Dangerous liaisons : a few tips on sounding French and eventually understanding the French !

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Related article: http://ontheartoflearningfrench.blogspot.com/2011/08/french-pronunciation-les-liaisons.htmlhttp:

If you want to blend in the Hexagon (for the geometrically challenged, it’s France), try these few tips:

·        Try to speak French with an exaggerated/accentuated French accent/ same as the one you take when speaking English – type Allo allo.

·        Sounding of the last consonant

Le port (sound [por])

La porte (sound [por])

Sound the” t” when there is an “e” afterwards

·        Les Liaisons dangeureuses: one of the main complaints of students of French is that spoken French sounds like a long ohn ohn ohn without any clue when a word starts or ends. In French you need to flow, unlike British English where the words are clipped. The way to flow is to blend the words together.

·        Cutting in syllables :

In English : Conf/ort/able + stress on Conf

In French : Con/ for/ table + stress on Table.

If a French person breaks up a French word into syllables according to English rule, he/she will sound English

To make a ‘liaison’, you need :

·        The next word to start with a vowel or h(some h)

·        The preceding word to end with a  consonant

DON’T sound the end consonant. Drag it to the next word.

DO NOT RUSH!!!!!

Je suis zitalien

Elle est  titalienne

Il est tanglais

Il est trop panglais

Il est très zanglais

So “zanglais”, “tanglais”, “panglais”, are the same word! The trick is to make all the liaisons when speaking ( there are 2 kinds, compulsory & optional) so that when hearing one, you can decrypt/decipher it.

 If you want to have a go at cracking the French Pronunciation, why not try one of the Singing in French Workshops organised by Mosaic Languages in Wimbledon

Local South West London Paper Prizes Brussels!!! and it's about languages!

Could not resist....
http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/archive/2011/04/30/yournews_schools/9002063.Thank_you_Brussels/

 

Thank you Brussels

There has recently been a decline in the study of languages at school, especially French. English speakers are notoriously, rather embarrassingly, bad at learning languages – many argue that we have become lazy as English is spoken so commonly – which is unfortunate as it has been said that speaking another language can increase the average worker’s salary over their lifetime by a significant amount, and simply having a foreign language a-level generally makes someone more employable.
It’s lucky, therefore, that Streatham and Clapham High school has always prided itself on its passion for foreign languages.
This was demonstrated by the ravings with which seven A-level French students recently returned from a stimulating week in Belgium, where they had stayed to do work experience in order to benefit their French speaking skills for their AS examinations in May. Despite most being painfully nervous as they approached the Brussels, wondering why on earth they had agreed to something so beyond them, it turned out to be an incredibly rewarding experience. One girl said “I loved the intensity of being completely immersed in a different language – the disappointment when I couldn’t understand what was being said combined with the pride after having sustained a conversation in French.” They were also moved by the kindness and understanding that people they encountered showed.
Overall the trip’s powerful impression convinced these girls that English being a universal language should not prevent them from being able to share in the enriching experiences of learning and using a foreign language.

Last day to enrol for the Delf - Daff French exams for June session 2011

DELF DALF diplomas

The DELF ("Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française") and DALF ("Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française") consist of 6 diplomas independent from each other.

They correspond to the 6 levels of the Common European Framework of References for languages. They are the only French as a foreign language qualifications which are officially recognised by the French ministry of Education. They are internationally valid.
JUNE 2010 London ( South Kensington Exam centre: French Institute)

	Written examinations	Oral examinations	FEES per level
DELF A1	Friday, 17 June at 2 pm (1 hr 15)	Thurs, 16 / Fri, 17 June	£45
DELF A2	Monday, 20 June at 2 pm (1 hr 30)	Mon, 20 / Tues, 21 June	£45
DELF B1	Wednesday, 22 June at 2 pm (1 hr 45)	Tues, 21 / Weds, 22 / Thurs, 23 June	£50
DELF B2	Friday, 24 June at 2 pm (2 hr 30)	Weds, 22 / Thurs, 23 / Fri, 24 June	£50
DALF C1	Monday, 27 June at 2 pm (4 hr 15)	Tues, 28 / Weds, 29 June	£90
DALF C2	Thursday, 30 June at 2 pm (3 hr 30)	Tues, 28 / Weds, 29 June	£120

Please note that examination dates may be subject to alterations or cancellations in cases of force majeure.

DELF (Diplôme d’études en Langue Française) exam consists of 4 sections of Listening, Reading, writing, and Speaking. DELF has 4 levels of A1, A2, B1, and B2, as it follows:

• DELF A1: This level recognises basic knowledge and is the most basic level at which a language is used.

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• DELF A2: DELF A2 recognises the linguistic competency of a basic user whereby the candidate can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring the most common polite phrases and exchanges of information.

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• DELF B1: At B1 level, the user becomes independent and can maintain interaction and deal with situations likely to arise in daily life.

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• DELF B2: A B2 user has a degree of independence that allows him/her to construct arguments to defend his/her opinion, explain his/her viewpoint and negotiate.

. Candidates who have been awarded the DALF C1 or DALF C2 are exempted from language entrance examinations in French Universities.

You can find more about the DELF exam levels and the description of their examinations here.

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Are you looking for free DELF Materials, examen delf A1 A2 B1 B2, Dalf C1 C2, delf junior, delf dalf tests, delf sample questions and langue francaise practice test? You can access them all here.

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Also, take free Online Preparation Tests/Materials for DELF/DALF/DILF/TCF here.

Are you looking for free DELF Materials, examen delf A1 A2 B1 B2, Dalf C1 C2, delf junior, delf dalf tests, delf sample questions and langue francaise practice test? You can access them all here.

.

Also, take free Online Preparation Tests/Materials for DELF/DALF/DILF/TCF here.

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