| 2.4.1.1 Voiced and unvoiced s - 2 |
French differenatiates between voiced and unvoiced sounds. The sounds concerned are s and sh.
What actually is the difference? The difference is in the use of your vocal chords. They vibrate in the unvoiced version. Actually English has the same. Voiced s are in the words crazy, these. Unvoiced s are in words like sun, fuss, Swiss.
Graphemes for voiced s are: s, z, x, zz
| Voiced s | ||
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maison (house) | 
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| zoo (zoo) |
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| deuxième (second) |
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| blizzard (blizzard) |
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Also in this case there are word couples that only differ in the way the s is pronounced.
| Unvoiced s | Voiced s | |||
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| face (face) | |
phase (phase) |
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| vice (vice) | |
(il) vise (he aims) |
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| (il se) chausse (he puts on shoes) | |
chose (matter) |
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| baisser (to decrease) | |
baiser (vulgar: to have sex) |
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| (il) casse (he breaks) | |
case (case, cottage) |
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