4 syllables: Ma, dame Bo, va, ry. Stress on Ma.
MAD-uhm-boh-vuh-ree
/ˈmædəm boʊvəri/
Madame Bovary is pronounced MAD-uhm-boh-vuh-ree (/ˈmædəm boʊvəri/). It has four syllables (Ma-dame Bo-va-ry), with the stress on "Ma". As a proper noun, a proper noun referring to the title character of Gustave Flaubert’s novel, and, more broadly, to the narrative itself. The phrase combines a French honorific Madame with Bovary, the surname, and is pronounced with careful French-inflected vowel and consonant sounds. In English contexts, the pronunciation often carries a subtle French accent, signaling literary or European reference.
proper nounA proper noun referring to the title character of Gustave Flaubert’s novel, and, more broadly, to the narrative itself. The phrase combines a French honorific Madame with Bovary, the surname, and is pronounced with careful French-inflected vowel and consonant sounds. In English contexts, the pronunciation often carries a subtle French accent, signaling literary or European reference.
How to Pronounce Madame Bovary
"The class discussed Madame Bovary in detail, focusing on the novel’s themes of discontent and social critique."
"She quoted a passage from Madame Bovary to illustrate Flaubert’s ironic storytelling."
"In Paris, the exhibit included a display about Madame Bovary’s cultural impact."
- Pronounce as: ma-dahm boh-VAH-ree, with primary stress on the second word’s second syllable. In IPA (US): /ˌmædæm boʊˈvɑːri/; UK: /ˌmæˈdɒm bəˈvɔːri/. In careful French influence, the first word rhymes with 'la-dam' and the second with 'VOH-ree'. For authenticity, put a light French diphthong on the first syllable 'Madame' (ma-dam) and an open 'a' in Bovary’s final syllable. Audio reference: try listening to a university lecture or pronunciation channel that models French proper nouns.
Two frequent errors: (1) stressing the first syllable of Bovary or misplacing stress on the first word; (2) attempting an overly Anglicized final -ary as 'air-ee' rather than 'ah-ree'. Correction: place primary stress on Bov- (the second word), and pronounce Bovary as /boʊˈvɑːri/ with an open American 'o' and a long 'ah' in the second syllable. Ensure Madame uses a clipped /mædæm/ rather than a drawn-out 'mad-uhm'. Practice repeating 'ma-DAHM bo-VAH-ree' with controlled intonation.
In US pronunciation, you’ll hear /ˌmædæm boʊˈvɑri/ with rhotic /r/. UK speakers may reduce the second vowel slightly to /boˈværi/ and soften the final vowel; in Australian English, expect /ˈmædəˌbeɒri/ or /ˈmædəˌbɔːri/ with a more centralized vowel in Madame and a non-rhotic tendency. The name Bovary often maintains a clear /v/ and /r/ but the French-origin vowels shift toward general English vowel spaces. Listen for subtle stress shifts and vowel quality differences across regions.
The difficulty comes from blending a French title with English phonology: Madame contains a nasal-like quality in careful French; Bovary poses a stress-anchored second word with a French -av- vowel cluster and final -ry that English speakers render differently. Key challenges: maintaining the /æ/ in Madame, producing the French /vɑ/ rather than a pure English /væ/ in Bovary, and preserving the final /ri/ rather than an ambiguous English ending. Practicing with IPA references helps solidify the accurate sequence.
The title often receives double-stress in formal readings, but natural speech may compress the first word slightly while keeping the second word prominent (ma-DAM boh-VA-ree). Watch for the subtle French articulation in Madame (ma-DAHM) versus an American 'mad-uhm', and ensure Bovary’s 'o' is rounded and 'var' keeps the vokal quality of /ɑː/. Use a controlled, steady rhythm to avoid running the words together.
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US: rhotics and clearer /ɑː/ variations; UK: lighter /r/ and sharper /ə/ reductions; AU: non-rhotic tendencies with slightly longer vowels. Key IPA anchors: Madame /mædæm/ or /ˌmædæˈm/ depending on speaker, Bovary /boʊˈvɑri/ or /ˈboʊværi/; emphasize the second word’s stress on -vɑ- and maintain rounded /o/ in 'Bo-'. Vowel contrasts: US tends toward /ɑ/; UK often favors /ɒ/ for ' Bov-' in some dialects; AU sits between, with vowel height adjustments. Practice with minimal pairs comparing /ɑ/ vs /æ/ in Madame and Bovary’s central vowels.
Madame Bovary combines the French honorific Madame (ma-dam) with the surname Bovary, derived from the family name Boni or Bovaire in some genealogical sources, ultimately Latin roots. The compound form first appears in literary references in the 1850s as the title of Gustave Flaubert’s novel, published in 1857 after serialization. The word Madame signals a married woman of some social standing, while Bovary is a fictional surname crafted for the character Emma Bovary. The work’s notoriety helped cement the phrase as a canonical title in literary criticism and education. In English, the pronunciation tends to preserve the French phonology more than other proper nouns borrowed from French, though anglicized variants exist in casual speech. The combination of a French title with an English-speaking audience contributed to the adoption of a hybrid pronunciation in many English-speaking contexts, especially in academic settings and film discussions.
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Words that rhyme with "Madame Bovary"
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