl

[rnaHwureuse

[akv

rø

z

is [01. LL 5.352 jeuner

Read aloud. [30 ‘nej

Note: eu and eli in certain tenses of the verb avoir are [yl: [yl, elI!- [yl, eusse [y s1.

I I I I

II

I I

French 273 Note: Other exceptions are: LL5.3.53 Europe

[30 di] [0 rap]

Euridice

[0 ri di sa].

jeudi

I I I I I I I I

letters), XAThen eu is the final sound of the word (not necessarily the final pronounce it as [01. LL 5.3,54

Read aloud.

peu

[p0]

honteux

1 101

veut

IvOl

maiheureux

[ma ice rø]

jcu

[301

joycux

I3Wa jOl Ikol or IkO at

quw bicu, bleue, bLeuc’,

IhlOl or [blø a]_____

Note: Final -r and -is are silent in these two words: LL 5.355

monsieur (singular)

[ma sjO]

messieurs (plural)

[me sjO]

Note:

When the normally silent final consonant is pronounced in liaison, it does not change the preceding vowel sound. LL 5.3.56 peutêtre

[p0 Ic

Ira]

The letter i in French has a variety of pronunciations, depending upon the following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of i, ask yourself these four questions.

1. Is there a diacritical mark over the i? 2. What letters follow the 1? 3. Is the letter i found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group? The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

French 274 The single letter i lVhen the single letter i or i is final or before a consonant, it is pro nounced [ii. Note: The letter i has two pronunciations in French: as [i] in beet [bill and as [jj in you [ju]. The French lette r i is never pronounced as Americans say iii [II as in bit [biii . LL 5.3.57

Read aloud.

diner

idi iwl ii ll

lie ici [inir

(i S1 [di vi zi hial Jii fin

puisque

Lpiiis loJ

divisible

VIhen i precedes a Astressed vowel (a vowel in the same sylla ble other than mute e), it is pronounced as the glide Lii. LL5.3.58 Read aloud. ic: bier iirl

pieds ieu:

jell.

Charpentier

Ipici liar pñ ijeJ

dieu

idjOi_________________

cieux

lj’Il_______________ [hjj

bien iRent

ion:

nien

ivji jrji9

re’ien

r vr I

nation

nu sjoi

There is one exception to this rule: When i follows 1 or r, pronounce it as [iji.

LL 5.3.59 oublion prier

bli jol [pn jel [U

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

I

—

II

I I I I I I I -

French 275

e, it is pronounced as [ij. Note: French speakers rarely pronounce the mute e. Singers, however, pronounce mute e as schwa [al when there is a

/\Then the single letter i precedes mute

note provided in the melody.

1. When ie or ies is final in a word or syllable, pronounce it as [ii or [i 1 depending on the number of notes. LL5

;;:P_____________ philosophie

ji ta ‘Ii ,j [Ii b z Ii J

ran,en(n1

[ra

Vie,

lvi -I

ltaLi..’

Vies

Hi

()

ilki

2. When jent is final in third person plural verb endings, pronounce it as UI or [i l. again depending upon the number of notes.

I I I

LL [ii] or [ri j

rient

Note: Final -atent is pronounced [el. ii, ill, ille There are several pronunciations for the letter groups ii, ill, and ille. The most common spelling and pronunciation is described under rule 1.

1. In French, final ii and medial ill are digraphs, pronounced as the as in single sound [jI. These letters normally follow another vowel the word ailles, where ille follows the letter a.

Note: When a word has ii following a vowel, as in travail, the

vowels ai do not pair up to form a unit. Instead, the ii forms a unit and a is by itself resulting in the sound of [al followed by the glide [ii. LL 53.62

[Ira vaji

travail

In each of the following words, ii and ill are pronounced as j following the underlined vowel. LL 5.3.63

Read aloud.

deuil

[dccj]

corail

[ko rail

I I 1 I I I

French 276 détaillant

[de ta jOl [tra va je]

travi1ler abeille

[a bc j31 [gr3 nu j]

grencwlle cailloux

[ka jul

Note: Final -ile is not included in this rule. The word aile forms two syllables. LL 5.3.’4 ai-le

[c 1] 2. When medial ill follows a consonant, pronounce it as [ijj. LL 5,3.65 Read aloud.

gentilk’

I I I I I I

l3 (i 33] Igri .J31

grilles charmille

IJar mi joj (hri jot

brillant brille file

Ibri iI (Ti jzJ

papillons

[pa pi jo!

amiile

[la mi

Note:

Final -ii is not included in this rule. LL 33.66 profil

[pr3 fil]

Note this irregular pronunciation. LL 5,3,67

fils

[fis] 3. In the three words mule, tranquille, and yule, and their derivat ives, the letter groups ill and ille are pronounced as [ill. A memo ry “tickler” is to recall the phrase “a million tranquil villages.” Read aloud. ‘i(k’

(vi 131

vil]age

[vi la

villa

(vi Ia! [mi 131

mile

tranquilk million

—

—

33!

(tri ki 13! [mi ijOl

—

I I I I

‘U I

French 277 4. When ii or ill is initial in the word, it is pronounced as [ilJ.

I I

L.L 5.3±9

Read aloud.

illusion us

Ii ly ‘/.jo]

illicite

Ii Ii .si

ii

liii

[ill i]

im, in ‘/\1hen the letters im or in are final or before

I I I

nounce them as the nasal vowel consonants unless in liaison.

LL 5.170

[c]. Do not pronounce them and n

Read aloud.

importune

[ pr ly nal

yin

[vj

timbre

[t bra]

rnviter

[

vi tel

when the letters im or in are followed by a vowel sound or another m or n, do not nasalize them, but pronounce them as [irnj and [ml. LL 53.71

I I

another consonant, pro—

Read aloud,

timonier

[ti mo nje]

tinette

[ti ne t]

inhabité

[i na bi tel

innocent

[iii

inimitable

[i

immobile

[m m bi lJ

lij

mi ta bla]

The letter o in French has a variety of pronunciations, depending upon the following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of o, ask yourself these four questions.

1. Is there a diacritical mark over the o? 2. What letters follow the o?

3. Is the letter o found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group? 4. What is the position of o in the word? Is it initial, medial, or final? The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

The letter

French 278 The single letter 0

The letter o is usually pronounced [c1. L[. 53.72

Read aloud.

comme

[ko moJ

cIochc

1kb

bonne

Iho 1131

gorge

.r°i

potager

Igor 331 [p3 Ia 3C)

ort

lion

soleil

[‘so lrjJ

toreador

[to

re a dor]

There are three major exceptions to this rule:

1.

before [z] is close [o]. LL

2.

7.

Read aloud.

roce

[ro zo]

poser

Lpo Ic]

cho’,e

ISo

13]

o as the final sound of a word is close [oj.

LL 5.3.74

Read aloud.

galop

kId lo]

echo

[c kol

sanglot

(so glol

pierrot kilo

wi Li 101 I

hot

[floj

[pjr

Note these pronunciations: LL 5.3.75

[ l’os ( the bone)

Lies .

[los]

os (the bones)

[le zo]

ô is pronounced as close [o].

Li 5.3.7

Read aloud.

tot

[to]

nôtre

[no tro]

——

I I I I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I

French 279

I I I I

drôle

[‘dro l]

Ee

[votrj

One exception: LL 5.3.77

e1

[D

tell

oeu

The letters oeu are usually pronounced [ce]. LL. 5.3.78

I I I I I

Read aloud.

coeur

[kcerj

boeufs

[bf]

oeuf

[cefi

LL 5.3,79

Exceptions:

boefs

jbøJ

voeux

[vØ]

oi

The letters oi are usually pronounced [wa]. LL 5.3.80

Read aloud.

droit

[twal [drwa}

noir

I nwar]

crois

[IwaJ

toi

cloigts

[vwa sil [dwal

VOIS

Ivwal

voix

[vwal

void

Exception: LL 5.3,81

trois

[two].

French 280 oin V\Then the letters oin are final or before another consonant, pronounce them as [we]. Do not pronounce the n unless in liaison. : Read aloud.

Liom

[soin

1b3 zwci

om, on 1/\Ihen the letters oni or on are fina l or before another consonant, pro nounce them as [ö]. Do not pronou nce them and n consonants unless in liaison. LL 5.3.83

Read aloud.

donc_______________________

_ IdOl or IdOk]

fliclISOfl

ronci pompe norn

Ill-lu ‘tO)

Irol [p0 pl nO1

E \cepti nl()nsi(ur bonheur

)nia ‘sjØl________ [h3 nter]

JiThen

the letters opn and on are followe d by a vowel or another rn or do not nasalize them, but pronou nce them as [orn] and [cml. LE 5.3.84 Read aloud, homme I mDl honorer 13 113 ‘rd donne b n’I dornaine )d., nw madone )ma ‘dD 1131 automne [3 ‘ID aol

n,

I I I I I I I I I

ou

The letters on, oü, and oi are usually pronounced

[uJ.

I

I I I I I I I I I I p p p p

French 281 LL 5.3.5

Read aloud.

liii

OLI

gout

-

!u

-_

kJLII !_____________

Lull

loup doU\

—

-—

Iditi litil

:(_

coup

ILiii

nouvelle

hut V

Ipurl ILurl

pour court

sourd

[curl

-

toujours

LU 311rJ

amour

ía

,ourire

--

when the letters ou

glide [wi as in the word

LL 5,3.8(

[u

al

muir]

hu

ri ra]

occur before a “stressed” vowel (a vowel in the

same syllable other than mute

oui

e),

they are usually pronounced as the

[wil (yes).

Read aloud,

oui

[wij

ouest

[wrst]

1\!hen the letters

Lal

ou

occur before a mute

e,

they are pronounced as

or

depending on the number of notes.

LL 53.87

Read aloud.

[de

denouement

nil a

mal

oy

The letters oy are pronounced

[waji.

discussion of y occuring between two Note: For a full vowels see “The Single Letter y” on page 217.

I

[UI

LL 5.3.88

Read aloud.

noyée

[nwa je aj

royal

[rwa

foyer

[fwa je]

jail

French 282

The letter

The letter u in French has a variety of pronunci ations, depending upon the following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of u, ask yourself these four questions.

1. Is there a diacritical mark over the u? 2. What letters follow the u? 3. Is the letter u found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group?

4. What is the position of u in the word? Is it initial, medial, or final? The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

The single letter u The French letter u is pronounced as the mixed vowel

[yl. It is never pronounced [uJ as in the English word boot nor [jul as in the word use. The letter i in French is often used in the vowel combinations of eu, oeu, ou, and ue, each of which has its own pronunciation. See the alphabetical listings for combined spellings with u.

Note: See ‘The Mixed Vowels” on page 240 for a full description of the sound [y}, which is formed with the lips in the [ul position and the tongue in [iJ position.

The letter ii is pronounced [yJ. LL 5.3.9

Read aloud.

dfl LVkVThen the letter

[dyl ii

LL 539O une mutile

I I I I I

is final or before a consonant, it is pronounced [yj. Read aloud.

[y nal [i

ny

ii

lJ

salut

[sa lyl

connu murmure

[b nyl [myr my

union

[y

sud

[sydi

studio

[sty dyl

nioni

rj

I I p p I

I I I I

French 283 The letter u before a “stressed” vowel (a vowel in the same syllable other than mute e) is usually the glide [qI.

Note: See “Glides” on page 243 for a full description of the sound [qi which you produce by quickly moving through the pronunciation of [yl. Read aloud.

LL 5.3.91

I I I I p

nuit_____

[oqi]

puisque

jpqis loJ

suave

[.sqa vol [hrqil

bruit Iueur

IILWCrI

-

-__________________

-

[siiil

suis

Exception: Some words are pronounced as two syllables: [I

3u

cruelle

Ikry_ru

flu ide

LIly 1 dol

The letter u before a final mute e is usually pronounced

[y]. (See also

“The letter group ue” below.) LLS,3.93

I

revue

[r vy ol_—___________________

y(_________

[vy ol

—

‘J’he letter u after g and before a vowel is silent.

LE 5.3.94

I

guitare

[gi ta rol

guet

[gri

ue ‘,Vhen the letters ue are followed by ii, ill, or ille, they are pronounced as open [ce]. (See “The Mixed Vowels” on page 240, for a description of the sound [cej.) LI 5.3.95

Read aloud,

cercueil

[ser kcejj

orgueil

For gcejl

_____________I

French 284 urn, un /\Then the letters urn or un are final or before another consonant, pro nounce them as [J. Do not pronounce them and n consonants unless in liaison. LL 3.3.96

Read aloud.

parfum

Ipar(1

chacun

[[a ko.1

humb’e

[cc hi)

Un

(I

“Alhen the letters urn and un are follo wed by a vowel or another m or n, do no nasalize them, but pronounce them as lymi and [yni. LL 5.3,97 Read aloud. une [ynJ

L__

—----

[ply ma]

a The letter

The letter y in French has a variety of pronunciations, depending upon the

I I

following qualifiers. To determine the pronunciation of y, ask yourself these three questions.

