The Genesis of French Vowels: A Historical Phonetic Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65164/51bph067Keywords:
vowels, French language, romance languages, phonetics, sound system, accent marks.Abstract
This article explores the historical formation of vowels in the French language and their place in the phonetic system. It examines the changes in vowel sounds during the Old, Middle, and Modern French periods, the loss of diphthongs, and the emergence of nasal vowels, all stemming from Latin. Based on text analysis, the abundance of vowels such as "e" (15-18%), "a" (7-9%), and "i" (6-7%) in contemporary French is identified. Factors such as the stabilization of nasal vowels, simplification of pronunciation, and the influence of the Parisian dialect are investigated. The distinct characteristics of French vowels compared to other Romance languages, particularly the nasal vowels [ɑ̃], [ɛ̃], [õ], [œ̃], are specifically highlighted. The research employs linguistic methods to analyze the evolution of French phonetics. The article makes a significant contribution to understanding the phonetic peculiarities of the French language.
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