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French: tacher and tâcher

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13 messages over 2 pages: 1 2  Next >>
anime
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 Message 1 of 13
16 August 2013 at 3:33pm | IP Logged 
So according to my dictionary there's supposed to be a pronunciation difference between tacher and tâcher. I
listened to the words in Forvo and I couldn't hear any difference in pronunciation. Is this possibly some
dialectal trait?
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tarvos
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 Message 2 of 13
16 August 2013 at 4:03pm | IP Logged 
Yes, there used to be a difference in the vowels between these two sounds. This is
because one of them is a front and the other one a back vowel (did some quick wiki
research!) However I believe in France this difference isn't observed as strongly
anymore. I think in Belgium the vowels are distinguished.

Cannot speak for Africa, Quebec or Switzerland.

Edited by tarvos on 16 August 2013 at 4:09pm

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umiak
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 Message 3 of 13
16 August 2013 at 4:05pm | IP Logged 
The difference between the back and front 'a', as in 'tâcher', 'pâte' vs. 'tacher', 'patte' respectively, is becoming less and less noticeable in French French. The front vowel is of preference. I think you can still hear it more in the south of France than more north, like in Paris. Other than that it's more a dialect thing in France.

Here you can listen to both (click ':: Présentation des voyelles ::')

Edited by umiak on 16 August 2013 at 10:55pm

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Arekkusu
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 Message 4 of 13
16 August 2013 at 5:04pm | IP Logged 
While these words use two different vowels in standard French, the reality is that in most dialects (including the vast majority of European speakers), this difference no longer exists.

I can't speak for other countries, but in Québec, this distinction is still fully active.
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tarvos
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 Message 5 of 13
16 August 2013 at 5:08pm | IP Logged 
The wiki says that in France this is indeed not really observed, it is in Quebec
obviously (as you stated). I think in Belgium the distinction is rather about length than
front/back. At least that is what the wiki seems to indicate.

What about in Switzerland?

Edited by tarvos on 16 August 2013 at 5:08pm

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FELlX
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 Message 6 of 13
17 August 2013 at 10:49am | IP Logged 
Indeed, my father, who is from Quebec, makes the distinction. I (Parisian) pronounce "tâcher" exactly like
"tacher".
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Cabaire
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 Message 7 of 13
17 August 2013 at 12:30pm | IP Logged 
I am only used to pronounce some words a bit longer, so tâche is [ta:ʃ], but this may be only a free variation.
The feature developed because of compensationary lenghtening of a vowel when a following consonant dropped:
tâche descends from Greek τάξαι "to place, to put in order", Latin tax- [taks], the s dropped, therefore the circonflexe, and the vowel changed in compensation.

PS. Is there a list for common words, as minimal pairs like ratras are not always distinguish by the circonflexe (the s is still written there, you see)?

Edited by Cabaire on 17 August 2013 at 12:31pm

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Stelle
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 Message 8 of 13
17 August 2013 at 1:21pm | IP Logged 
It's definitely different here in Canada!

"tacher" - a as in the English word "cat"
"tacher" (errr...with an accent. New Mac, haven't figured them out yet.) - a more like the o in the English word "hot"


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