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Last time I was in Ottawa, I was in a supermarket, and I don't think I heard anybody speaking English or French. Just Chinese, Farsi, Ukrainian.
In Newfoundland, everyone in my office was amazed when they heard me speaking French on the phone, none of the other 20 or so people could. And as a non-Canadian, I was the only one who never took French in school'
I lived in Ottawa for a couple of years 1990-92. I heard French all the time. I lived centrally, mind you - New Edinburgh, Sandy Hill, the Glebe. And I worked at the UofO, so of course there was lots of French there. My speaking ability is poor, but I could understand a lot of what was going on around me.
I had moved there from BC, and until people knew that, I met with some hostility not being fluent. Then someone would say "oh, she's a westerner" and it was like flipping a switch.
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.
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You just proved my point! lol
Quote:
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.
But they don't LIVE there. They have to commute across a border to get to those places. A small percentage could also be French tourist as well as Ottawa gas an active element of visiting from France.
Bottom line, Ottawa is an English city with a small portion of French speakers, not the other way around...
Not really. You said the only time you ever heard French growing up in West Ottawa was in French class. That's almost never. But if you go to IKEA today or tonight I can guarantee you you'll hear French. If you go to Bayshore you'll hear French. If you go to an event at the Canadian Tire Centre, you'll hear French. None of those are French classes in schools.
Not really. You said the only time you ever heard French growing up in West Ottawa was in French class. That's almost never. But if you go to IKEA today or tonight I can guarantee you you'll hear French. If you go to Bayshore you'll hear French. If you go to an event at the Canadian Tire Centre, you'll hear French. None of those are French classes in schools.
You are the missing the point again. I said "growing up" meaning past tense, many eons ago back in the 70's, 80's and hell even the 90's.
I come back to Ottawa occasionally and seldomly hear french in the Westend (west of Bank) . Again not talking about those Hab or even small number of Sens fans that commute to the CTC and speak French.
I could drive to Maniwaki every weekend and speak English in the McDonalds up there and that in no way would constitute that town as hearing "English" lol
You are the missing the point again. I said "growing up" meaning past tense, many eons ago back in the 70's, 80's and hell even the 90's.
I come back to Ottawa occasionally and seldomly hear french in the Westend (west of Bank) . Again not talking about those Hab or even small number of Sens fans that commute to the CTC and speak French.
I could drive to Maniwaki every weekend and speak English in the McDonalds up there and that in no way would constitute that town as hearing "English" lol
I don't think people in Gatineau were going to the west end of Ottawa for stuff any more or any less in the 70s, 80s or 90s, when compared to today.
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