When the numbers six, dix, etc. quantify a noun, such as in six minutes, dix bananes, the final s sound disappears.
What about when these numbers indicate dates of a month, such as in six janvier, dix mars, etc.?
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It the same for months, the final "s" disappears. Take a look here french.stackexchange.com/questions/24296/…– TheCodeKillerCommented Jan 20, 2017 at 17:06
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@TheCodeKiller Thanks. Yes, I saw the question you linked to - I linked to it in my question as well. It's not clear to me in the case of months because here we're not saying that there are 6 Januarys, etc.– user11550Commented Jan 20, 2017 at 17:13
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In french, there no such notion as 6 Januarys. It could be but no one is going to use this. There no quantities for explicit months. You can says "six semaines" but not "six decembres". That's also why months are "invariant" (no plural).– TheCodeKillerCommented Jan 20, 2017 at 17:21
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2Possible duplicate of six minutes, dix minutes, six kilometres etc– FrankCommented Jan 20, 2017 at 17:50
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@TheCodeKiller months are not invariable.– DestalCommented Jan 21, 2017 at 18:35
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2 Answers
There are actually three possible situations, depending mainly on the word following six or dix:
- If the following word starts with a consonant or an aspirated h, then the final consonant shouldn't be pronounced. Examples : Le six mars, le dix mai, pronounced si and di.
- If the following word starts with a vowel or a mute h, then the final consonant is pronounced as a (z). Example : Le six avril pronounced le sizavril.
- In the other cases (mainly when six or dix are alone, or finishing a sentence, but also when they are used as a pronoun), the final consonant is pronounced (s). Example : Il m'en reste dix à faire (diss à faire). Le mot que tu cherches se trouve à la page six. (siss). Source : https://www.fpjq.org/pdfs/08-05_outils-nombres.pdf (along with my everyday experience of my native language).
To take in consideration: according to the region of France you live in, liaisons and pronunciation of a final letter are subject to change; in the south, people are more up to pronounce the final x of six & dix as an s, less in the northern half; there are even some regions (more in the north-eastern country) where the final t in vingt is being pronounced(but not the g), which always surprises me.
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1Why should it be a surprise? :-) Not only does it depend on the location, but it also depends on the period. The language changes continuously, probably all we can do is record the variations in space and time (i.e. being prescriptive or normative is pointless, IMHO).– FrankCommented Jan 21, 2017 at 19:59
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Of course they do change in space and time !! (which i'm thankfull for, the opposite would be so boring ....)– m.raynalCommented Jan 21, 2017 at 20:35
If you are asking about the pronunciation of the "s" sound at the end six, dix, then yes, it is not pronounced in six janvier. For dix mars, I am not so sure. I could say it both ways, although without sounds better.
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1You do not sound the the "s" in le dix mars but you generally sound it in dix avril, dix octobre, six août, etc. because most people will liaise.– NoneCommented Jan 20, 2017 at 18:51
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1Where are you from ? Special accent maybe ? I don't think it's very common. Commented Jan 21, 2017 at 19:27
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Je suis de Strasbourg - mais ce n'est pas de l'Alsacien (que je ne parle pas).– FrankCommented Jan 21, 2017 at 20:36