French speakers assistance please?

When you are talking of %26#39;chez%26#39; someone, do you pronounce the %26#39;z%26#39; if the name begins with a vowel? Eg, Chez Omar? Never do know what to do with that one!

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While waiting on French speakers to reply, you can go to www.acapela-group.com, click on the demo and then select a language. Type the word in and you can pick from both female and male speakers who will pronounce one word or a sentence for you. Alice and Bruno are but two of the French speakers who pronounce the words for you.

oprah44

PS Bruno and Alice pronounce is as %26quot;she%26quot;.

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You would definitely pronounce it when you say %26quot;chez eux%26quot; or %26quot;chez elle%26quot; but you would not pronounce it in %26quot;chez Omar%26quot;.

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Thanks very much for clarifying that.

Oprah - thanks for the link. What a great resource. Love the kids %26#39;Paul E%26#39; Glott%26#39; page. I%26#39;m going to put my son onto that one!

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%26quot;You would definitely pronounce it when you say %26quot;chez eux%26quot; or %26quot;chez elle%26quot; but you would not pronounce it in %26quot;chez Omar%26quot;.%26quot;

Is there a rule for this, or is it %26quot;just because?%26quot;

Thanks.

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Chez is pronounced shay.

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Shay zer = chez eux

Shay zel = chez elle

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Hmmm, isn%26#39;t this

Shay zer = chez eux

more like

Shay z-oo = chez eux

(ie eux is more like oo)

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Is there a rule for this, or is it %26quot;just because?%26quot;

Tough question !

The rule is that when two vowels follow each other (one at the end of a word, the other at the beginning of the next word) or when a word ending with a %26quot;mute%26quot; consonant (a consonant that is not pronounced) is followed by a word starting with a vowel, you %26quot;link%26quot; the two words.

This explains that you pronounce the %26quot;z%26quot; in %26quot;chez eux%26quot; or %26quot;chez elle%26quot;, %26quot;z%26quot; being generally a mute consonant (except in gaz and jazz) but does not explain why you would not pronounce it in %26quot;chez Omar%26quot;. The only explanation I can come up with is that it would sound funny.

It seems it is mainly a question of %26quot;euphonism%26quot; just as %26quot;la chose que l%26#39;on a dite%26quot; sounds better than %26quot;la chose qu%26#39;on a dite%26quot;.

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Yes, I know the rule, which is why I wondered about the exception.

Chez Yves? Chez Hélène?

Those also sound better with a silent %26quot;z%26quot;, to my anglophone ear.

Chez %26quot;name that starts with a vowel or a silent consonant?%26quot;

I drive my French teacher crazy trying to put rules on things for which there are no rules.

Thanks again.