French IPA Transcription - Help

1. Initialization & Normalization

The input string is prepared and normalized to remove orthographic variance that does not affect pronunciation.

• Boundary Markers: The symbol ⁀ is added to the start and end of every word (e.g., ⁀mot⁀).
• Liaison conversion: All apostrophes (e.g., l'arbre, c'est) are converted to the liaison marker ‿.
• Accent Normalization:
  • Strip: à → a, ù → u, î → i (These accents do not change vowel quality in this system).
  • Keep: â (Posterior A), ô (Closed O), ê (Open E) are preserved as they alter the phoneme.
• Special Case (Qu'): The sequence qu' is mapped to k' (preventing false nasalization in qu'on).

2. Early Consonant Mutations

Fixing ambiguous consonants based on the following vowel.

2.1. The "Capital E" Protection

The digraphs œu and oeu are converted to a placeholder Eu.

2.2. C and G Logic

• Soft C: c + e, i, y → ç (later /s/).
• Soft G: g + e, i, y → j (later /ʒ/).
• Forced Soft G: ge + a, o, u → j (The 'e' is purely orthographic and is deleted).
• Hardening:
  • qu + Vowel → k.
  • gu + Vowel → g. (Exception: If diaeresis exists like aigüe, keep the 'u').

2.3. Consonant Devoicing

Rule: The letter b is devoiced to p when immediately followed by s or t.

• Example: absurde → apsurde → /ap.syʁd/.
• Example: obtenir → optenir → /ɔp.tə.niʁ/.

3. Verb Morphology Overrides (pos="v")

Applied strictly when the module input is tagged as a verb.

• Final "-ai": Forces ai → é (Standard French distinction /e/ vs /ɛ/).
• Anti-Assibilation (The T-Blocker):

  The script inserts a separator _ to prevent T from turning into S in specific verb endings:

  • ti + ons/ens → t_i (e.g., portions → /pɔʁtjɔ̃/).
  • t + ienne(nt) → t_ienne (e.g., tiennent → /tjɛn/, preventing /sjɛn/).
• The "-ent" Ending:
  • Standard: ent → e (silent/schwa).
  • Liaison Exception: If followed by a liaison marker ‿, it becomes ət‿.
  • Example: parlent-ils → /paʁlət.il/.

4. Orthographic Standardization

Mapping lexical exceptions and fixed spelling patterns.

4.1 Assibilation (T → S)

Rule: ti becomes si before on, en, al, el.

Exceptions (Blockers): Assibilation is cancelled if the T is preceded by:

• s (e.g., question)
• x (e.g., mixtion)
• ç (script safety check)

4.2. Special Prefix/Suffix Logic

4.3. Basic Digraphs

• ph → f
• gn → ɲ
• psych- → psik (e.g., psychologie).
• ch →
  • Becomes k before r, l, n (e.g., chrétien, chlore).
  • Becomes ʃ elsewhere.
• -ing → /iŋ/ (Loanwords).
• -emment → /a.mɑ̃/ (Adverbs).

4.4. Posterior A Shift

• as, az (Final) → â /ɑ/.
• Example: pas → /pɑ/, gaz → /gɑz/.

5. Vowels, Ligatures, and Nasalization

5.1. Base Mappings

• au, eau → O (Closed /o/)
• eu, œu → ø (Closed /ø/)
• oi → wA (Generally /wa/).
• ou → U (High back /u/)

5.2. Nasalization Engine

Logic: The script scans for Vowel + n/m followed by a Consonant or End-of-Word.

• a, e + n/m → /ɑ̃/
• o + n/m → /ɔ̃/
• i, ɛ, y + n/m → /ɛ̃/ (Includes pain, syndicat).
• u + n/m → /œ̃/

5.3. Special Consonant Handling in Nasals

• -um: Maps to /ɔm/ (e.g., maximum).
• mb, mp: The script converts these to mB, mP. The vowel nasalizes due to the M, and the B/P are subsequently deleted.
  Example: plomb → /plɔ̃/.

6. Structural Logic: Y and ILL

Handling the complex context-dependency of Y and the "Liquid L" digraphs.

6.1. The Y Hierarchy

The script determines whether y functions as a vowel /i/ or a semi-vowel /j/.

