![\"france\"](\"https:\/\/smartcoos.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/france.jpg\")
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by: Smart Coos<\/p>\n
French Homophones<\/strong><\/p>\n Learning languages is fun and exciting, but sometimes it can be a little tricky. We all remember struggling with words that were just so gosh darn similar they tripped us up all the time. \u201cYou\u2019re\u201d and \u201cyour\u201d always confused me as a kid and my teachers would constantly have to remind me to add that comma when I meant to contract \u201cyou are.\u201d Unsurprisingly, people run into these frustratingly similar words called homophones in every language. Homophones can be tricky even for native speakers, so you can imagine how much more difficult it can be for someone just starting out. When it comes to French, some homophones are even spelled the same as well as pronounced the same. Talk about confusing! So, how do you learn to tell them apart? Well, sometimes, even if they\u2019re spelled the same they have different accents to indicate that the pronunciation or meaning is slightly different. But, for the most part, learning the differences between homophones is all about practice, context, and, for heavily phonetic languages, pronunciation is key.<script async src=”https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js”><\/script> Although homophones can be frustrating to deal with at times, you can still have fun with them. I\u2019ve always found it humorous that, in French, lawyer and avocado are spelled and pronounced exactly the same – \u201cavocat\u201d<\/i>. For \u201cavocat\u201d<\/i>, the distinction is found in the context you\u2019re using the word in, rather than the spelling or pronunciation. It\u2019s safe to assume that if you\u2019re shopping for groceries, the sales associate won\u2019t send you looking for a lawyer in the produce section.<\/p>\n In addition to comically paired homophones, there are grammatically technical ones too, such as \u201ca\u201d <\/i>(a conjugation of the verb avoir, <\/i>which means \u201cto have\u201d) and \u201c\u00e0\u201d <\/i>(the preposition \u201cto, at, or in\u201d). In writing, the accent helps you distinguish the two words, but as far as pronunciation goes, they\u2019re the same. This homophone combines the functions of French grammar with context awareness. You have to be conscious of how you\u2019re using it and when you\u2019re using it, especially in writing.<\/p>\n The same rules apply to \u201cm\u00e8re\u201d <\/i>(mother) and \u201cmaire\u201d <\/i>(mayor). They\u2019re pronounced the same, but they are easily distinguished in context. With these two, spelling is very important because there\u2019s a pretty big difference between writing \u201cJ’aime ma m\u00e8re<\/i>\u201d (I love my mom) and \u201cJ\u2019aime ma maire<\/i>\u201d (I love my mayor). No matter how much you appreciate your local government, I\u2019m sure you would never want these two words to get mixed up. So, be careful with that French spelling and grammar, it can really get you into some interesting situations.<\/p>\n I hope this brief exploration into French homophones has informed you about the complicated and comical nature of these tricky words. If you\u2019re currently learning French, or plan to start soon, I hope I\u2019ve at least given you a few helpful hints to get you going. Here\u2019s to hoping that the next time you\u2019re in France and get a ticket for breaking a traffic law, (if you\u2019ve traveled abroad, you know the struggles of trying to understand traffic laws when all the signs and streets are inverted) the officer will make a mistake and write amande <\/i>(almond) instead of amende<\/i> (fine) on your ticket. <\/i>I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019d much rather \u201cpayer une amande\u201d<\/i> (pay for an almond), than \u201cpayer une amende\u201d <\/i>(pay for a fine). Safe travels and happy learning!<\/p>\n About the Author:<\/strong><\/p>\n Gelsey Brizo. A senior at the University of Florida pursuing a degree in English. Born and raised in Miami, Florida she speaks both English and Spanish fluently and loves to watch and play soccer. A book fanatic who enjoys to read and write, she can\u2019t go a day without a cup of coffee, a good read or her favorite music.<\/em><\/p>\n Work Cited:<\/p>\n Makoto. “Common French Homonyms: Making Sense of It All<\/a>.” Bright Hub Education<\/i>. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.<\/p>\n Lawless, Lauren K. “French Homophones<\/a>.” About.com Education<\/i>. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.<\/p>\n
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