1. What letters follow the y? 2. Is the letter y found as a single letter, or is it part of a letter group? 3. What is the position of y in the word? Is it initial, medial, or final? The pronunciation rules below will help you determine the answers to these questions.

The single letter y ‘iVhen the letter j is initial in a word, it is pronounced as LL 5.3.8 yeux yeuse

[ii.

Read aloud. [jøl

[jø zJ when the letter y occurs before or after a consonant, it is pronounced as [ii.

I I I Ii I I I I

N

French 285 Read aloud.

LL 5.3.99

I I I I I I p I I I

lyre

[Ii ra]

martyr

[niar tin

style

[sti lI

.

[Ii

lycée

when the letter y

SC

—-

l

occurs between two vowels, it becomes ii.

Note: The first i combines with the preceding vowels and the second i becomes ] which joins the next syllable. In the word rayon, for example, the syllables would be spelled rai ion [r joj. LL 5.3.100

Read aloud.

royal

=

roi-ial

[rwa jall

fryar&

=

fui-iard

[ftp jan

ym, yn when the letters ym

or

yn

are final or followed by another consonant,

pronounce them as the nasal vowel [p1. Do not pronounce them and n consonants unless in liaison.

LL 5.3.101. thym

Read aloud.

I

—

syndicat

ls di kal

yrnho1e

isbDl.,l

symphonic

ls1

‘II

%ynthese

Isi

il

‘

I

‘\Ihen the letters yin and yn are followed by a vowel or another in or n, do not nasalize them, but pronounce them as [hul and [liii.

LL 5.3.102

I I

hymne

Read aloud. [imuj or [im nal

French 286

French Consonants in Detail Pronounce the letters b or bb as [bj. LL 5.4.01

Read aloud.

beau

[boj

baflades blanc

lha la (bi [hlñJ

oublier

[u h1 ‘jel

hascr

[he “ic)

arhres

[ar hrj

belles

[hr hi

double

[di’ hbj

ahhe.sse

[a br

gahbro

Iga bro)

SD)

1/\Ihen b is final, it is sometimes pronounced as Ibi. LL 5.4.02 Read aloud. club snob

lllyhi [511Db]

Jacob

).3a LohJ

nabab

ma

hahi

‘/Ihen b is final and follows a nasal consonant, do not pronounce it. It is silent. LL 5.4.03

Read aloud.

plomb

[plOl

l’Vhen h is before s or t, pronounce it as unvoiced [p1. LL 5.4.04

Read aloud.

absent

[ap so]

obtus

l3p tyl [ap sr bel [p t nir]

absorber obtenir

I —I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

I I

__ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ______

I

French

I

287

I

I I

I

I

I

p

c is followed by a, o, u, or a consonant, pronounce it as [kJ. LL 5.4.05

Read aloud.

academic

La La de

composer

[LO po

cause

ko

encore

[o ko rol

catholique

[ka to Ii kol

conduit

Iko ditil

captivitC

ILap

cuisine

Iktii ti no]

acre

1(1 kroj

cueiLlir

Ikce un

action

lak sjo] [sakro]

ml

l

—

C

sacre

—

id

io]

Ii Vi

tel

Lk-O tak tu,rl [ok La voj

contacteu r octavo

I

when c is followed by e, i, or y, pronounce it as [si. LL 5.4.06

Read aloud. l% clot

cide

I

p,ec

r________________________

CieU\

NO] lii so so]

licence

cigarette

I 5jl IliL si lol I i 9 rr I ol

cygne

Isi p01

concierge

ILO sjrr 301 [ra djci so]

dcl facile

radience

c is final, it is usually pronounced as [k].

LL 5.4.07

Read aloud.

parc

[parki

lac

[lakJ

avec

[a vek]

Poulenc

[pu lëkj

Exception: final c is silent in estomac, tabcic, croc,

_________________________

I

French 288 When c is final and follows n, it is usually silent. Read aloud. LL5.4.08 OflC

blanc

13öJ [blä]

donc

[dol

Note: When spoken with emphasis, the final c is pronounced in this word. LL 5,4.(}

donc

[dokj

I II

I II II

cc is followed by a, o, u, or a consonant, pronounce it as [kj.

LL 5.4.10

Read aloud.

succulent

[sy ky ‘l(il [a ka ba thl

accabarant

X4Then cc is followed by e, i, or y, pronounce it as [ks]. LI 5.4.11

H ii

Read aloud.

succès

[syk sel

accent accélérer

[ak sOl [ak se le rej

accident

[ak si do]

pronounce ç as [s].

11

The hooked diacritical mark under the c is called a çédille [se di jl. 115.4.12

uçon

Read aloud.

de.ä

I sy O1 Id, sal

garon

[gar sOJ

façon

ha sol

Pronounce cli as The WA symbol [ii is the sound of sh as in she. It is called esh. 115.4.13 Read aloud. chose

1.10

floche echotier

Lila Jol je j tje I

laucher

[fo [cl

z,J

I

p p IT’

I U

_____ __________ __

p p I I I I I 1 p

French 289 chemin

[J mj

chacun

[Ja kë]

Exception: In a few words of Greek derivation, ch is [ki. Read aloud.

LL 5,4.1.4 Christ

[krist]

orchestre

[ar kes tr]

echo

[e ‘ko]

choeur

[kcr]

pronounce cqu as Read aloud.

LL 5.4.1.5

[a ki zi ‘sjO] [a kerir]

acquisition acquérir

..

[a ki ‘tel

acquitter

when ct is final, pronounce it as [ktl or silent. Refer to a dictionary for the pronunciation of final ct. Read aloud.

LL 5.4.16

I p P p p

i1ent

[ki] direct

[di reki]

respect

intect

[e ‘IrLil

aspect

las ‘pel

-

instinct

—

pronounce d or dd as Read aloud.

LL 5.4.17 diable

[dja hloj

-

admirable

[ad mi ‘ra blol

dsokr

[de z Id

addition

lath ‘sjI

‘/\1hen d is final, it is usually silent. LL 5.3.IS

pied

Read aloud.

pillard

1pM [pi jan

grand

Igröl

quard

-

-

Ires prl

-

-

I si

-

I

French

I

290 i1hen

d

I

is in liaison, pronounce it as [ii.

LL 5.4.1.9

grand arbre

f

pronounce for LL

1

[gro tar br1

I

if as If1.

5.4.20

Read aloud.

foyer

[fwa

enfant

[O fill

fiarnheau

[fiji bol

rférence

[rc

Ic ni

[D

ii sjcl

oIhcer affection

I

je]

I sol

I

Ia frk sjOI

Note: e before if is pronounced close [el.

I

LL 5.4.21

When

I

effort

[e f3rl

effroi

[e frwa}

I

f is final, usually pronounce it as [fJ. LI... 5.4.22

Read aloud.

I

soif

[swaf]

chef

[Jtf1

neuf

[ncef]

.subjectif.

. ..

.

..

.

.

I

[syb3ektifJ:

décisif

[de Si

comparatif

[kö pa ra

.

...

...

zifi

I nfl

When f is in liaison, pronounce it as [vl. LL

5.4.23

I

Read aloud.

[nce v

neufheures

rj

II XAlhen g is followed by

a, o, u,

or a consonant, pronounce it as [gi.

Note: g pronounced as Egi is called hard g. LL5.4.24

Read aloud.

I

French 291 glotte

[‘giD t1

guerre

[‘gc raj

ma vlgakxrI ,\lThen

g is followed by

e,

1, or y, pronounce it as

Note: g pronounced as N

is called

[31.

soft g.

The symbol [31 represents the sound in the English words vision [‘vi 3an] and azure [ CL

Read aloud.

5.4.25

13°

gntiIle

Lipi

[‘sip sa]

gype

fI

girafe

[3i

geste

[irs tj

courage

Iku ra 31 [par ia a]

partage

I’a bD ia 3’I Ic nr 31 al

sabotag.’ énergie

!\1hen g is final,

ra

it is usually silent.

CL 5.4.2

Read aloud.

sang

Isol

long

110] lpwul

pomg ng_____________ —

,Vhen g is in liaison, pronounce it as [ki. Read aloud. LL 5.4.27 suer

sang et eau (to sweat blood) [sie sã ke ‘ol

When ge is followed by a or o, pronounce it as [31. I [

Read aloud.

pigeon

Ipi ‘3O1 ma ‘3wa tal [e gry ‘3warl

nagcoire

grugeoir bourgeois

-

Ibur 3wa]

—

________ _______________________

111 I II

French 292 jihen gg is followed by a, o, ii, or a consonant, LI. 5.4.2S

pronounce it as [g].

Read aloud.

aggraver

II

[a gra vel

\Ihen gg is followed by e, i, or y, pronounce it as [g3]. LI. 5.4.3(1 Read aloud. suggerer

Isyg

3C rd

suggestion

Lsyg

3US

1

ijOl

Pronounce gn as Ijil. The sound of enya p] does not exist in English. It is similar to the [njl in the English word onion. See “The Enya” on page 251 for a full discussion of this sound. LI. 5.4.31

Read aloud.

con%igner

[k5 si iicI FP iel

peigner conpagnon

-__________

montagne

-__________

______

[LO pa ioI [mö

Ia

JL,l

The letters gt are silent. LI. 5.4.32

Read aloud.

doigt

[dwa]

When gu is followed by a vowel, pronounce it as [gi. LI. 5.4,33

Read aloud.

gigue fatigu er

I’ I, I LI

[3i gal —____________

1.1 a Li

p

ge I —

Exception: In the word aigilises and its derivatives, gu is pronounced [gqj: [e ‘gq i ze].

In French there are two classifications of h, mute and aspirate. Both classifications are silent, except during expressions of great intensity. The mute Ii and aspirate 11 classifications become significant when words are linked: liaison and elision are permitted with mute Ii, but forbidden with aspirate h. To identify aspirate h, refer to a dictionary, where you will find it indicated by a diacritical mark, usually an asterisk (*)

I’

I

French 293

I I I I I I

Read aloud. Mute

*Acpir.1t_h

ii Ic his]

*haut

lol

herbe

lo.. rol [cr ba]

*labkr *halte

lo bid [al to]

inhabité

[i na hi te]

*hideus.

[i (10 za]

hélas

heure

Note:

In words such as

inhabité, the in before Ii

nasalized.

Read aloud

and

link words with initial mute

I

r dr

deslmudol los

ide

votrol1ori/orL

Ivo iro ri

ha

Ia gerbehelas

I

is not

zi

ei

h.

1l

iOj

be los]

Read aloud and do not link words with initial aspirate h. LL 5,436 les haute-contres

[le o

to

co tra]

Pronounce j as [31. LL 5.4.37

I

p

Read aloud.

jouer

13” ci

jou ir

[3u irj

j(U

13cc nal

no

jet Jt?

1301

jOic

l3Wa 01

Jean

1301

jardin

I3ar dcl

Pronounce k as [k]

EL 5.4.38

Read aloud.

kimono

[ki ma no]

kiosque

[kjos ka]

kilo

[ki lol

kaki

Ika ku

j

French 294

1

pronounce I as [ij

LL 5.4,39

1/\Ihen l

Read aloud.

larrne

liar

lecture

lirk ty rO]

Napoleon

(Jia

po IC l_____

nominal

[nO

liii

is final, usually pronounce

LL 5.4.40

it

moj

nail

as [lj.

Read aloud.

ideal

(i de al]________________

mal

[mall

nominal

[no

appel

(april

N

[fill

proW

[pro

mi

nail

fill

pronounce ii as [11.

LL 5.4.41

Read aloud.

pelle

I

pr

lal

follet

Jb .lrJ

ballet tulle

I ha fri [iy b)

calieu%e

(La 10

se[le

(%e lo

/01

LL 5.442 [ko rail

gentille

l3i

(See “ii, ill, ille” on page

ti

I I

I

Exceptions: When ii or ill follows a vowel (corail), the combination is pronounced When ill follows a consonant [ii. sound (gentille,fille), it is usually pronounced [iii:

corail

I I I I I

.iol

275.)

However, in the three words mile, tranquille, and yule, and their derivatives, the letter group ill is pronounced as [ill. A memory “tickler” is to recall the phrase “a million tranquil villages.”

