{"id":30002,"date":"2018-03-19T22:15:38","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T21:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/?p=30002"},"modified":"2018-03-19T22:15:38","modified_gmt":"2018-03-19T21:15:38","slug":"french-pronunciation-and-squirrels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/french\/french-pronunciation-and-squirrels\/","title":{"rendered":"French Pronunciation and…Squirrels?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We all know that French pronunciation can be difficult (but not impossible!) for English speakers to master. The French “r” is particularly difficult, for example. But, according to legend, there is one word that the French themselves used during World War II to discover non-French spies…\u00e9cureuil<\/em>, which means “squirrel.”<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Pixabay.<\/p><\/div>\n

The word \u00e9cureuil<\/em>\u00a0(nm) rhymes with the word feuille\u00a0<\/em>(nf), or “leaf,” and\u00a0accueil\u00a0<\/em>(nm), or “welcome.” Whenever you see an –euil<\/em> or –eil<\/em> ending in French, make sure you’re not pronouncing the “l” at the end. Rather, it will sound like an “oy” (like, “Oy, that really hurt!”). So, the correct pronunciation of\u00a0 \u00e9cureuil<\/em>\u00a0would be something like EC-CUR-ROY. Notice that that difficult French “r” is in there, too.<\/p>\n

If you really want some practice, try reading out loud this short poem by\u00a0Maurice Car\u00eame:<\/p>\n

L’\u00c9cureuil et la feuille\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Un \u00e9cureuil, sur la bruy\u00e8re,<\/div>\n
Se lave avec de la lumi\u00e8re.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Une feuille morte descend,<\/div>\n
Doucement port\u00e9e par le vent .<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Et le vent balance la feuille<\/div>\n
Juste au dessus de l\u2019\u00e9cureuil\u00a0;<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Le vent attend, pour la poser,<\/div>\n
L\u00e9g\u00e8rement sur la bruy\u00e8re,<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Que l\u2019\u00e9cureuil soit remont\u00e9<\/div>\n
Sur le ch\u00eane de la clairi\u00e8re<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
O\u00f9 il aime \u00e0 se balancer<\/div>\n
Comme une feuille de lumi\u00e8re.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
You can find the translation of this poem below. But, first, take some time to pat yourself on the back for working on a really tough word for English speakers to pronounce. And, if it makes you feel any better, it is quite difficult for French speakers to say the word “squirrel” in English, too. Just take a look at this compilation by French social media star\u00a0J\u00e9r\u00f4me Jarre:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
https:\/\/youtu.be\/BJj8X07Zm-0<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
English translation:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Squirrel and the Leaf<\/em><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A squirrel, on the heather,<\/div>\n
bathes itself in the light.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A dead leaf falls,<\/div>\n
softly carried by the wind.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
And the wind flings the leaf<\/div>\n
just above the squirrel;<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The wind waits to let it fall<\/div>\n
lightly on the heather,<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
so the squirrel can climb back up<\/div>\n
the oak tree in the clearing<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
where he loves to swing<\/div>\n
like a sheet of light.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
**Notice that this poem works by using two different meanings of the word\u00a0feuille<\/em>, a “sheet” or layer or something, and a “leaf.”<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

We all know that French pronunciation can be difficult (but not impossible!) for English speakers to master. The French “r” is particularly difficult, for example. But, according to legend, there is one word that the French themselves used during World War II to discover non-French spies…\u00e9cureuil, which means “squirrel.” The word \u00e9cureuil\u00a0(nm) rhymes with the…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":30003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[507516,507515,408503,388,507514],"class_list":["post-30002","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vocabulary","tag-difficult-french-words","tag-ecureuil","tag-free-french-lesson","tag-french-pronunciation","tag-squirrels"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t