Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Piyo Liu]

Dear teachers:

I like the opera "Les Miserables" very much, and would like to know
how to pronounce it correctly. Would you please tell me that? Thanks a lot!!

Best wishes,
Piyo Liu : )

[LucentShade]

It's a French title; I believe it's "lay meeserahb"

mee = sound of English "me"
rahb = similar to the English a in "father"

In any case, the "s" of "Les" and the "les" of "Miserables" are not pronounced.

[Piyo Liu]

Thanks for your response. Do you mean the pronunciation is like:

"lay meeserahb":

lay= the sound of the English word "lay"
mee= the sound of the English word "me"
se= the same sound as the "se" in the English word "miserable"
rahb= "r" is silent and "ahb" are pronounced as the "a" sound in "father"

Thanks again!

Best wishes,
Piyo Liu

[Mister Micawber]

.
The /r/ is not silent, but otherwise close enough, Piyo Liu.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's