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Some Ottawa neighbourhoods can be quite French-speaking, true.
To be perfectly honest there aren't really any neighbourhoods that one could call "French-speaking" in Ottawa any more, though there are quite a few where you'll hear some French most every time you're out and about.
I agree with that. I think the reason why it felt more bilingual to me is because most of the signs were both in English and French. In Montreal all of the signs are in French only and in other cities they are in English only. That's why it felt unique in Ottawa showing a construction sign having both languages on it.
When it comes to bilingualism, one could say the Ottawa talks the talk, and Montreal walks the walk.
There might exist an Ottawa neighbourhood where French dominates over English, but I've not seen one myself..
I don't know how old you are, but there used to be quite a number. If by what we mean by French dominating that more often than not you were greeted with a spontaneous "bonjour" in many businesses. As recently as the 1980s places like Vanier and Orleans and parts of Overbrook and Lowertown were like that. If you go further back parts of Hintonburg-Mechanicsville, Sandy Hill and the bulldozed LeBreton Flats were also like that.
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Originally Posted by Machjo
Not yet anyway.
.
I wouldn't use "yet" because things aren't going in that direction. That ship has sailed. There won't be any neighbourhoods like that any more in Ottawa.
This make me somewhat curious though. other language communities congregate and organize to maintain their language, whereas the French-speaking community (at least in Ottawa) makes little effort to do the same. I'm guilty of that myself. We just want to live close to work, or close to friends, or shops, not necessarily close to other French speakers. I can think of three possible explanations, none necessarily mutually exclusive:
1. We don't care enough about French.
2. We know English so can function quite comfortably in English.
3. Official bilingualism gives us a false sense of official security that unofficial language communities do not enjoy. As a result, while they take practical steps to promote their languages, we just petition governments to do so on our behalf while we live our lives.
I think you're right that all three factors enter into it.
It's worth noting that Franco-Ontarians used to do this in Ottawa. All over the city there are former pockets of faded francophonie that used to be centred around a church, a school, a caisse populaire and a few other businesses. A good example is in the inner west end along Wellington St. West in Hintonburg-Mechanicsville. You still have both St-François-d'Assise church and school there, but the caisse pop I am pretty sure and all the other businesses are long gone.
Those who care enough about such things have mostly moved to the Quebec side or communities that are still francophone in Prescott-Russell. Some also move(d) to Orleans and tell themselves that they too have moved to a place that's francophone, even if the reality on the ground there doesn't really bear that out.
That's an interesting idea I had never thought of.
I am personally in favour of a certain form of Swiss-style language territoriality for Canada but this I am pretty sure would never go as far as to do away with minority language educational institutions.
As for the other stuff in many cases I doubt that saying that Ontario or Manitoba, etc. are "English only but with some French schools" would change much in the fortunes of the francophone communities there. Most francophones don't use French language services in my experience, or use them only occasionally.
As for the spreading out vs. concentration of Ottawa francophones a lot of people see this as a sign of the community's maturity and strength. You also see this mindset in the Franco-Ontarian community's pursuit of its own French-only university in... Toronto. As if these francophone pioneers are going to carve out a place in the sun for French in the 416. In the meantime French is bleeding fairly severely in eastern and northeastern Ontario - the only two parts of the province where it has decent critical mass.
I was never in agreement with these views and this is one of the main reasons I chose to move to Quebec to raise my family.
With this thought in mind why do i need to speak French, All my social activities are in English with friends and family, all my social media is in English,all vacations are spent outside Quebec.
While i spent 30+ years speaking French at work i've been retired now for 10 years and my French speaking skills have declined substantially as i have no social connection with French social life, whats even more irritating is when i do speak French to some one in public they invariably come back to me in English ,
Exactly. I grew up in Ottawa West and Nepean. Never heard French in the majority of the Ottawa region except in my grade school french classes. Might as well be living in the GTA. Sure Vanier and Lowertown was a mix of both languages but that had a smaller population. Venture downtown and yes you may have heard French from the Government workers in the office buildings but they don't count as they live in Quebec and cross the border everyday. I seldomly crossed the bridge as an adult later in my life so why would anyone need to learn French? Well for me I did make the effort when I traveled to QC but almost every damn time I tried to speak French they (Les Quebecois) would answer me back in English!
Exactly. I grew up in Ottawa West and Nepean. Never heard French in the majority of the Ottawa region except in my grade school french classes.
I guess your ears were closed most of the time. In the western part of Ottawa and western suburbs, the local French speaking population is a small minority it is true and those who do live there mostly speak English when out and about.
But there are "destinations" in the west end where francophones do go like IKEA, Bayshore, Tanger Outlets, the Ottawa Senators arena. Basically, stuff that we don't have over here in Gatineau. So you definitely hear French regularly when you're hanging around those places specifically.
Never heard French in the majority of the Ottawa region except in my grade school french classes.
Me neither.
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Originally Posted by 40roller
Might as well be living in the GTA.
or in Dublin
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Originally Posted by 40roller
so why would anyone need to learn French?
good argument
Quote:
Originally Posted by 40roller
Well for me I did make the effort when I traveled to QC but almost every damn time I tried to speak French they (Les Quebecois) would answer me back in English!
you need to travel to Côte d'Ivoire if you want a reply in French
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Originally Posted by Acajack
But there are "destinations" in the west end where francophones do go like IKEA, Bayshore, Tanger Outlets, the Ottawa Senators arena. Basically, stuff that we don't have over here in Gatineau. So you definitely hear French regularly when you're hanging around those places specifically.
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