I I I I I I I

French 295

I I I I I I I I I

mule

[mi 1J

yule

[vi 1]

tranquille

[trO ki 101

village

[vi la 301

pronounce m as [ml. Read aloud,

LL 5.4.44 malheur

[ma lmrl

estime

[es ti mo]

moduler

[mo dy lol

lirnite

[Ii mi to]

timide

[ii mi dol

genur

[3e rmr]

pronounce mm as [ml. Read aloud,

LL 5.4.45 comme

[ko mo]

commerce

[ko mer so]

nommer

[no mel

%iTl.enm is combined with a nasal vowel, it is silent. (See “Nasal Vow els” on page 245 for details.)

I I

Read aloud.

LL 5.4.46 parf urn

lpai I]__________

timbre

1i brol

combat

Iko hal

humble -_________________

impayahl

l pc ja blol

champs

1.101

Wheii a silent m that follows a nasal vowel is pronounced in liaison, pronounce them as [ml. LL 5.3.47 nom

a tiroirs

Read aloud.

[no ma

ti rwar]

French 296 Pronounce n as ju]. LL 5.448

Read aloud.

neige

3.3]

1111

nez

End

raffine

Ira Ii

nombre

[nO brol

113]

Pronounce nn as [ni. LL 5.4.49

Read aloud.

doniw

1 [t

1

abonne

[a

113]

ho no]

n is combined with a nasal vowel, it is silent. (See “Nasal Vowels” on page 245 for details.)

LL 5.4.50

Read aloud.

11011

mo]

boll

[ho]

craindre

lkrè drol

grand

[grO)

ensemble

(0

montre

sO b13]

11130 trol

VJhen a silent n that follows a nasal vowel is pronounced frI liaison, pronounce the n as [nJ. LL 5.4.51

Read aloud.

enaimant son

[0 n

âme

[so no

mOl rnoj

‘/\lhen ng is final, it is silent. LI 5.4.52

Read aloud.

[ng

Pronounce p as [p1. LL5.4.33

[pw1

Read aloud.

père

lpc rol

impression

[

pre sj]

p

French 297

I I I I

pas

[pci]

spirituelle

[spi

couple

l’kii pcj

plain

ipl]

tq bJ

‘Then p is final, it is usually silent. Read aloud.

LL 5.4.54

lirol

trop beaUcou

I I I I

ii

lboku]

p

corp

lk3r]

loup

Llii.l

Ihe p in the letter group mpt is silent.

LL 5.455

Read aloud.

compter

[kö ic]

compte

[kö

eccompte

irs ‘kO Lii leg zo]

exempt

t}

pronounce ph as [fi LL .4.56

I I I

Read aloud.

Joseph

—

morphine

-

in

I

IriI3r Ti nz1

liro

phrase colophane

—

‘iaj__-

j1 b Thimi

Pronounce pp as [p1. LL 5.4.57

Read aloud. [a ph ka sj5l

application support

-

jsy prI

Pronounce qu as [kJ

LL 5.458

Read aloud. [köl

quand qualite

—

[ka ii tel

liqueur

[ii krI

musique

irny u kI

—___________________

______

____

French 298 que

[ko]

bisque croquet

[ hr skol [kro ‘ke]

aquis

[a Jul

I Ii

Exception: In a few words, qu is pronounced [kwl: i [ ‘.-L3

cjuartrne

quatuor

[kwa ‘ler nol [kwa LTpr]

quadruple

ILwa dry plol

when q is final, pronounce it as [kI. LL 5.4.60 Read aloud. ----

----

--__ ——

cinq

r

LL 54.61

the letter r as a flipped [r] or trilled

[fl. Although in speaking French, [RI,

which

is a standard pronunciation in the vicinity of Paris, do not use a uvular [R]

[si’kl

pronouncer as flipped [r].

When singing French, pronounce

you inay use a uvular

LL______

in singing. A single flip or two or

three flaps of the tip of the tongue is preferable. This chapter uses the spn

bol [r] to represent the tongue tip r.

Read aloud,

regard

(ro gar(

regale

[re ga lo]

refuser

[ro ly ‘ci

ronde tremble

[rO do] rO Nol

timbre

itr hroj

Pronounce ir as flipped [rj. LL 5.4,n2 Read aloud. terre terrible

[tn

ro]

[te

n blo]

‘When r is final, usually pronounce it as flipped [ri LL 5.4.63

I I I I I 1 I I I I

Read aloud,

epoir

[es pwarj

pour

Iptirl

i’riiioir

[ini

cocur

rwar)

IkeerJ

enl’er -

[O ‘fer]

I I

U—

II I I

French 299 amour

[a murj

or

[DrJ

hiver

[i ‘yen

1/Ihen r is in final ally silent.

I I I I

er, ier,

H. 5.4.64

or yer in some nouns and adjectives, it is usu

Read aloud.

routier

—

communier

Ira tjcl [kD my ‘njcl

[fwa je] lie 3d

foyer

léger

Note: Final -r and -rs are silent in these words: LL 5.3.65

J

monsieur

messieurs

[ma sjØl [me ‘sjØl

/\Ihen r is in final er in verbs, it is silent. LL 5.4.66

I I

I

Read aloud.

chanter

[fo ‘tel

baiser

[be

parler

[par ‘lel

manger

[m 3d

zej

Usually pronounces as [si. LL 5.4.67

S

Read aloud.

saucee

iso e

séance

Ise ‘ö sal [sp3rl [sU sta Ii tel

sport_________________________ sensuabté

IpDs ‘iy ro] us ‘kor to]

po8ture escorte

Pronounce ss as [si. LL 5.4.6

Read aloud.

H

French 300 tasse

[to s]

assimiler

[a si mi le]

A1Then s occurs between vowels, pronounce it EL 5.4.69

as [zi.

Read aloud.

Iricll1eur(i’(.’

[ma ke rO zJ

honteuse

lo 10 zal

fu’.arit

[ly zO

maison

[mc

tOj

when s is final, it is usually silent. EL 5.4.70 Read aloud. tous

1Ii1

las

[Ia]_____

repos

I’a p01

des

1.dcl

—________

__________

__

pas déclos

[de kiol

Note: There are a few common words in which the final s is

pronounced: bis, hélas, Saint-Saëns,and us.

An s may be added to a word for plura lization, as in English, but it is silent and does not change the pronunci ation of the word. LL 5.4.7 [ie

[bc lol

belles

[bc loJ

when s is in liaison, pronounce it as [z]. EL 5.4.72 Read aloud. saris amour

[so za miirj

prendsun

[pro

zJ

when sc is followed by a, o, u, or a cons onant, pronounce it as [ski. Li. 5.473 Read aloud. scandale

[skO da l]

scolastique

[sk Ins

sculpture

[skyl ty rol

scruter

Iskry

Id

‘Ii

bi

I 1 I I 1 I I I I I I

I I I I I I I I p I p p p I

French 301 when sc is followed LL

by

5.4.74

e

or

i,

pronounce it as [si.

Read aloud,

fl[

1r31

[sep

sceptre

adolescent

I\jO s3J Ia dD 1r sO]

scintillant

(s Ii iOj

SCiOfl

[sjo]

science

5C(3U

—

[de

descendre Usually pronounce sch The LL

symbol

5.4.75

Isol

esh

as

sO

(Irol

[ii.

Ff1 represents the sound of

[fe mal

schisme

[Jis mJ

LL

I as

5.4.76

[liii

spectacle

spe tak LJ

totil

[t

tension

lio sjôl

tendre

[tO drJ -

LalJ

ko

13]

Read aloud.

quitter

Ikite I

flottill

1113 Ii

LL

-__________________

It as [t].

LL 5.4.77

is

t

Read aloud,

compte

I

she.

jtJ.

tow,

Pronounce

as in

Read aloud.

schema

Pronounce

sir

jol

final, it is silent. 5.4.78

Read aloud.

et

[ci

esprit

[es pri]

saint

[si9

enf ant

[U fO]

__

--____________________

________________________

French 302 trait

[ti

complet

[ko

pI

I

Pronounce th as [tj. LI. 5.4.7

Read aloud.

thâtrc —

etheré

[c c rd

“iVhen ti occurs in the noun endings -tion or -tience, pronounce it as [sjj. LL 5.4.80 Read aloud. traction

itrak sjo1

election

(e 1k

when

sjOl

sjoj

location

conviction

I ID ka Iko vik sjOj

patience

(pa

tie

Sju sa]

is final, pronounce it as [Li a].

LL 5.4.81

Read aloud.

(sar Li al

sortw partw

(par ‘Li

a]

a

pronounce v

as [vJ.

LL 5.4.82 V

Read aloud.

vie

I’vi a]

esciave

irs kia va]

ViCU.\

ivjol

(lyre

iii

vra(

souvenir

(su

Va

VlOlOfl

Iva Lo( ivwal

vingt voix

w

I

nirl

Usually pronounce w as [vi. LL 5.4.83 Read aloud.

wagnerien wagon

[vag ne rjt] [va gO]

I I I I I I I I p

I’

French

I

303

I II

I I I I I I I

when x is followed by a consonant, pronounce it as [ksl. Read aloud. LL 5.4.84 [tek st1 texte [uk spo z] [ek ster n]

expose externe extase

[ek stra] [ek ste z]

expansif

[ek spö sif]

extra

when x is followed by a vowel or h, pronounce it as [gzj. Read aloud. LL 5.45 exile

[eg zi hi sjO] [eg zi ic]

exuiter

[eg zyl tel

exode

[eg zo d]

exasperer

[eg zos pe re] [eg zu plo]

exhibition

exemple Exception: LL 5.4.86

[lyk s]

luxe

1 I I I I I I

Exceptions: x in these words is pronounced [z]. LL

.4.hi

deuxieme

[dø zje m]

sixieme dixieme

[si zje iu] [di zje m]

When x is final, it is usually silent. LI. 5.488

Read aloud.

deux

[døl

prix

[pnl

croix

[krwa}

voix

[vwa]

‘Ihen x is in liaison, pronounce it as [z]. Read aloud. LL 5,4,8 deuxenfants

I

Read aloud.

[dø

zO

fö]

x

I

French 304 4 Pronouncez as Izi. LL 5.4.90 E,’x’lueI ciiiiynw

when z is final, it is usually silent. allez dëpechez chei dormex

Ic Zc jrI]

j

hu ij m

Ia lej [do 1W Id lid kbr mci

Exceptions are: H 3.91

gal

[gazJ

Berlioz

Ibrr lj3zI

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

Spanish

Spanish Diction As a singer, you need to include Spanish in your arsenal of pro nunciation skills. During the Last twenty years, songs from Spain and Latin America have become standard vocal literature. You will encounter several new ideas as you learn to pronounce Spanish, particularly the breath phrase: between breaths, all words are run together and pronounced as a stream of equal-length syllables. You will hear the word boundaries disappear within the breath phrase, which essentially causes the words to sound like one long word. You will also find that consonants are pronounced differently depending on their position in a word or breath phrase. You will see how vowels change at word boundaries. And finally, you will encounter the special way Spanish syllables are stressed, which, together with the other features mentioned above, gives Spanish its distinct staccato character. Depending on the literature you sing, you will use either Latin American Spanish or Castillian Spanish. This chapter generally presents Latin American pronunciation first, and then identifies Castillian alternatives.

I

Spanish 306

I

Chart of Spanish Sounds The following chart lists the sounds of Spanish in alphabetical order. Refer to this chart to quickly check the sound of a spelling. For special circumstances and except ions to the sounds that cannot be presented easily in a simple chart, see the discussions of the individual sounds later in this chapter. Spanish Letter and Position in Word IPA Example and IPA Page a [ci] atras, mano [a trosl [mc no] 329 ay syllable final [cii] hay, ay [oil toil 329 ai syllable final [oil paila, vaimta [pci lou [boi ni tel 329 af [a iJ pals, ralz [pa isl [rci is] 329 au syllable final [au] causa, jaula [kou so] [xcii Ia] 330 b syllable initial hi I bala, hono I ha In] I ho no I 337 between vowels tubo, haba b [N [In joj Ia juj 337 following s, r [fi] esbelto, hierba jczel to] lie l3ai 337 syllable Final subrnarino Jsuf3 mci ri noj 337 before r, I hablar, sobra [P1 [o 3l(If1 iso 1(1J 338 c before a, a, a 1k] Casil, cosa [ka sd iko sci] 338 beforee

I

a

C

cc

across syllables

[ksl

acción, ficción

cli

syllable initial

iLl]

d

syllable initial

Idi

between vowi’Ls

li

after s,

d

r

y1lahle linal

e

e

choia, ITlucho

[ok sjonl Ifik sjonl [o sal [mu hal

339

danza

Eden sd

339

In

Imi ol [dcz eJ

339

lOl

hada, mido desde

l]

verdad, usted

Ic]

elegante, gente

[her n] Ins Iel [e le you tel [xcii he]

330

&ij

338

339 339

ku

rey___

lci]

331

ci

syllable final

Icil

reina, peine

[ci mi] ipel nd

331

en

syllable_final

leul

deuda, feudal

331

f

syllable initial

IfI

fdcii, afa.nar

Iden al (feu all lie sill In fa non

341

g

before a, a, a

Ig I Lx]

gato, gota

Igo ‘ol Igo hal

341

gente, gimnasia

l]

haga, miga

ixen te] lxiin flu sjol In yal [mi ‘ui

341

behveen vowels

341

after s or z word initial

hi

desgana

Idcz YC

342

lgwu)

guarnir

after a vowel

lywol

fraguar

igwar nirl lire ywer]

1

before e,

g

gua

i

*Castilllian Spanish. tire pronounced [1/) because thefl are betu’een vowels.

