I always considered my Philadelphia accent to be more nasal than most so some of the French vowel sounds are easier for me (although it could come from living in Baltimore for 14 years, too). Yet, the “u” sound in French still gives me trouble. I continue have nightmares though about Father Leonard’s strict pronunciation drills in French classes at Archbishop Ryan High School. Scary stuff!
lol! I’m from Delaware where we believe you need a passport and a visa to travel to Philly and that thing you call an expressway is unpronounceable. We just refer to it as the Sure Kill Distressway. Our accent is checked at Marcus Hook.
Funny story: While I was working at Wings Flight School in Blue Bell, PA as a receptionist and dispatcher, I had a French woman sign up for flight lessons. Her last name was This. She pronounced it something like Dee-iss. When the Flight Instructor arrived and looked at his schedule, he asked, "What is This?" I said, "Your student." He replied, "Okay, but what is her name?"
Ha, mom drove the Schuylkill Expressway every day after work to go to welding school. I think spelling it is harder than saying it! I don't have so much comments about an accent, because my french is so bad they are glad they can understand any of it. But apparently my pronunciation of the words I do know are from my high school teacher training us from how to speak french how she learned at the Sorbonne during WWII. I had one of mom's doctors here look at his nurse and say "she has no accent!!" when I said one sentence I knew. I will always remember that and took it as a compliment. No, the problem I have is the PA Dutch words which even my American friends didn't understand, so my Franco- Anglais conversation group is really Franco-British Anglais-American- PA Dutch conversation! Yes, they are learning PA Dutch from me !
I bet your accent is way cuter than some of the accents I hear around here from the various parts of the UK and Ireland... Sometimes I can't understand them in English :)
Thanks for mentioning my podcast, I'm honored. And thanks for sharing your experience in such a vivid way. Although I don't know you personally I was transported to the streets of France with you and sharing the struggles and funny moments.
My French instructor in 12th grade had a great thing she forced us to do in order to make the French 'u' sound. Give it a try everyone. Put your lips out to give a kiss, then make a scissor with your index finger and your middle finger and put them around your puckered lips and then say the U sound. I found that it was helpful. But yeah I remember the first time someone said, "You have a cute little accent." I was perplexed. I thought my accent was more neutral due to being from the midwest. The woman who said it to me was also very rich so on reflextion now maybe she was being rude but at the time it didn't feel like it, I"ll never know. They are just lucky in my opinion that I am a B2 level speaker and they don't have to super struggle to have me 1. understand, and 2. understand me (hopefully). It's a work in progress....life long work in progress too I might add
When I lived in Germany several people told me that Americans talk as if their mouth was full of potatoes. But many had trouble with the “tch” sound of “children” and the “dch” sound in “John.” They I had to focus on certain consonants that got in the way of being understood … Bs and Ps, for example. Some French consonant sounds are different too. By the way, ever try to get a French person to say “Conshohocken”?
My French mother-in-law once told me I spoke French with my foot in my mouth. I said what other languages to do you speak? None. Bingo! Then shut up! Is what I was thinking.
If you’re still struggling with the “u” sounds, there’s no hope for me. Whenever I see that traffic jam of vowels coming at me — cueillir, par exemple — I panic and just mutter something.
Spending four years in Maine and four more in Massacres (close to Boston) I was “accused” of being a New Yorker. I resisted … not when you are from Somerset/Hunterdon Counties in Central NJ. I was the “brat from NYC!” I grew to accept this. Years later, our 3 year old son was asked (when we lived in Ocean County,NJ) why he talked funny … his response was he was born in Boston (we left when he was 11 months old … but his Dad’s accent rules!)
Hi Theresa, I love reading your substack. I am a Philadelphian who shed most of the accent 25 years ago when I moved to California. I can detect a Philly accent - in English - anywhere anytime! I am also a life-long Francophile who hopes to one day be fluent in French. The hardest vowel combo for me is to be able to differentiate l'amour from la mort - that sort of sound.
I always considered my Philadelphia accent to be more nasal than most so some of the French vowel sounds are easier for me (although it could come from living in Baltimore for 14 years, too). Yet, the “u” sound in French still gives me trouble. I continue have nightmares though about Father Leonard’s strict pronunciation drills in French classes at Archbishop Ryan High School. Scary stuff!
lol! I’m from Delaware where we believe you need a passport and a visa to travel to Philly and that thing you call an expressway is unpronounceable. We just refer to it as the Sure Kill Distressway. Our accent is checked at Marcus Hook.
