Dominique

[Mike Muscato]

Hello all:

French language newbie here. I don't understand the pronunciation of "parle" as sung in the 5th and 6th lines of this song. Any help would be appreciated:

 

Dominique, nique
Nique s'en allait tout simplement
Routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieux
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHhyyRByuJ0

 

Thanks,

Mike

 

[George Hunt]

Seems  quite normal to my ears.

Sometimes  the final "e" can be pronounced  quite strongly so as to  give parl-e but in this instance  the final "e" is practically silent and all I really hear is parl .

The "r" is quite strongly pronounced  as is normal in French.

In some  varieties of English you might expect not to hear an "r" in that place in the word so perhaps that could throw you.

[Mike Muscato]

Got it. Thank you.

[Jan Loose]

The "parle" and "que" are pronounced without the "e" for musical reasons.  That is why you hear "parlque"

The final is e strongly pronounced in southern France (Le Midi, Le Provence).  Go on youtube and search for a late actor called Fernandel.  His popular films are the series of "Don Camillo" and a film called "Le prisonier et la vache" (The prisoner and the cow), and you'll see how the "Méditerrariens" are pronouncing words that end on an -e.

In Northern France (Paris area) it is very posh to pronounce an end -e even where there is none : le "bac" (short for baccalauréat, a degree required for university studies) and even not ending on an e,  is pronounced "Bacque"

Jan Loose