In phonetic transcription, you visualize speech through symbols and the pronunciation of words. Phonetic transcription is necessary because spellings don’t help you with pronunciation. In the initial stages of learning how to converse in French, phonetics is the most important aspect to master. Phonetics teaches you to pronounce words correctly and fluently, just like a native speaker.
Alphabets are arbitrary and are not a good guide on enunciation. Unless you have adequate experience with the language, reading French with correct utterances is nearly impossible.
Why Is French Phonetic Transcription Useful?
If alphabets and spelling denoted the exact pronunciation of words, phonetics would not be necessary. But this isn’t the case in many languages, not just French and English. Some languages even have a non-alphabetic orthography where the characters do not denote anything about the correct utterance. Even in languages with phonetic orthography, there are random mismatches in the sound and spelling of certain words.
French Dictionary Entries
Dictionaries give a range of important information on words. Meaning, spelling, grammatical status, and pronunciation are the primary pieces of information you get from a dictionary.
There are several ways of giving data on utterances:
All the above count as phonetic transcription though they may vary in quality. Depending on the type used, phonetics tends to get complicated as sounds need to be simulated if one exists in the first language and not in the second. However complex this becomes, it is still of huge importance for the compilation of French language dictionaries.
Learning Aid
When learning a new language, not only French, plain spelling is confusing and will not explain how to utter words and communicate effectively. For example, just as in English, there are silent letters and letters that combine to form a whole different sound. If you tried to master a foreign language using written pronunciations only, you would never become fluent in your speech, and it would be pretty obvious you are not a native speaker.
Thus, learners of French have to contend with the various ambiguities in vast spelling sequences. Thankfully, French phonetic transcription helps learners get on the path to native-level speech from the get-go. Even if students must start mastering the written form, they inevitably have to learn correct pronunciation.
Business Communication
Phonetic transcription is vital for performing business calls. Sales calls are responsible for over 90% of client interactions. Unfortunately, business is not always about having a superior product. As human beings, we love to form tribes everywhere we go. When a person communicates in your language, there is an instant connection. French phonetic transcription increases the success of sales calls by a considerable percentage, driving any company’s bottom line.
International Meetings
Statistics indicate that more than 85% of workers perform their jobs in global environments. What does this mean? A majority of employees have weekly or daily meetings with colleagues or partners from different parts of the world. The communication that goes on here is vital as it pertains to international business, which corresponds to a lot of money. It is, therefore, crucial for people to clearly understand each other.
When dealing with French colleagues, you must utilize phonetic transcription for teams to communicate effectively and ensure that nothing gets lost in translation. Employees also find themselves in foreign work environments for months on end and need to communicate well. French phonetic transcription helps people in such settings blend into their new workplace and seamlessly collaborate with their foreign colleagues.
French Phonetic Transcription Brings the World Closer
French is a popular language. However, it is also one of the hardest for beginners to pick up. Thankfully, phonetic transcription services are around to save the day. Contact one today.