**Tjlese g’s

flU)

I I I

I I I

342

342

I

__

__

__ ___ __

_____

___

Ii

Spanish

I

307 Example and

IPA

[gel

guerrero

[ge

‘ol

342

[yci

La guerra

[Ia ‘c M

342

word initial

[gij

guIa

[gi

ci

342

after a vowel

lyil

Ia guija

[la yi Xe]

342

güe

word

(gwcl

guepil

[gwe

pill

342

gui

syllable initial

[gwil

lingüfstica

[Hg gwis ii ko]

342

h

syllable initial

silent

hogar,

[o yor] Ic 0 run

343

gue

I I I I I I

word initial after a

g

Page

IPA

Spanish Letter and Position in Word

gui

vowel

initial

ahorrar

C

hielo, huerta

lie lol fuer tel

irnagen, i.,la

Ii

mi, mU

Imil

h

Ill_________

I

•

1

Lii

Id

332

[mit]

332

lpJd fbI

ia

syllable_final

Lid

hacia, piano

In

ie

syllable final

[id

tiene, vieiw

332

iu

syllable final

U” I

viuda, ciudad

lije nel [hjc ‘ici lhj” Oci lsju Ool

io

syllable final syllable initial

1,101

adios, amplio

In Sjos] 1cm pljo]

332

lxi

joven

343

jaula

lxo j3cn] Ixcu Ic]

ajustar

(a xus

kilograrno

[ki 10 gre mo]

kibut,

[ki iitsl

j

.

mc xciii

J

1k]

syllable initial

k

sjc]

332

332

tori

343

k

‘

m

irol Ipa 101

344

mil, vU, alto

[mill Ihill ml lol

344

Ileno,

[Ac no] [ko 3e Aol

344

syllable initial

[Al or Ii] (ml

mann, arnasar

[mci nz)j (a mc

345

syllabic_initial

[n]

nene,

before Imi. IhI, Ipi

lm:l

inmenso

Inc nd (ni Ii men so]

before lkl,lgl.

I’ll

incuhar

[iij

ingrato

(ii fO

ingenio

hg

1.11.1

nato, puno

l.no ml lpu jol

346

[ol

crc, canción

In ml fLan sjonj (e roi kol

333 334

syllabic initial syllable final

[I]

litro,

Ii]

II

syllable initial

m

n

I

ii ñ

[x]

syllable initial

0

0

INN

—

palo cabello

nido

ci

syllable final

[oi’l

of

across_syllables

[oil

heroico egoista, boIna

oy

syllable final

lo ii

voy, hay

[ii

sari

345

óo]

345 345

kM f3ar] xc

(ci njol

——

Ic yo is to] Ibo i nc

334

(hail (oil

334

*73Iese g’s are pronounced (Vi because they occur between vowels. **Whefl a written accent is placed over the i, the us no longer a glide and the two vowels are pronounced in separate syllables. (See page 321.)

I I

Spanish 308 Spanish Letter and Position in Word p p

IPA

Example and

IPA

syllable initial

Page

(p1

peso,_apostar

Ipe so) Lu pos tor]

syllable final

346

ipi

optar, captar

lop ftii’i (Lop toil

346

Ikl

queso

Eke sol

346

quitar

(Li

torI

346

[ io so)

qu

fl

r

r

word initial syllable initial

L ti (ci

rosa, nina

syllable final

Er] or I tI It)

ir, cesar

after s, rr

between vowels

s

S t

t

ii

syllable_initial

sala, aseo

between vowels

[s

before voiced

perro, carro

347

lid Ise sort liz to cli len te orl Ipe tot Iku to)

347 348 348

oso,pasa

iso In] to se 0] 10 so) lpo so)

348

[z)

desde, musgo

ldez öcl Imu, yoj

348

syllable final

Es]

los, niños

(lost

syllable initial

348

Iii

tina,_untar

lii

syllable final

It]

atmósfera

Lot mos fe mJ

I 111

uso, nuca

[(I

consonants

syllablenaI

Ewol

suave, cuarto

uc

syllable final

[wel

cuerda, puesta

ui

syllable final

cuidar, buitre

uo

syllable final

[wit [wol

cuota

uy

syllable final syllable initial

LwiJ

mi

11(11

so)

laos]_________

IIHI tori

[iiii

en]

[swo e] [kwoc to) [kwer Ool [pwcs Lu]

348

350

350 334

335 335

[kwi &ui (bwi irel [kwo tO]

335

muy

mwil

335

[hi

vaca, vengo

[i

uva,tiivo

[uo1

following s or r

1j3] [f31

iiiicrvalo

w

syllable initial

Lw]

whisky

[in ter f3o lo I Iwis Li]

x

ivord initial

Is)

xenoIobia

syllable initial

[ks)

exámen

V

between vowels

X y

syllable initial, followed by a vowel

[ii

y

followed by a consonant syllable initial

[i)

i

Z

Israel, enredar

ua

v

Y

no]

pero,apuro

I ii [sj

0

w

ro

syllable final before a voiced consonant

Lu) (hcii got [ILl

ol

335

350 350 350

351

exoneracion yeso

Lie so)

336

Ii hai lan

336

Iso po tol lSOfl [Ics] Inn ris]

351 351

Lu, lo)

351

y bailar I0l** or ?apato, zar [si Is) or LOl tez,nariz Iz] or lO) hazlo

*Not a letter of the Spanish alphabet; only appear s in burrowed words. **C(tillia1! Spanish.

h I I I

350

Ise no fo Ejol Ickso meal [ek so tie au sjonj

—

I I h

I

351

II

I I

Spanish 309

Special Features of Spanish In contrast to English, Spanish is virtually pronounced as it is written. The alphabet-sound correspondences charted in the previous section hold true in all instances.

Syllabification The division of Spanish words into syllables is straightforward and follows clear rules. The correct division is important since it often determines how a sound is pronounced: certain consonants (for example b and d) are pronounced differently depending on their location in a syllable. (For more information, see page 337 “Spanish Consonants in Detail.”) LL 6.201 cac-tus:

See page 312 for a description of the

Examples: c initial

[kj

cfinal densó

d initial

[ii [dl

verdad

d final

[ó]

Single Consonant Between Vowels

A single consonant start.s a new syllable when it occurs between vowels. IL 6.202 ca-sa

1kG

to-ma

[to mci]

Scil

The letters ch, Ii, and rr each represent one sound. Because each letter combination is treated as a single consonant, it is not divided. LL 62.03

mu-cho

[mu ijol

ca-lle

[ko

pe-rro

[pe to]

iCe]

Two Consecutive Consonants

Two consecutive consonants together may or may not be divided. Note: A rule of thumb is that if the two consonants can occur at the beginning of a word, they form a cluster and will always be in the same syllable.

fricative g

[vi.

Spanish 310 LL 6.2.04 blanco

blan-co

ablandar

a-blan-dar

(hi can occur at the beginning of a word.)

I

EL 6.2.05

caima

cal-ma

(Irn cannot occur at the beginning of a word, so you mus t divide it into separate syllables.)

There are twelve clusters that are always in the same syllable. They are: [1 6,21)6

Iil

br

]c

cr

dr

fl

fr

[ZZLZZ__trL____ Three Consecutive Consonants Three consonants are always divided. If the last two consonan ts form one of the twelve indivisible clusters just mentioned, you must keep them in the same syllable. LL 6.2.07 siem-pre ho rn-b re am-pliar

I I I I I I

However, if the last two consonants are not one of the twelve clusters, divide syllables between the second and third cons

onant.

LL 6.2.08

ins- pi- rar

cons-tar

Four Consecutive Consonants

F our consecutive consonants are rare. When they do occur, place two

consonants in one syllable and two consonants in the next syllabl e. LL 6.2.0’

I I I

obs-truc-ción

I

Spanish 311 Two Consecutive Vowels Two consecutive vowels can be divided in two ways. If one of the vowels is an unstressed i or u, the two vowels occur in the same syllable. LI. 6.2.10

In all other cases, two consecutive vowels are divided into separate syllables.

A written accent mark over a vowel

LL6.2.11

means that it is stressed. The accent

le-ón

over the i in the word

ca-er

ple, means that the i is stressed.

raIz,for

exam

Ic-er ra-Ii ba-ül Exercise: Divide the words into syllables: LL 6.2.12

quieto

poeta

caldo

alIá

pasillo

carro

eponer

deuda

paisaje

airoso

isa

honibre

dialect.o

ti an’poi

-

subyacente tar

Features of Spanish Pronunciation Breath Phrases

When a consonant’s position is

Word boundaries are, for the most part, ignored in spoken Spanish. Between breath pauses, words are run together and pronounced as one word. The phrase Tómas anduvo con Ana (Thomas walked with Ann) would be pronounced [to mo son dii j3o ko no wfl. This long “word” is divided into syllables following the rules above.

ferred to as “within a word,” it can

Note that

also mean “within a breath phrase,” which is like one long word iitade up of several words run together. See “Breath Phrases” on the previous

word’s final consonant that occurs between vowels begins the following syllable: any

LL 6.2.13

[con Ana

ic

[ko na nal

page.

__________________________________________________________________

Spanish 312 Note also that when a consonant ends a word and the same

I I I

consonant begins the next word, pronounce the two

consonants as one: 6.2J4

LL

los santos

A ztvzuela is a short drama with in-

[lo saiitosj

Exercise: Divide the following lines from the chorus of the sailors in the zarzuela La Gran Via, Act I.

cidental music, similiar to an operetta

6.2.15

or musical comedy. Taken from the

LL.

Palace of La Zarzuela near Madrid,

Cuando los vientos cual furias se agitan,

I

cuando las olas se encrespan e irritan

where festive dramas were presented.

b, v, d, g: Pronunciation and Word Position The pronunciation of b, v, d,

or g depends on the letter’s location in a Regardless of the letter’s position in a syllable, one pronunciation for the letter when it occurs at the beginning

word or breath phrase.

you use

of a word

and

another

phrase. Remember that

if it occurs in the middle of a word or breath b and v are pronounced the same. (See page 337

for details.)

To produce the fricative b sound, [f3i, put your lips together lightly air flows through your lips. Be sure to voice the sound. You will feel your lips vibrate. Articu lating this sound is similar to articulating [bi, except that your lips do not completely stop the air flow. and blow so that the

The fricative g sound, [yl, is articulated the same way as the German ach-laut [xl, except that it is voiced. To produce the [yl, raise your tongue as you would for a [ki, but don’t let your tongue completely touch your soft palate. Let air flow throug h the small opening between your soft palate and your tongue; then voice the sound. You will feel your tongue and soft palate vibrate.

LL 6.2.16

Examples:

be-be

b

word initial

[hi

be-be

b

between vowels

[j

yen

v

word initial

[hi

u-va

v between vowels

[f3]

dc-do

d

[dl

de-do

d between

ga-to

g word initial

[gi

Hu-go

g between vowels

[i

word initial vowels

[]

I I I I I I I I I I I

Spanish 313

I I I I

Exercise: Look at these lines from the La Gran Via. Write the IPA symbol for the underlined consonant. Watch out for those sounds that begin a word, but occur between vowels within the phrase: IL 6.2.17 Ya nuestro barco cuai raua gayiota Las alas an rompien.o nuestra suerte en pos.Hip! A bogar! Hip! A bogar! Qué hermosa es esta vida de là mar!

Lack of Aspiration in [p1, [tI, [ki

P

In English, the consonants [p], [tj, and [11 are pronounced with a puff of air if they occur before a stressed vowel (Petei appeal, king). Spanish has no such aspiration. Pronounce these sounds like the non-aspirated English sounds following an s, as in spill, still, and skill. Practice saying these pairs of words in English to feel the difference in the aspiration! non-aspiration. LL 6.2.18

peak

speak

till

tiII

kill

skill

pill

spill

teal

steal

key

ski

punk

spunk

ton

stun

Kate

skate

Now, practice these Spanish words, being careful not to aspirate. LL 6.2.19

Pablo

-

blot

ta.ta

Ito sot

casa

lko

peso

[pc sot

tengo

—

SIJI

lieu °]

queso

ILt. so]

pino

Ipi 1101

tino

Iti

iuio

Iki so)

1101

Spanish 314 pongo

Ipoq g°.l

topo

[to po]

cosa

[ko so]

tiS()

Ipu sol

tuna

liii nol

cuna

[ku noj

——

Note: Remember that the [ti is dental. (See page 350.) See page 324 for an explanation of vowels across word boundaries.

