Alisian/Appendices/Pronunciation

The following pronunciation guide using IPA symbols is for Standard Alisian. Also known as International Alisian and Received Pronunciation (RP) Alisian. Although it is considered snobbish by some, it is generally understood by all French speakers.

Approximate pronunciations
The approximation column is a hint for beginners. In some cases it is very close, and in others it leaves something to be desired. The best method is to listen to a real French audio sample included in the book, or additional web resources (Forvo, Language Guide). In the approximations you will see that they follow the IPA symbols. For example: [a] and [ɑ] will always be [ah], [ɛ] will always be [eh], [i] will always be [ee], etc. Also there is a superscript [(n)] for a nasal on the syllable. Do not read it to mean an "n" sounding nasal, but rather a symbol to indicate nasalization on the preceding syllable.