Page:Grammar of the French language - De Vere - 1867.djvu/26

18

ON LETTERS AND SYLLABLES. should combine with a following vowel, to form a compound vowel.

Ex. pays, pai i, country. moyen, moi-ien, means. royal, roi-ial, royal. joyeux, joi-ieux, joyeux.

In the following proper names, y is pronounced like i: Bayard, Bayonne, Cayenne, Mayence and Mayenne.

CONSONANTS.

Final consonants are silent, except c, f, l and r, which are sometimes sounded; and n and m are nasal, as has been fully explained.

Ex. chez, at; brevet, brevet; toit, roof; fois, time; avocat, advocat ; mais, but; avec, with ; chef, chief; canal, canal ; servir, to serve.

Of two final consonants, the first is sounded, but the second is silent.

Ex. canard, duck ; sort, fate ; saint, saint. Of three final consonants, the first is sounded, and the last two are silent.

Ex. remords, remorse; prompt, prompt; temps, time.

B has the same sound as in English.

Ex. Babylone, Babylon; boule, ball; cabale, cabal.

Final b is pronounced in the proper names Moab, Joab, Job, Jacob, and in club; rumb, point of the compass, and radoub, refitting. Double b is pronounced like a single b. Ex. sabbat, sabbath; rabbin rabbi; abbé, abbot.

C has two sounds, according to the letter that immediately follows.

It is hard, like the English k, before the vowels a, o and u, and before consonants.

Ex. cabane, cabin; Cologne, Cologne; curé, pastor; climat, climate ; actif active ; cravate, cravat.