Practice the p’s andt’s in these lines from La Gran Via. EL 6120

YalIá en Iap.Iaya qua lejo’. ‘a ho 0Cn 1(1 lO ju ke Ic xo sci f3i sul panuelos qua SC agian sin [pa FIWC los ke sen xi (On sin se cesar surJ nos Ilarnan COfl arnor Inns ju mon ko no moi I h! jMgico placer! 10h! [o ma xi ko pin ser o di ijo sig Dicha singular! go 1w 1

I I I I I I II

divisa

Assimilation is the alteration of a

Assimilation of [s]

speech sound influenced by a neigh

The rules for the pronunciation of s and z are the se. The letters are pronounced as [s] or [zi depending on the consonant sound that follows.

boring sound, which makes it more like the neighboring sound.

If the next consonant is voiceless, pronounce

II II

the s or z as a voiceless Is].

LL 6.2.2 rascar haitti

I ms kor] lug tuj

p

If the next consonant is voiced, pronounce thes or z as Izi. EL 6.2.22

ragar

[ toz

hazlo

[oz

yor]

lo]

Note: Pronounce s or z between vowels as [s]. Exercise: Decide if the underlined s should be pronounced as [s] or [z].

II I

LL h.2.23

F I

Spanish 315

N I p p I I p I II

este

besos

lo año

igno

Exercise: Remembering that the letter z follows the same pronunciation rules as the letter s, decide how you would pronounce the following

z’s.

I I .2.2 ca/ar

zapato

taza

chorio

esbo,o

paz

ye,

Lorro

una vo/ flláS

haiiaigo

Assimilation of [ni The letter n is pronounced at the same point of articulation as the sound that follows it.

n is pronounced as an alveolar [nI in most cases:

r

alveolar sound is formed by

bringing the tip of the tongue near or

LL 6.2.25

j

nena

[ne

against the alveolar ridge.

][uasjelo]

Lundelo

2.

Afl

When n precedes a bilabial sound ([ml, [bI, [p1), it is pronounced

Bilabial Formed by both lips. -

as LL 6.2.2

p p p I I

Un

3.

Iiinu pe so]

peso

un heo

)unj:

inniejorahie

Ii m:e xo

When n

precedes a velar sound ([gI,

he

sol in

hid

[kl, [xl) it is pronounced as [ij]

LL 6.2,27 [iij gles]

incubar

[itj

Un gato

ltiii ii WI

Ufl (a’()

1111) ko sol

ingenio

liii

exercises.)

-

the tongue raised toward or against

ingles

(See page

Velar Pronounced with the back of

ku 13or1

xe 1110)

345 for a more detailed discussion of n and more

the soft palate.

[I Spanish 316 Consonants Sounds Not Found in English 1.ll[A] The ii has two acceptable pronunciations, [AJ (called elye) and [ii; both are widely used in parts of Spain and parts of South America. The [Al does not exist in English. It is similar to the IljJ in million. Put the tip of your tongue behind your bottom front teeth and arch your tongue so that the arch touches the front of your hard palate. Add voice and let the air exit over the sides of your tongue.

LL 6.2.2S calle

[ko Ael

or

[ka je]

Ilarnar

[Aa mar]

or

[Jo mar]

(See page 344 for exercises.)

2.

ñ]

The letter ñ is pronounced [ill, called enya. It is similar to the n in the English word canyon.

I I I II

LL 6.2.29 nifio

[nijio]

pano

[pajo]

(See “Enya

[jfl

and Elya [A]” on page 66)

3. j [x] The [xl is similar to the German ach-laut [xl. Put the back of your tongue close to the roof of your mouth, in the same position that you would use for a [k]. Be sure not to touch your soft palate. Feel the air rush through the narrow opening.

1 I

II I II

LL 6.2.30

joven enojo

[xo pen] [e no xo]

(See page 343 for a more detailed discussion and exercises.)

4.

Dentaltandd

II

I

In English, [dl and [tj are alveolar. They are pronounced with

I

the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge. In Spanish, pronounce them dentally with the tip of your tongue touching the back of your upper front teeth.

I

Spanish 317

I

LL 6.2.31

[teij go]

I

[tu no]

Exercise: Pronounce the following words.

I

LL 6.2.32 tengo

I I I I 5)

[tel) go]

danza

[don so]

taza

[to so]

desde

[dez e]

todo

[to ôo]

dama

[do ma]

tuna

[tu no]

duque

[du ke]

tieso

[tje so]

dulce

[dulsej

[rI and [t-]

are two Spanish r sounds. The first sound, Fr], is called flipped r. To produce it, flip the top of your tongue against your d alveolar ridge once. The sound is similar to the English t or cit-if, that usually occurs between vowels, as in the words Betty, There

Adam. Pronounce these words and feel how your tongue flaps pura, against the alveolar ridge. Now try the Spanish words pero,

cera. Pronounce these words.

LI 6.2.33

p

cerámica

[se ra mi ka]

árbol

[orol]

brazo

[bra so]

otro

[o tro]

fruta

[fru to]

madre

[ma &e]

largo

[br yol

criatura

[krja tu cal

verde

[ber e]

_cortar

[kor tar]

Spanish 318 There is no comparable sound in American English for the [tJ called trilled r. To approximate the sound, flip your tongue tip severa l times in rapid succession against your alveolar ridge. LL 6.2.34

In word initial position (even within a breath phrase), a single r is pronounced as trilled [ti. This is an exception where the

spelling of single r does not reflect the simple alphabet-sound correspondence of Spanish. LL 6.2.35

rosa

[to sal

rojo

[i’o xol

resto

[tes tol

(See page 348 for a more detailed discussion of how these sounds are spelled.)

Pure, Simple Vowels As in the other languages, id and

[ol are pronounced without the diph thongal off-glide that you would use in English. See “The Italian Vowels e and o” on page 64.

In Spanish, vowels have the same length, regardless of whether they occur in a stressed or unstressed syllable. They are never lengthened as they sometimes are in English. LL 6.2.36 English

Spanish

ma

ma

me

mi

may

me

low

To

too

tu

Practice saying the following words. Be careful not to turn the vowels into English dpihthongs. I16.L37 masa

[ma sal

mesa

[me sal

misa

[mi sal

moza

[mo

musa

[mu sal

larna

[Ia mal

Sal

I I I I 1

U

Spanish 319 [le

terna

[Ii ma)

jima

I I I I I I

111(1)

flo nm]

k)rna

liii nOt

luria

Epa

paso

SO]

Ipe so]

peso

Ipi

piso

SOt

po so]

OZO

Ipu so)

US()

page 329, for a more detailed (See “Spanish Vowels in Detail,” els and exercises.) discussion of the individual vow

Strong Vowels

tressed d the same in stressed and uns Spanish vowels are pronounce not reduced to a schwa [j. syllables. Unstressed vowels are LL 6.2.38 English productive

[pro dk twi [l ‘CI U mat]

legitimate

Spanish productivo

[pro duk ti 13o1 [le ‘xi ti mol

legItimo

een the unstressed Be careful to differentiate betwthes e pairs.

vowels in these

syllables as you pronounce LL 6.23

bueno comieron

e not —J [bw (ko

wc no] rn•je miii

buena

‘mje cOn]

comieran

stressed and unstressed Read aloud. Pronounce vowels in the syllables the same. LL 6.2.40 extranjero

desgracia

___

preposiclon

momenta mañana

I

________

——____

)ck.s i mij

‘x ioI

!5 ‘yro

sjo]

Ipre pa si

‘sjoiI I

[mo ‘men

to]

[Iflo ‘O 11(11

francarnente

[Iraq ko ‘men tej

estatua

fes

ahogado arribicioso

[a a ‘yo o) [am hi SjO soj 110 plikoblcs]

inaplicah]es

‘to twol

Spanish 320 Diphthongs Spanish off-glide diphthongs end with vowels that are more closed than vowels in English diphthongs. In addition, you must close the vowels more quickly. II

-:i

riaui

Enghh_j (au

]ji

]

_JLIIiILJ

This vowel chart illustrates the tighter closure of the Spanish diphthong [all compared to English [ml.

Engli4u ray

Spanish also has a fourth diphthong

rey

I

lull

hay

Lrcil [oil

boy_________

(hi]

voy

Ihoi)

cow

(kao]

causa

(knu sn(

Pronounce the following words. LL 6.2.43

eu, but its occurrence is rare. Examples: Eugenia, Europa

Spanish Irel]

pciIuc

1 i 1 I

(pci nd

deuda

Ideil 5ol Itci iuil

reinI

caucho hailc

ijol (hoi Ic]

causa

Lknu so]

flaipe_______

Incui pci

jaula

Lxou 1(1]

Jairne

Ixoi niel

pauta

Ipon In]

[knu

Glides Spanish has eight vowel combinations that form glides. Be careful not to break these sounds into two syllables. Li 6.2.44 ia

hacia

[a sjo]

ua

cuarto

[kwor to]

ie

tierra

[tje io]

ue

cuerda

[kwer oJ

io

adiOs

[a Ojos]

uo

cuota

[k.wo to]

I I I I I I I

Spanish

fl I I I I

321 -i;

viuda

[bju &i1

ui

cuidar

[kwi bar]

2.

I I

Read aloud.

fuera

l(we ini

piano

Ipii nol

ruana

Irwo

piOjo

—

hi]

tpi° xol

patio

(swa c1 Ipu ijol

mueca

[mwc LoJ

riego

[re

itueso

[we so]

fiel

[I jell

suave

Yo]

Note: If an accent mark is written over an i, the i and the following vowel are pronounced as two separate syllables.

Stress h stress. There are several aspects of Spanish stress that differ from Englis

Predictable Patterns Spanish word stress follows simple rules. are stressed on Words ending with a vowel, or the consonant n or s e: syllabl the next-to-last(penultimate) LL 6.246

imagen

[a blol [i mo yen]

esta

[es to]

visitarnos

[bi si tar nos]

hablo

syllable: /Vords ending in other consonants are stressed on the last LL 6.2.47 corner

principal verdad capaz

I Lo mcii [pdii Si pall [hci u1 [La pcis]

Spanish 322 All exceptions to these two rules carry a written accent: LL 6.2.48 estä

Ics

imán

Li moni

atras

lo Lrosi

hahlO

[u bloJ

ripido

pi ol Lull pi C mc lol

101

(fo

impIdemelo

Vowels in combination with i or u form diphthongs, unless a written accent is found on the i or u; in this case, the two vowels occur in separate syllables. LL 6.2.49 paisano

1pm so no]

pals

[po isJ

tiara

[Ijo fill

ifa

[ti

Iflft)

[mb pci (r.ni 0)

actuaciOn

I ok

actáa

Ink tu oJ

ol

IW(l SjOfl

I

Exercise: Vv’here would you stress the following words? 1.1 .25:’ lirnosna

lavar

s[as

panal

perrilo

hable

lesiOn

estis

animal

lápices

digamelo

periodo

rápido

parar

lentarnente

Syllable Length Although Spanish stressed syllables are louder, they are not longer. Every Spanish syllable is pronounced in the same amount of time. LL 6.251 Enghsh

Spanish

industry

industria

magnificent

magnIfico

industrial

industrial

I I $ I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

I

Spanish 323 Exercise: Pronounce the following words. Keep all syllables of equal length; remember that the vowels in unstressed syllables do not reduce to [a].

LL 6.2,52

I I I I I ‘I

ho-me-na-je

ex-tra-or-d i-na-rio

es-pon-ta_nd-dad

a-gra-da-ble

mo—men-ta—rio

d e-sas—tro-so

va ne-dad

re-co-men-da-bLe

h..i-hi-ta-ciOn

pi-co-Lo-g i-a

Lack of Secondary Stress Spanish does not have secondary stress. Long words are not broken up into primary-secondary patterns as they are in English. Words have several weak stresses and one primary stress. Together with similar syllable length, this feature of Spanish stress creates the familiar staccato character of this language. Spanish English /

ad mm -

ad mi nis tra cion

I.

/

•

.

•

.

.

-

-

-

-

-

•

/

.

.

