An Introductorie for to Lerne to Read, To Pronounce, and to Speke French Trewly

by Giles Du Wés

HERE FOLOWETH THE FYRST BOKE OF SEVYN RULES FOR TO REDE
AND TO PRONOUNCE FRENCHE TREWLY.

THE FYRST

is howe the fyve vowels, that is to saye a, e, i, o, and v, shalbe sounded in redyng french.

Ye shal pronounce your a, as wyde open mouthed as ye can; your e, as ye do in latyn, almost as brode as ye pronounce your a in englysshe; your i, as sharpe as can be; o, as ye do in englyssh, and v after the Skottes, as in this worde gud. These fyve uowels be consonantes when they receyve nat their full sounde, as in this worde jamais the fyrst a is a uowell, and the seconde is a consonant.

Example of e, as déité and magesté, where bothe ees of deite be uowels, and the fyrst of magesté is a consonant and the seconde is a uowell. Wherfore ye shall understande that the moste parte of ees in french be consonantes, save fewe with suche wordes as come out of latyn. Example of consonantes

me, the, hym, that, of, the, do, to say, to put, oure, your,
me, te, se, que, de, le, faire, dire, mectre, nostre, vostre,

wher is never a uowel. All the

ees

that shalbe uowels in this present boke shalbe marked as the dyptong is in latyn, thus

é