kennthbykernes

[quick junco]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[orchid seal]

Just different vowels
For a lot of people it will be roughly the difference between "bate" (≈ é) and "bet" (≈ è)

[mint isle]

The difference isn't in the accent it's more in the pronounciation. L'accent grave is pronounced a bit like th "ea" in "head". While l'accent aigu is pronounced the same way as you pronounce it in "café".

[orchid seal]

Aigu

[high idol]

Even with that "y" at the end? Café?
But now that I've been studying it for a while, I think the è is a more closed shape than é, and that é has regularly a "lazier" (mildly open mouth, less expressive sound) pronunciation. Am I correct? Or is there a flaw in my understanding?

[high idol]

(è) Closed shape as in the jaw is closer to my front upper teeth

But the lips are a little bit more widely open, maybe?

[mint isle]

No, without the "y" at the end.
I would say that é is indeed a "lazier" pronunciation because your mouth is more closed than when you pronunce "è"

[orchid seal]

I have to use more muscles to make the é sound :v

You can say both at any wideness of jaw

I can even say them with my teeth together

[high idol]

And how to differentiate them? Is it then the intonation indeed? Or one is closer to the sound of the English e?

[orchid seal]

just tongue placement