.

is tra- tion

-

na-tion-al-i-ty

na-cio-na-li-dad

ge-og-ra-phy

ge o gra fI a

/

•

e du ca cion

cci u ca tion -

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Pronounce the following Spanish words. The stress patterns are marked for you. .

•

•

/

•

•

.

•

.

•

.

/

cia si fi ca ciOn

i rre spon sa bi li dad

con ti nua ción

in corn pa ti bi -ii- dad

cal cu Ia ción

in ca pa ci dad

-

-

•

•

/

/

ca-ni-ba-us-mo

re-ve-la-cjOn /

con-si-de-ra-ción

-

-

-

•

.

.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

•

-

-

-

-

-

-

.

•

•

.

/

sen-ti-men-ta-us-mo

Cognate Words Many words in Spanish and English have similar Latin roots. Their meanings and spellings are similar; however, watch out for different stress patterns! As in the exercises above, the majority of cognates have different stress patterns. Exercise: What are the English cognates for the following words? Are the stress patterns the same or different?

II Spanish

I

324 LL .253 entusiástico

individual

examinacion

vocabulano

curiosidad

rapidamente

metabolismo

departamental

comunicativo

inevitable

Stress Timing Spanish rhythm is very different from English rhythm. Whereas English rhythm is determined by the number of stresses, Spanish rhythm is determined by the number of syllables. In other words, the syllable length varies in English according to the stress system, but in Spanish, syllable length stays the same. In poetry, and songs, the number of syllables gives the “beat.” See page 324 for vowel changes across

Rosita, in Luisa Fernanda, Act 1

word boundaries.

Ii. 6.2.54

La zurcidora buena

[Ia

SUr Si

&

£0

7 syllables

we no]

5 syllables

sabe de sobra

[so e ôe so pro] que a quien mucho [kea kjen mu o le lezurce

Se]

SUf

7 syllables

-_______

poco Ic cobra Ye

quc

ci holsillo

[po Lo Ic ko Irul Ijes Lel hol Si iCol

tambin necesitaba

[torn hje ne se

buen turcidillo

lbwcn sw si ói ,(ol

Due to the strong-weak stress pat

Guard ias, in La Gran Via, Act 2

terns in English, an English speaker

LL i-2.55

will tend to shorten and lengthen

Caiga la trampa

syllables when phrasing a musical line, even when the note values are the same. Do not carry this tendency into Spanish. Base the stress pattern

[kai yc in

con precauciOn

que yi tcnemo dentru* el raton

—

Si to

5 syllables

-

5 syllables pa]

7 syllables 5 syllables

5 syllables

pnl [kon we Lou sioni Ike ju Ic ne mosl

4 syllables

[dcii tiwel m tonI

4 syllables

1mm

—

5 syLlables

instead of o (adentro) shows a dialect variation.

on number of syllables when phrasing a musical line in Spanish.

Vowel Changes Across Word Boundaries As mentioned earlier (see “Breath Phrases” on page 311), Spanish words run together within a breath phrase. When two vowels come together at the word boundaries several interesting changes occur.

I I I I I I I p p p p p p I

‘a I I

Spanish 325 When two identical vowels occur at a word boundary, the two vowels combine into one vowel. This is called vowel deletion. In rapid speech, this vowel is not even lengthened. LL 6.2.56

tierra árida

[Ijeiciri ôaJ

are entrO

trol j kwa I fO xosJ fell

cuitro ojo’,

00

When a more open vowel (that is, a vowel pronounced with the jaw lower) is followed by a more close vowel, the first vowel disappears. LL 6.2.57

a+e

Ia esposa

[les po so]

a+o

Ia hora

[lo ra]

a+i

laisla

[liz jul

a+u

laünica me imagino lo unico

[luniko]

e

+

i

o+u

[mi ma xi noj

[in ni ko]

Exception: This does not usually happen with the combinations e + u or o

+

i.

LL 6.2,38 li so]

le utilizo

[le

loinformo

[Ia in for mo]

ii ti

When e and o come into contact with each other, the first vowel

“relaxes” and almost turns the two vowels into a glide. (This probably happens because they both involve the same degree of jaw lowering.) The two vowels are then part of the same syllable. LL 6.2.f 9 e

+

o

a+e

1

este otro este o este

[es tea trol [es te oes tel

This also occurs when e or o comes into contact with a. LL 6.2.69 e

+

a

o+a

I

este alma

[es teal ma]

me hablo

[mea plo]

todo aquello pudo hacer

[to ôoa ke (ol [pu ou sen

Spanish 326 Vowel deletion and relaxation are both very important in singing. Separate vowels combine into one syllable. This allows Spanish rhythm to be maintained.

p p p

Notice the word boundaries of these lines from Luisa Fernanda. LL6,2.6.l En ml tierra extrenwña

[en mi Ije tels tie me

tengounmdo dO amores

lieu

entreencinas L,izarras

[en iren si miS

y

cataños y robles

git lii

[i kos

hi

5o &u me test

jie si io[Mesl

dondeel pajaro quiere

[don (tel

quo

[keu no po

una pájara venga

para ‘er %oberana

[pu in

do mi casa labriega.

Ide

so n’sI

0 X0 10

kje ret

1eq gel ser so e ro nul Xe ro

liii Lii SO 1(1 fjC

‘(UI

Exercise: Divide the following lines into syllables. (From the Chorus in La Gran Via, Act 1.) LL 6.2.62

Porque es el caso, que segün dicen doña Municipalidad va a dar a luz una Gran Via que

de fijo no ha tenido igual.

Triphthongs Three vowels together occur only in the Castillian verb forms used with the pronoun vosotros. (Note that pronouns in Spanish are often deleted from the sentence. For example, vosotros cambiáis becomes simply can’t biáis.)

The three vowels together are pronounced as a glide-vowel-glide, all in the same syllable. LL 6.2.n3 cambiáis

[kern bjoisj

estudiáis

[es tu djoisl [kon ii uwaisi

continuáis

p p I I p p I p I I I

Tripthongs also occur with some frequency at word boundaries. LL 6.2.64 justicia humana

Ixtis Ii SjOU IThI

estatua importante

li.s

Iii IWoun

not

O1 1(111 ILl

I

A

—

Spanish 327 [ne yo sjoim pOL tan tel [es tu djois to rjo]

negocio importante estudio historia

. either Note: Neither of the glides carries a written accent If glide has a written stress, it will belong to a separate syllable. LL 6.2.65

I

[ne yo sjo im pro o] [ne yo sjo ii ni ko]

ocio fmprobo negocio unico

Dialectal Variations Spanish dialects, English dialects differ because of vowel variations. ons. Castillian on the other hand, differ because of consonant variati dialect groups. Spanish and Latin American Spanish are the two main l regional dialect However, within these main groups, there are severa below. listed groups. The most salient differences are Accepted Pronunciation Letter

Example Castillian

cbeforeeori

I I

cancion

z, syllable initial or final caza

z before voiced consonant hcizlo II calle

[01

[s]

[kon Ojoni

[kcin sjon]

[01

[sI

[ka 001

[ka sal

[01

fri

[aO lo]

[oz lo]

[C]

[ii [ko jel

[ka iCe] [sJ

s (in syllable final) los i íos

Argentina Latin American

[los tiosi

131 [ko

3d

[sj, [hi, or silent [los ñ osl [lo ti ol [loh i’i oh]

In addition, the sound [si is pronounced [sjl in spoken Castillian Spanish. Called the apico dorsal fricative, it is produced as an [SI with the tongue tip slightly curled toward the alveolar ridge. This sound is not used in singing, however. You will also hear numerous variations of the consonants p. t, k, b, d, and g in syllable-final and word-final position. These variations are not only general dialectal patterns: even within a single dialectal region, an

Spanish 328 individual’s pronunciation of these consonants may vary. The variations are numerous. For simplicity’s sake, only the most common variations have been chosen to include in the text. A few examples are given below. LL 6. 266 Variations obtener

[op te ner [0 Ic

ncrj

I

I

[o Ic nerI bk Ic nerl verdad

[her ôoi} I ber 5(l()J (her öo( (her óu]

I I I

I I I I

I I I I I I

Th

Spanish 329

Spanish Vowels in Detail r a as [ol. It is the same Always pronounce the lette English word father. [.L

6.3.01

-a

sound as the a in the

The letter

a

Read aloud.

[ol

alma

111(11

[o iu]

ala

[kd

1(111

rnaio

[inn

itoj

pasa___________________________________

Ipo

(altar

sol

ho sol

rosa

ay, ai

I I I I

p ay or ai as the diphthong [oil. Pronounce the letter grou Read Aloud. LL (-,.3.02 [ml

hay

mu

laico

hloi kol Iboi lel

baile Jaine taita

(xui

iijcl

[tai

ml

English is similar to the diphthong in the ish your tongue closes toward words pie, sky. Notice that in Engl ounce the English [rn], the roof of your mouth as you pron front. When you pronounce the gliding upward and toward the closed position than in Spanish [oi], glide faster and to a more

Note: This sound

English. LL

6.3.03

Compare and contrast: Spanish

English eye

[au

hay

[au

knife

[naufi

naipe

[noi pci

tight

hart]

taita

[tai to]

and written accent, it is no longer a glide Remember that if the i has a ble. is pronounced as a separate sylla

II Spanish 330 LL 6.3.04

I au Pronounce au as the diphthong [ou] similar to the diphthong in the English words cow, house. Notice that your jaw closes, gliding upward and backward. When you pronounce the Spanish diphthong, glide faster and farther to a more closed position than in English. LL 6.3.05

Compare and contrast: Spanish

English

auto

(ml to(

howl

Iau{j I haul I

jau Ia

[xmj 1(11

couch

Ikautli

caucho

cow

(Lao]

causa

[kmi (101 [Lou so]

out

LL 6.3.06

Read aloud:

sauna

[pou to] jsou noj

caucho

[kuu oj

auto

[cm toj

pauta

The letter

e

Diphthong as you do in English. (For details on singing a pure [ci, see “The Italian Vowels e and o” on page 64.) LL 6.3.07

Compare and contrast:

EnglishlciJSpamsIici day

[dcii

de

[dcl

May

Imeil

nw

say

Reil

Kay

(kciJ

qtIe

InicI Esci Ikel

Fay

[fci]

f

LL6.3.08

Read aloud:

-

[Ic]

I I I I I I

I p I I

p I

________Li Spanish 331 [pero]

Lf2

[di sel

dice

_J ey, ei

diphthong is somewhat similar to Pronounce ey and ei as [eu. This ish glides, you must the English diphthong [eu. As in other Span English. in raise your jaw faster and close it more than Compare and contrast: LL 63.09 Spanish (eu English jei] 1W]

Lrcil

ray

2’____JII___]

i

Note: ey only occurs in word-final position. 1.1..

h’.]’

rey

Reil

Icy

(leiJ

reina

(ici liol

peine

I

Read aloud:

[pci nd

treinta

Itcein iu(

peinado

Ipci rio o}

accent, it is no longer a Remember that if the i has a written glide and is pronounced as a separate syllable. LL 63i I [ieij

eu thong [eul. Put your Pronounce the letter combination eu as the diph the position mouth in the position for [el; then quickly glide to not a common is this that for [ul, rounding your lips tightly. Note sound in Spanish. Read aloud: LL 63.12 [udo

[deu óol [seu oJ

I

Spanish 332

The letter

i

Pronounce i as [i]. Be sure not to lengthen it; there is no glide, as there usually is in English. LL 6.3.13

Compare and contrast:

Engii’h li:l me

fiiii:l

mi

imil

tea

lu:l

ti

[Lii

see

[cii

si

[si]

vi

[bil

qui

[ku

bee

—

key

Ihi’] [Li.]______

{

1

I I I I I I

Spani.h lii

—

Read aloud:

miormar

linfoi

ira

Ii

silla

i’.i ,(oJ______

corni

Lko mi]

mull

101

ia, le, 10, iu

\Ajhen i precedes another vowel pronounce it as the glide [ji. The two vowels form part of the same syllable. They are not separated into two syllables as they are in English. LL 6.3J5

Compare and contrast:

English piano

Spanish [pi jo no)

piano

[pjo no]

Practice the following words. Keep the vowels in the same syllable. f

1

internacional

[ill

atención

lu ion sjon]

conferencia

I Lou Ic ion Siul ides pci i siol

desperdicio obsequio

icr flu jo null

embriaguei

1oI so kjo] [em brjo yes]

liar

ilinli

p1010

I pjo

criar

[kijurl

piedad

Ipjc öcii

XO

I -

-

I I I I p I p I

Spanish 333 Note: If an accent mark is written over an i, the i is no longer pronounced as a glide, and the two vowels are pronounced in separate syllables. (However, be sure not to insert a UI sound between land the following vowel.) LL 63.17

rIo

In cii

desaffo ..aIIa

Idescifiol l(1 Ii cii

tenla

lie

IL

‘

,.

cii

1i

Read aloud:

lo i°I to ijoj

odiar historia

ciariuro

Ikijo 5oi tsjo flu iou

nad e

[no Sjc I

diente

[den ic]

alguien

[cii

fiesta

lfjcs

miope

ImJo pci

tardIo

[iou

fa$idio

11(1% ii

rnafioso

[mci fjo so]

ciudad

Nu oi [hju 5o]

criada

viuda

gjcu] to]

Oi ol

IjoJ

The letter

Pronounce o as [o]. Do not lengthen it or turn it into a diphthong. LL 6.31Q

I I

Compare and contrast:

Spanish_[ol

English [oul no

mcml

no

[no]

cocoa

lko Lomi

cocci

lb ko)

dose

kiousi

dos

low

hod

lo

LL6.3.20

Read aloud:

-

-

kiosi

I Ici

olla

[o

ocaso

[o ko so]

paño

[pci jo]

flint)

(ni p0]

1(01

—

Spanish 334 oy, oi Pronounce the letter combination cy or oi as [oil. This diphthong is

I I I I

similar to the English oy as in toy, boy. When you pronounce the Spanish, however, glide faster and close your jaw more. Pronounce these similar words. LL 6.3.21

Compare and contrast.