As always I love your articles! I give you five gold stars for the language efforts.
I am proud of my Philly accent.
Funny story: While I was working at Wings Flight School in Blue Bell, PA as a receptionist and dispatcher, I had a French woman sign up for flight lessons. Her last name was This. She pronounced it something like Dee-iss. When the Flight Instructor arrived and looked at his schedule, he asked, "What is This?" I said, "Your student." He replied, "Okay, but what is her name?"
Who's on first?
That's exactly what it felt like! We went back and forth for quite sometime over that. Something I'll never forget! Fun with language.
Ha, mom drove the Schuylkill Expressway every day after work to go to welding school. I think spelling it is harder than saying it! I don't have so much comments about an accent, because my french is so bad they are glad they can understand any of it. But apparently my pronunciation of the words I do know are from my high school teacher training us from how to speak french how she learned at the Sorbonne during WWII. I had one of mom's doctors here look at his nurse and say "she has no accent!!" when I said one sentence I knew. I will always remember that and took it as a compliment. No, the problem I have is the PA Dutch words which even my American friends didn't understand, so my Franco- Anglais conversation group is really Franco-British Anglais-American- PA Dutch conversation! Yes, they are learning PA Dutch from me !
I bet your accent is way cuter than some of the accents I hear around here from the various parts of the UK and Ireland... Sometimes I can't understand them in English :)
I’d love to be a fly on the wall of that conversation group!!!
Thanks for mentioning my podcast, I'm honored. And thanks for sharing your experience in such a vivid way. Although I don't know you personally I was transported to the streets of France with you and sharing the struggles and funny moments.
My French instructor in 12th grade had a great thing she forced us to do in order to make the French 'u' sound. Give it a try everyone. Put your lips out to give a kiss, then make a scissor with your index finger and your middle finger and put them around your puckered lips and then say the U sound. I found that it was helpful. But yeah I remember the first time someone said, "You have a cute little accent." I was perplexed. I thought my accent was more neutral due to being from the midwest. The woman who said it to me was also very rich so on reflextion now maybe she was being rude but at the time it didn't feel like it, I"ll never know. They are just lucky in my opinion that I am a B2 level speaker and they don't have to super struggle to have me 1. understand, and 2. understand me (hopefully). It's a work in progress....life long work in progress too I might add
We are all a work in progress
I enjoyed reading this.
I’m glad.
Apparently even my native language is challenging for me: Today, I learned how to pronounce Schuylkil.
Haha!! That shouldn’t even be a word.
My most hated word? Bouilloire. I'll do anything to avoid it.
I drink a lot of tea and dam, I hate "ouill" words in French they slay me! this made me laugh!
Delightful article, Theresa!
When I lived in Germany several people told me that Americans talk as if their mouth was full of potatoes. But many had trouble with the “tch” sound of “children” and the “dch” sound in “John.” They I had to focus on certain consonants that got in the way of being understood … Bs and Ps, for example. Some French consonant sounds are different too. By the way, ever try to get a French person to say “Conshohocken”?
My French mother-in-law once told me I spoke French with my foot in my mouth. I said what other languages to do you speak? None. Bingo! Then shut up! Is what I was thinking.
Maybe they'd do what we so many did and just call it Conshy? Interesting experience about German. Thanks for sharing it.
Les Français have me pegged right from bonjour...
If you’re still struggling with the “u” sounds, there’s no hope for me. Whenever I see that traffic jam of vowels coming at me — cueillir, par exemple — I panic and just mutter something.
Spending four years in Maine and four more in Massacres (close to Boston) I was “accused” of being a New Yorker. I resisted … not when you are from Somerset/Hunterdon Counties in Central NJ. I was the “brat from NYC!” I grew to accept this. Years later, our 3 year old son was asked (when we lived in Ocean County,NJ) why he talked funny … his response was he was born in Boston (we left when he was 11 months old … but his Dad’s accent rules!)
Hi Theresa, I love reading your substack. I am a Philadelphian who shed most of the accent 25 years ago when I moved to California. I can detect a Philly accent - in English - anywhere anytime! I am also a life-long Francophile who hopes to one day be fluent in French. The hardest vowel combo for me is to be able to differentiate l'amour from la mort - that sort of sound.
It’s the U. That’s the culprit.