• The "Yi" Hiatus: yi + Vowel → y.y + Vowel.
  Logic: Forces a syllable split rather than a glide (e.g., yin).
• Contextual Vowel /i/:
  • Initial Y + Consonant: → /i/ (e.g., yttrium).
  • Consonant + Y + Consonant: → /i/ (e.g., cycle).
  • Consonant + Y + Vowel: Maps to i temporarily to ensure syllabification, often becoming /j/ later.
• Standard Glide /j/: Any other y (especially Initial + Vowel like yeux) becomes /j/.
• Exceptions:
  • ay → ai (e.g., Gamay → /ga.mɛ/).
  • éy → éj (Used in specific respellings).

6.2. The ILL Logic (Liquid L)

The script processes ill sequences in a strict order of operations:

1. Consonant + uill: → /ɥij/.
   Example: cuillère → /kɥi.jɛʁ/.
2. Vowel + ill: → /j/.
   Example: travailler → /tʁa.va.je/ (The L is absorbed).
3. Standard ill: → /ij/.
   Example: fille → /fij/.
4. Final Vowel + il: → /j/.
   Example: soleil → /sɔ.lɛj/.

7. Word Endings (Deletions)

Removing silent letters at word boundaries (⁀).

7.1. Standard List

Delete: d, g, p, t, s, z.

7.2. Complex Deletions

• x: Silent only after i, u, ø (e.g., prix, vœux). Pronounced /ks/ or /s/ otherwise.
• -nct: Both C and T are silent (e.g., instinct → /ɛ̃s.tɛ̃/).
• -r: Silent in polysyllabic words ending in -er (becomes /e/). Pronounced in monosyllables (fer, mer).

7.3. Protections

• -st: T is kept (e.g., est).
• -kt: T is kept (e.g., strict).

7.4 Special Endings

• -ez: Treated as /e/ (e.g., assez).
• -ied: Treated as /je/ (e.g., pied, assieds).

8. E-Rules & Syllabification

8.1. E + Double Consonant

Rule: e + CC → è + C.

• The vowel opens to /ɛ/ before the double consonant is reduced.
• Example: terre → /tɛʁ/.

8.2. Syllabification Engine

• V.CV: Break before single consonant.
• VC.CV: Break between consonants.
• Onset Maximization: If C2 is a liquid (L/R) and C1 is an obstruent, break before C1 (e.g., ta.bleau).

8.3. Schwa (ə) Logic

• Word Final: Deleted (unless monosyllable).
• Internal (VCəCV): Deleted, unless the resulting consonant cluster is forbidden.
• Forbidden Clusters: The script checks a lookup table (e.g., ʁʁ, ɲʁ). If the pair is found, the schwa is preserved.

9. Glides and Reversion (Cluster Protection)

Converting high vowels to semi-vowels contextually.

9.1. Conversion

• i + Vowel → /j/
• ou + Vowel → /w/
• u + Vowel → /ɥ/

9.2. The Reversion Rule (Missing from most guides)

• Input: brouette (br + ou + ette).
• Attempt: /bʁwɛt/ (Cluster /bʁw/ is considered too heavy).
• Reversion: /bʁu.ɛt/ (Maintains separation).

10. Final Harmonization

Final polish of the IPA string.

• R standardization: All rhotic sounds → /ʁ/.
• Loi de Position (Aperture):
  • O: /o/ (closed) only if final or before z. Else /ɔ/.
  • EU: /ø/ (closed) only if final or before z/t. Else /œ/.
  • AU: Opens to /ɔ/ before R (e.g., dinosaure).
• Remove hyphens: Clean up remaining structural artifacts.
• Diaeresis Removal: Any remaining internal markers like ï or ë are converted to their standard IPA vowel equivalents (e.g., ï → i).

11. Liaison Mutations (Sandhi)

When a silent final consonant becomes pronounced due to liaison (‿), or when vowels clash at boundaries, mutations occur.

11.1 Consonant Mutations

11.2 The Nasal Bridge

The script distinguishes between words that keep their nasal quality in liaison and those that denasalize.

• Group A (Nasal Preserved): un, on, en, mon, ton, son, bien, rien.
  • The script appends a marker to force both nasalization and the consonant.
  • Example: mon‿ami → /mɔ̃.na.mi/.
• Group B (Denasalized): bon, certain (and most other adjectives).
  • The script prevents nasalization of the vowel, resulting in an oral vowel + N.
  • Example: bon‿ami → /bɔ.na.mi/ (Not /bɔ̃/).

12. Reference: Complete IPA Symbol Map

This table lists every phonetic symbol generated by the script, mapping the French orthography to the specific IPA character output.