LL 6.3,22

Read aloud:

voy

[boil

hoy

[oil

boina

[boi nol [kom si irI

coincidir

Note: Remember that if an accent mark appears over the i, the two vowels are pronounced in separate syllables. T T Y LL ).L)

egoIsta

The letter

[e yo is tol

Pronounce u as [ul. Although this sound is similar to the vowel in the English word food, the English [ul is somewhat longer and is pronounced with a slight glide. When you pronounce the Spanish [UI, make sure to keep it short. LL 6.3.24

Compare and contrast:

English

Spanish

too

tt

taboo Sue

Li.’ hii] jji

tabü su

lliiJ -

Ito Pul Isul

Notice that many English words that are spelled with a consonant + u are pronounced as the consonant + [jul, as in cute, beautiful,fezv, mute. Spanish words never add a UI between a consonant and a u.

I I 1 I I I I I I I I I

Spanish 335 Compare and contrast:

CL (,.325

N

U

I I I

Eilgl i’Ii I.i” I funeral

Spiriisli [iii 11ju113r311

bureaucracy

Ihiii

music

I mju ,iLI

mi.sica

cube

Ikiuhi

cubo

municipal

Imiu iu

occupy

[n ki pail

ic

ri

plJ

iul]

Ihu 10 km sjul [mu si ko

burocracia

kr. sil

si

[fit He

municipal

[kit 13o1 [mu iii si pull

ocupar

[o kit purl

—

Read aloud:

I

lii

una —______________________________________

11(11

—

—

Lii 13u1

I)’lo_____________________________________ Ip” pci

lii’ 1(11

ua Pronounce ua as [wa] ,ue as [we], and uo as [wo]. Put your lips and jaw in the position for [u], then quickly move to the position for the vowel that follows.which occurs only in a few words, and the ui are pronounced. CL 6.327

suave

lswa eI

usual

lu swail

cuerda

N N I

—

puesta

lpwcs

cuota

Ikwo ml_——________________

1(11

-

-_____________

ui, Pronounce the combination uy or ui as [wi]. The first vowel is a glide; the second vowel forms the center of the syllable. When you pronounce this vowel combination, put your lips and jaw in the position for [uj; then quickly move to the position for [ii. LL 6.3.28

Read aloud.

muy

Imwil

buitre

Ihwitfe]

Iluir

I I

Ikwer uI

-

cuita

-

—

[wir] [kwi ‘“I

Spanish

p p

336

The letter

when y occurs as a single word (meaning and) followed by a word that begins with a consonant, pronounce the y as [ii.

LL ô.3.2i [i Ill]

Y tü?

cantar

y

bailar

[kan ta n bai jail

When y is followed by a vowel, pronounce it as [j]. When you pronounce this sound in Spanish, narrow the space between your tongue and the roof of your mouth so that the air hisses slightly. LI.

633O

Read aloud.

yerro

lie 101

yerno

iiC’

yerba

lieu f3u] lkci jo] l.iu sen

cayo

-

-

yacer pOyO

--

yugo

yate yarda

yuglar yunto yo

—___________

10]

liCl %jelltel IJU yoj

yaciente

yute

[po

no]

——

-

-—

-

-

ho

tel

liii tel IJW ôU]

hiu ylot I I.iitti toJ ho!

-

-

-_______________________________

—___________________________

I P I I I I I I p I p I I p I

Spanish 337

Spanish Consonants in Detail it is pronounced [bi. This sound When b begins a word or syllable, plosive. However, when is similar to the English [hi, but it is less as e it [131. This also applies to b occurs between vowels, pronounc even if that b is in syllableb between vowels in a breath phrase, r that when followings or initial position in a word. Also, remembe the Spanish b is pronounced as r, or when in syllable-final position, r or 1, pronounce it as [13]. [131. When b occurs before LL 64(fl syllable initial [hi buzo phrase, no longer syllable initial; within the mi bu,o 1131 h occurs between vowels

I I I I I

nounce [bi with your lips Note: To pronounce [3j, pro them. slightly parted so that air flows through ld pronounce the b’s in the Exercise: Decide how you wou following phrases. LL

mi huen ai2rigo bueno y harato haraja ilanca beso baboso bulto blando

IL 4 03 syllable initial

Read aloud. [hi

beso bomba bruto brisa

bebe

between vowels

[131

bono rábano

[13]

following r

[f3j

[bru to] [bri so] [be f3ei [ho nol [Th o no]

cantaba

[so pa o1 [ken to 13o1

hábil

[a

lobo

[lo 13o]

es bueno perturbar

[ez f3we no] [per tur 13cr]

soñaba

following s

[be so] [born bo]

pu]

p Spanish 338 syllable final

before 1

[pj

iN

before r

C

subjectivo

[sue xc ti {3o]

obtener

[oj te neil

obtuso hablar

[o tu sol [ci j3lorJ

sobra

[so froj

Pronounce c before a, o, or u as [kJ. LL 6.4,04

caar

Iku ‘(iiI

ct

Ikuuicil

cama

Iko

corner

—

Iko men

COrn)

culto

Ikul

cuñado

Iku poo1 Ikiim phil

cumplir

p p I

1110]

I ko SO] Iko no]

COS1

p

to]

p

In Latin American Spanish, pronounce c before e or i as is]. Li t.4.05

cerca cerdo cera

Ken Lo]

—

-

——___________________

-________

cidra ciclo

cirnar

-

lscr_] I se no]

-__________________________

N ro1 Isi kid

—_______________________

Isi iiionl

In Castillian Spanish, pronounce c before e or i as [01. L L 6.4.06

cerca

[Ocr ko]

Pronounce cc across syllables as [ksl. Remember that the Spanish [k] is not aspirated. 11 6.4.07

acción

[ok sjon]

ficción

[fik sjon]

acceso

[ok se so]

occidente

[oL. si óen tel

I

_______

I I I I I I

Spanish 339 Pronounce ch as word church.

[a]. This is the same sound found in the English

LL 6.4.08 charla

[of lol

achacar

[ofo kor]

chapo

No pol Eku i ioI

cuchillo

The Spanish [dl is dental; touch the back of your upper teeth when you pronounce it at the beginning of a syllable.

I I I I I I

LL 6,4.09

Read aloud:

decir

1 ide sir]

decena

ide se nul

defirur

ide

don

(dotil

[(1(11

dar

Ii

nun

dulce

[do mill Idul ccl

dormir

Idor rnirl

doblar

[do (ku1 [do lorl

domingo

—

dolor

go]

-—________________________

When d occurs between vowels, after s or r, or in syllable-final position, pronounce d as [J. When you pronounce this sound in English, as in the word this, notice that your tongue is between your teeth. When you pronounce this sound in Spanish, however, place the tip of your tongue on the edge of your upper teeth, but do not thrust it out. Remember that these rules also apply to d’s within phrases. EL 64.10

Ii

Ldu

I1

danza

ladamza

It’s especially important not to use [dl between vowels, because it’s dental placement can make it sound like In, and you will confuse words such as the following: LL 6.4.11

Lmodo tOd()

[mo Oo]

moro

[mo ro]

(to Ool

toro

[to no]

Lriida

(liii

n-iira

[nii no]

tSoJ

_____

_____ _____

I

Spanish 340 I cada lod a 11

.

Jja ul

ca.ra

jj10 O I

bra

1

1(11

I Jo ro I

I

Read aloud.

todo

flo o]

rnitad

mu

poder

Ipo erl

sed

IseN

duda

1(1(1

red

LeI

rriadu ra

I ma

usted adentro

lus tc] Ia &iI tro]

SLId

FsuI

I

a donde

Ia on del

II

se va de aqul cama doble

Isc 130 öc a ku In 110 u ‘l ILo ma 5o bid

casa de arriendo

[La so e a

mama do Pedro

[ma ma & pe dro]

La droga

[Jo dro vol

pega duro Rosa duernw

Ipe ye ôu roj I ro so wcr mc]

I

Mi na dice

Imi rjo_i

p

11

LI. c’.4 4

Read aloud.

si,’llnblL’ a, Thai

Id]

between vowels

[I

follozi’ing s

syllable fmal

p

(11

‘I

cti ia]

Read aloud.

una duda

followinc r

I

ton]

II Iô]

tjdn

I I

dol

sd

I den so 1(10k torI doctor deporte_______ l(Ie par tel ide ioj dedo

d enso

pido

Ipi

adornar

desde

Ia 5oi noel ldez IeJ

desdén

[dc, &nI

verdad

[her oI

saiud Madrid

Iso luI Imo drij

virtud

(bir

I

oI

tuôi

I

I

I

I

Spanish 341 j

The English and Spanishfs are pronounced alike. Hi

I I I I I I I I I I I

forrna

Ifor inol

fango fwl

IIoi.i gel Ilicil

func’iOn

111111 sjonl

The English and Spanish g are pronounced alike, except when the Spanish g occurs between vowels or before e or i: when between vowels, pronounce the Spanish gas [y]; when before e or as [x]. Many English speakers pronounce the word sugar with this [yl.

LYi

IgI gota t

1 1(1

Y0

tel

gira

lxi ml

Read aloud.

‘.

before a, o,

before

Ia gota

I_go_tej

[xl

—

t’,

Igi

U

i

-

lxi

-

—

l1L’tZ{’eefl

z’ozt’els

IyI

gamba

[gem

ganso

[geti

galgo

[gel go]

golpe

Igol pci

golfo

[gol toJ

gorna

[go

guano

[guo

gusto

Igus tol

gutural

[gu

gelatina

Ixe lo ti nol

gema gemelo

[xc mel Ixe me lol

ginotear

lxi

ingenio

liii xc njo]

soga

Ilaga

Iso ye] [Au ye]

vago

Iho yol

daga

Ide ye]

saga

Iso yol

bul so]

mej

Lu

1101

iou

nio IC

oil

I II

Spanish 342 [y]

following s

I.

esgrima

[ez yri ma]

desgastar

[dez yas tar]

U

Read aloud.

t.4. I

juego

[xwe yol

megusta

Ime yns_tal_—-

no hago

1110 (1

es gordo

Iez yor ôol

esgrande desgracia

Icz YfOll dcl [dez yro SJO1

una

III

gOLI

no me da Ia gara

-______

-_____

--

m

yol

110 YO

1110 me

1(11

&i

I

-

-_______

-__________

In yci iial

I

gua, gue, gue, gui, gui ‘,Vhen gua occurs at the beginning of a word or breath phrase, pronounce it as [gwoj; when it follows a vowel, pronounce it as [ywal. LL 6.4.10

guayaba fraguar

I(JW(1 j(1 f311

[fra

-

guarnir

I

YWOI

[gwar

liii

-_________________

I

When gue occurs at the beginning of a word or breath phrase, pronounce it as [gel; when it follows a vowel, pronounce it as [ye]. L1 1.4.2U

guerrero

[ge ie rol

Ia guerra

[Ia ye ra]

V\Then gue occurs at the beginning of a word or breath phrase, pronounce it as [gwe]; when it follows a vowel, pronounce it as

I I

I I I 1

[ywel. LL 6.4.21

guepil

[gwe pill

averigüe

[a e ci ywel

when gut occurs at the beginning of a word or breath phrase, pronounce it as [gil; when it follows a vowel, pronounce it as [yij LL 6.4.22

I

—

Ia guip

—

[Ia yi xol

p I I I

Spanish 343 When gui occurs at the beginning of a word or breath phrase, pronounce it as [gwii; when it follows a vowel, pronounce it as [ywil.

