Le groupe français 2016 - 2023 Les Voyageurs

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MorkTheFiddle
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Languages: English (N). Read (only) French and Spanish. Studying Ancient Greek. Studying a bit of Latin. Once studied Old Norse. Dabbled in Catalan, Provençal and Italian.
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Sun Mar 27, 2022 6:35 pm

Carmody wrote:Does anyone wish to suggest a couple of voices of people speaking French that they really like and approve of?

My idea of a good voice is that of Monique Vincens, who narrates a chunk of Proust, but also a bit of "Vera" by Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam: Vera.

Victoria reads
Le Journal d’une femme de chambre. Her dry voice fits this novel, but not suitable to my taste to other works.

Éric Herson-Macarel has a rich, radio voice, as here in Grand Cahier. Note that there is no sound until 2:30.

Samples of his voice and many others can be heard at Audible
You don't have to buy anything to listen to the samples.
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Many things which are false are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. -- attributed to Samuel Johnson

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badger
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby badger » Mon Mar 28, 2022 9:28 pm

Carmody wrote:Please note, if you know of anyone out there who speaks with as beautiful a "rolling rrrr" as Elisa does, then please let me know. I think hers are absolutely beautiful.


they're pleasant, but they'd be a lot more so if her mic didn't overload almost every time she pronounces them :(

Carmody wrote:Does anyone wish to suggest a couple of voices of people speaking French that they really like and approve of?


I like Michael Lonsdale's voice, but that's probably because he speak quite slowly & enunciates very clearly. :)
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Super Challenge progress French (double):
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Carmody
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Carmody » Tue Mar 29, 2022 12:25 am

badger
I like Michael Lonsdale's voice, but that's probably because he speak quite slowly & enunciates very clearly. :)
With which I totally agree.

Actually those qualities are what I like for anyone speaking with me.

Thanks so much for the new name.
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Carmody
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Carmody » Tue Mar 29, 2022 12:48 am

MorkTheFiddle » Sun Mar 27, 2022 7:35 am
Carmody wrote:
Does anyone wish to suggest a couple of voices of people speaking French that they really like and approve of?
My idea of a good voice is that of Monique Vincens, who narrates a chunk of Proust, but also a bit of "Vera" by Auguste de Villiers de l'Isle-Adam: Vera.

Victoria reads
Le Journal d’une femme de chambre. Her dry voice fits this novel, but not suitable to my taste to other works.

Éric Herson-Macarel has a rich, radio voice, as here in Grand Cahier. Note that there is no sound until 2:30.
Thanks so much for the suggestions.

1-I think what one enjoys is very subjective; that there is a wide range that is possible.

2-Since I like slow and clear, I like Victoria and Monique Vincens.

3-Since I have difficulty with speed, I have difficulty with Éric Herson-Macarel.

I think it is pretty clear that beauty is in the eye(and ear) of the beholder.

I await with interest to your response to the Survey On Average how many hours a day do you do language studies during the week that is already up in General Language Discussion.

Thanks as always.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:28 pm

Carmody wrote:
I think it is pretty clear that beauty is in the eye(and ear) of the beholder.

I await with interest to your response to the Survey On Average how many hours a day do you do language studies during the week that is already up in General Language Discussion.

Thanks as always.

There's no gainsaying to each their own.
I thought I did respond to the survey. My reply was, it depends, but maybe your remark was not meant for me?
To add further, usually any learning is done mornings, though the mindmapping recently started interests me enough that afternoons and maybe evenings as well.
Reading French or Spanish evenings, but that's not study, just entertainment. Amount of time depends.
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Many things which are false are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. -- attributed to Samuel Johnson

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Le Baron
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Le Baron » Tue Mar 29, 2022 8:20 pm

Carmody wrote:Does anyone wish to suggest a couple of voices of people speaking French that they really like and approve of?


Voice quality probably doesn't equate with speed and clarity. That said ,I don't know about approving, but I really like Isabelle Huppert's voice. For similar reasons Romy Schneider sounded good speaking French. Again it was just the quality of her voice in general.

People may forget, but Brigitte Bardot had and has a very good speaking voice and also enunciated very well.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:40 pm

One of Schneider's films was La Voleuse (The Thief). Go to the 4:00 minute mark to listen to her speak.


Look at And God Created Woman 00:24 to get the flavor of Bardot's voice in a few seconds of family-safe viewing. But when she leaves Jurgens, family-safe ends.
.

Personally, give me Monique Vincens over Schneider and give me Schneider over Bardot, but your taste may and probably will vary. Whether either actress recorded any audiobooks I don't know, but both did plenty of films to listen to.
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Many things which are false are transmitted from book to book, and gain credit in the world. -- attributed to Samuel Johnson

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Le Baron
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Le Baron » Wed Mar 30, 2022 9:38 pm

Schneider sounded better later on, and the dialogue in films like La Voleuse of that period were often very short and staccato. Look at films like Les Choses de la vie or Cesar et Rosalie or interviews from the late 60s and 70s. It's similar for Bardot, but she speaks very clearly in her early films too.

Here are both their Radioscopie interviews, the pair of them also have more depth than any 'celebrity' interview you'll find today:




Another actress with a great voice was Jeanne Moreau and in the bottom video the best 'tragic-beauty' face ever:


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Carmody
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Carmody » Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:41 am

I guess there are many ways to speak the French language. It is widely known to be a flat spoken language with no emphasis on hills and valleys of the pronunciation of the words. Yes, it can have lovely musicality to it and I love when it does but I think the flatness of the spoken language is clearly expressed in this Marguerite Duras interview.

Les lieux de Marguerite Duras

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Le Baron
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Re: Le groupe français 2016 - 2019 Les Voyageurs

Postby Le Baron » Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:45 pm

Yes, that flatness with pretty much every word stressed equally like a machine gun is perhaps the most unnatural sound to a native English ear. This 'syllable-timing' vs 'stress timing' (much more common in Germanic languages) plays a strong role in aural comprehension. The syllable timing is also there in Spanish/Italian, but French's additional obstacles of silent endings and heavy liaison increases the difficulty.
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