The Ii in Spanish is silent. LL 6.4.23

I I I I I I I

ihogar

Ia a you

haz

frisi

haya

(a

harto

IOU to]

j(I}

Pronounce the Spanishj as [xj. This sound, similar to the German ach-laut is also similar to the first sound in the English words Hugh and Huron. Put the back of your tongue near the velum (the soft palate). Feel the air hiss through the small opening. Li 6,4.24

Read aloud.

justo

[xiis tol

juvenil

lxii j3e uiIl

juzgar

(xii,

ajonjolI

1(1 XO11 XO

arr()jar

((1 rO

bajar

iho

rja

Ire xaJ

juego

IXWe

jugar

lxii You

juntar

IxiJil tori

oveii

IXO

iaula

IXULI lal

adjustar

1(1

o

j

yarl

lii

X(1Il

Xc111 —

yoj

13ci

XI1S

tori

[ha xol

The letter k only appears in words borrowed from other languages. It has the same basic sound as in English, but is unaspirated. (See “Lack of Aspiration in [p1, [‘1, [k]” on page 313.) LI. 6.4.25 karate ograma

[ko ua tel

ma

1 Spanish 344 [kjos ko]

kiosco

Lk1___

J

[ki be tcoj —

Pronounce the letter 1 as [11, similar to the 1 in the English word leap. Keep the blade of your tongue flat; do not lower it. Do not use the English “dark” 1 as in the words hull, hill, fall.

1

LL 64.26 Engii’h ill IT1III

Compare and contrast: --

Imill

Spanish iii

-________

mu

hill

111111

tail

[1311

tal

[loll

call

lkDIi

cab

1kxli

all

[31J

deli

idll

del

Ideil

hotel

I Iwo ‘:ll

hotel

1° tell

mail

im3li

mai

imuil

I

[xiii

1(111

Read aloud.

lava

[iu 3o]

iecciOn

lick sjoni

nulta

Initil ioi

sultana

isol

vii

[bill

fehrii

lIe I3rili

tO

-

—

II I I

I I I

11(11 -

11 The letter combination 11 is pronounced in several ways throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The two most acceptable variations are [Al and [ii. The [Al is similar to the pronunciation of the 11 in the English word million (see details on page 316); the [j] is just as widespread, especially in Latin America, and is the sound of the English y in the word yes. LL 64.28

I I 1 I

I I p

Read aloud.

valle

[bu Ael

Ilamaba callar

[Au mu f3u] [ku Aurl

llama

[Au mul

allI

[u Ai]

I 1

Spanish 345

II

Ialk

[Jo (o]

malli

[ma ,co]

polio

[pa o]

Ilano

l,Co nol

Lievar hallar

lc focl Ia i(oiJ

Have

Ii(o Pel

bolsillo

Ihol si ,(oI

Ilarnar

lAo marl

—

I The Spanish m is the same as in English. LL h.4.2

I

misa

[mi sal

amar

[a mar]

The n in most positions is the same as the English n, and causes no problems. However, when the n occurs before a bilabial sound [bi, [p1, [m], it becomes bilabial like that sound. And when it occurs before a velar sound [ki. [gi, [xi, it becomes velar like that sound. LL 64.30 syllable inttial befoie [m],[bl,[p]

[ni [ml

nudo

[nu 5o]

inato

[i no tol [i ma’ tori

inmutar incautar

[um be soj [i,j kou tori

inclinar

[iij ku

ingles

[iij

gles]

ingenio

[ii

xe njo]

un beso [‘ii

before [ki before g

I

[iii

Exercise: How would you pronounce the words and phrases? LL t’.4.3l inmejorable

incautar

—

incantador comen mejor

denle

n’s

non

in the following

________________________

Spanish Sp

346 comen pan conmemoraciOn con m

go

contento

toniari

ViflO

n

I Pronounce the Spanish the

ny

LL

ñ

as [jil, called

in the English word

6.4.32

This sound is similar to

canyon.

Read aloud:

111110

mi .1101

pu no

Epu

ñapa

The

enya.

pol

pano

p’I Ipojiol

reñir

freiiirl

hano

Ihojiol

1.11(1

Spanish p is pronounced

spill, speak, spank.

the

same

as the English p in the words

There is no aspiration, regardless of where

the p

occurs.

LL 6.4,33

Read aloud:

EngIili (p] paper

Spani’th

Ipi

papel

Paul

Paul

pesirnisrn

pesimNmo

1 [ .-1.”-1

Read aloud:

pena

Ipe nnj

apelar

lo PC Ion

Op ti mo

I op ( i mo I

aptitud

[up Li

—

tn

A

The

the letter combination qu, which is always In Spanish, qu only precedes e or i.

Spanish q appears in

pronounced

[kj.

Note: Remember that the Spanish [k] is not of Aspiration of [p1, [tJ, [kj” on page 313.

aspirated. See

“Lack

Spanish 347 LL h.4.35

Read aloud:

1_______________________ Ikel quebrar

fke

quejar

Ike xciii

quechua

Eke

fOfJ

gWu

Jki sjoJ Ikje f°1 Ikieni

quiebra quien

Spanish has two r sounds. The first sound, r, is called aflipped When you pronounce it, flip the tip of your tongue against your alveolar ridge once. The sound is similar to the English t or d between vowels, as in the words Betty, city, ieader,feeder. Notice that this sound is always spelled with a single r. The second r sound, fr], is called trilled r. There is no comparable sound in English. When you pronounce it, flip the tip of your tongue against your alveolar ridge several times. Notice that this trilled r can be spelled either with a single r or a double rr, depending on the position in the word. LL 6.4.36 word initial

syllable initial

syllable final

[19

[ri

[r] or fri

ii

p I p

after n, s rr

[ 19 Er]

religiOn

[te li xjon]

remo rito

[ te mol [ti to]

resulta

[re sul to]

pared

[pci fed]

mira

[mi f ci]

virar

[bi for]

orar

[o for]

pajaro

[pa xci ro]

subir teñir

[su f3irJ [te Jir]

venir

[be nir]

hablar enredar

[a lor] [en te oar]

Israel

[is to eli

barra

[bo to]

hierro

[je to]

r

Spanish

P

348 cierro

Jsjc roJ

enterrar

[en te rorl

Exercise: Decide how to pronounce the r’s in the follo wing words. Are they flipped r’s, trilled i’s, or either? LL (i4.37

cerrad o tornar

subrayar

I I I

otro

I p

rote

roba r enrojal enriquecer

aired ed or brisa 1. L. 4. ‘S

I Contrast

(cI

pero caro

vara cero hero anara

the two r’s. Ill

[pe mI [ku ro) Lbu fol [se ioJ fije ml [o me ful

perro

Ipe to]

carro

ILo to] ho ml I se rol

barro cerro

fierro amarra

I fje roj fo me tel

Do not confuse t and d between vowels with [rJ. Com pare the following pairs of words. They are not pronounc ed alike.

I I 1 I

LL 6.4.39

todo

[to óol

toro

cada

[ko &l [mo wi

cara

[to rol [Ice m]

moto

S

moro

[mo ro]

meta mida

[me to]

mera

[mi 6oJ

mira

[me ml [mi m]

seda

[Se

cera

[se La]

&]

The s and the z in Latin American Spanish and English are

pronounced in the same way; the only problem you might have is in deciding which to pronounce in which position.

I

I 1

___

___________

Spanish 349 LI. 6.4.40 syllabic initial

syllable final between vowels

before voiced

N

Is! I Sj

Ezl

Si fl

(sin!

sobar

(SO

‘ur

Isiji]

casas

Ike susi

is[aItar

I.esfnlier]

caso

[ko

piso

Ipi so!

esbirro

lez f3i to]

rasgar

I r07 yui1

desbocar

ldei joknr] [i, Io

f3or/

So]

L OFlSOfltIfltS

I p p p

isla

Note: In spoken Spanish, s is pronounced in different ways depending on the dialect (see page 327). All plurals are pronounced [si; plurals never have a [zJ sound as they do after voiced sounds in English (boys, chairs, doors). In singing, however, follow the rules presented above. Exercise: Decide how to pronounce the s’s in the following words or phrases. EL 6.441

mesclar

I

digusto es

p I I I I I I

esposo

las vacas lOS fliflOS (, fllI()

está

tiene peca tienes becas Ll

..1. -L..

Compare and contrast.

[z]

Is!

English

Spanish

president

presidente

present

presente

visit

visitar_________________________

rose

rosa

museum

musco

1 I

Spanish 350 a

t

Pronounce t as a dental [t]. To articulate this sound, put the tip of your tongue against the back of your upper teeth. It is never aspirated, as it is before a stressed vowel in English. LL 6.4.43 ten

Iienl

tinta

urn tol

taia

11(1

A..tI.ántco

[ot kin Ii kol

ritrno

I

L[

“

4.44

sol

ru irioj

Compare and contrast.

Ill nglish

Ill Spanish

two

tu

tea

ti

tan

tan

tuna

tuna

tall

tal

4

V

The letter v follows the same rules as the letter b. There is no difference in pronunciation between the two. (You may hear speakers using the [vi for reasons of social prestige, but they are not consistent and the use is confined to a few common words.) The words tiivo and tubo are pronounced alike. (See the discussion for the letter b, page 337.) LL6.445 syllable initial

following S

Ibi

verde

[ber Oe]

verificar

[be n

fi

ku]

[j3]

desvanecer

following r

[13]

intervalo

[dez 130 ne ser] [in ter f3o lo]

between vowels

[]

vive

[bi 13e]

cavar

[ko 13orJ [In j3oi nol

La vaina

w

1

The letter w does not belong to the Spanish alphabet. It occurs only in a few borrowed words. When this letter does appear , it is pronounced the same as the English w.

I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I

Spanish 351 LL 6.4.46 rsyllable initial

[wJ

[wis ku

whisky

x

When x begins a word, it is usually pronounced [si. LL 6.4.47

[se no fo j3jal

xenofobia

When x begins a syllable, it is pronounced jksI. LL 6.4.48 [prok

proximo

Si

mol

VVhen x ends a syllable (that is, precedes a consonant), it is pronounced [sI. LL 6.4.49

[es ki

exquisito

Si

toj

In words of Indian or Central American origin, x is pronounced [xj. LL (-.4.5O [me xi ko]

Mexico

Note:

The sound [xj is often spelled with aj, as in the spelling

Méjico.

I

The pronunciation of z is the feature that most clearly distinguishes the Castillian and Latin American dialects. When singing songs from Spain, use the sound [01, which is the same as the English Hi in the words thin, think, thank. When singing Latin American songs, use the same rules for the letter s. LL 6.451

Latin American sylicible initial syllable final

Castillian [SI zambuco [sam bu ko] [s] zarzuela [sar swe laj [pas] [si paz

[01 [6am bu koi [0] [Oar Owe Ia] [0] [poOl

haz

[as]

[01 [aOl

before a voiced [z] consonant

paz de

[paz óe]

[01 [pa0 5ej

[zi

juzgar

[xiiz yorl

[0] [xuO yafi

[si

Exercise: Decide how to pronounce the following z’s in both the

Latin American and Castillian dialects.

z

___ ___ _____

_____ ___ __________ ___ ___ _____ ___ ___________ ___ _ ___

______

[I

Spanish 352 I.] (‘.4.>

f

chori,o

rayOn azul influenza

I I

azücar

cerveia zabullir

,alanwrIa C7fl()

For more information on Castillian Spanish, see ‘Dia1ecta1 Variati ons” on page 327.

I

I I

I I I I

II I ,1 II

An Essential Reference for Every Singer’s Personal Library! When learning songs and arians in English, Italian, Latin, German, French, and Spanish, singers need a concise reference that will quickly guide them to the correct pronunciations. Diction for Singers is written specifically for this purpose.This useful text offers these key features for each language: Easy Navigation Page through the book and instantly locate the required language, sound, or spelling. At-a-glance Charts Look up common letter groups, such as qu in Italian, and immediately find the correct pronunciation. Concise Rules Learn the rules that govern the pronunciation of words, written especially for singers. Clear Explanation of Letter Groups Look up individual letter groups, such as the variation sof the French e (eau, ei, eu, em, eim, en, ent) and instantly find pronunciations, exceptions, and examples as well as references to the general rules that pertain to the sound. A Special Orientation for Singers Read the “Special Features” sections and helpful margin notes to find relevant tips, traditions, and advice about problems singing in the language. In addition, this text is prepped to work with the upcoming Online Interactive Listening Labs. This hand reference will guide singers to the pronunciations they need quickly, easily, and accurately! Diction for Singers.com Cel umbra 800-284-7043

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