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If you are from the U.S. or the rest of Canada you probably speak English and could honestly have little exposure to french in day to day life. If you are a native french speaker in Canada you have probably been taught english in grade school since most of the people in Canada speak it. If you haven't you have been constantly exposed to American movies and music, not to mention the Internet.
I find it convenient that you can go into a business in quebec not be able to find a person that speaks english. It would be somewhat believable if only one or two older people are working there but when its three or more people, especially younger people in a place within a hour of either the U.S. border or a English speaking part of Canada i think its BS.
I've met people in Quebec between the ages of 25-40 who don't speak any English at all. Generally the further away you go from a city, the more likely. However, even in Montreal there are many...just because some may have had the education offered doesn't mean they did very well at it. Generally, the best English speakers either moved out of Quebec for a bit, or had parents who spoke both languages with them.
Your border comment is a bit like saying that a Spanish person on the border of France must automatically speak French - it simply is not the case.
If you are from the U.S. or the rest of Canada you probably speak English and could honestly have little exposure to french in day to day life. If you are a native french speaker in Canada you have probably been taught english in grade school since most of the people in Canada speak it. If you haven't you have been constantly exposed to American movies and music, not to mention the Internet.
I find it convenient that you can go into a business in quebec not be able to find a person that speaks english. It would be somewhat believable if only one or two older people are working there but when its three or more people, especially younger people in a place within a hour of either the U.S. border or a English speaking part of Canada i think its BS.
My family is from Quebec and I still have some family living there. Some speak english, some well, some not so well. Some only speak french. It's Quebec, not Maine. Pick up a phrase book and learn a few phrases you can use in a shop etc. A little effort goes a long way and that person who may know a little english but embarrassed to speak it, may open up because of your efforts.
This post made me think that I should make a confession: on rare occasions where people are being exceptionally obnoxious I have pretended not to speak their language. I haven't just done this in Quebec but also abroad, since I can blab a bit in several languages.
So if someone speaking language X (usually not the language of the locale) is being a jerk and wants to engage me in conversation or get me involved in something, I will sometimes politely say "Sorry, I don't speak X" in the language I am pretty sure they don't know, and walk away.
As far as people "pretending" in business, I'm sure it's like everyone else has said, totally unmalicious, people for the most part speak some English and have some half remembered lessons from high school, but aren't so confident with the language as to claim they can properly speak English.
And if you're learning French for a trip to Quebec, it's probably best to learn the "Quebec French" dialect (there's probably plenty of videos on Youtube on the basics.) I hear it's a bit different than French spoken in France which is what is taught in most US schools.. but maybe a native speaker could comment further.
And if you're learning French for a trip to Quebec, it's probably best to learn the "Quebec French" dialect (there's probably plenty of videos on Youtube on the basics.) I hear it's a bit different than French spoken in France which is what is taught in most US schools.. but maybe a native speaker could comment further.
If you are a true beginner, any type of French will do since you aren't going to be having long discussions with people anyway. At least not any time soon.
And if you're learning French for a trip to Quebec, it's probably best to learn the "Quebec French" dialect (there's probably plenty of videos on Youtube on the basics.) I hear it's a bit different than French spoken in France which is what is taught in most US schools.. but maybe a native speaker could comment further.
It's mostly just getting used to the accent. The differences are comparable to the differences between British and American English, with some vocabulary differences but mostly just different accents. A beginner speaker of either language is fine learning whatever version they want because differences only arise when you get beyond that level. Formal registers in Quebec French are also much closer to the European pronunciations then are casual registers.
Is it mandatory for Quebec students to study English in middle school the way students in English Canada have to study French?
Even earlier. I think they can start studying it from grade 1 onwards as a second language, and have it mandatory by grade 4. I have heard from Francophones though that sometimes the quality of the classes can be a bit lacking and it doesn't always stick with some students. My experiences learning French in English Quebec public schools wasn't super dissimilar, and I did do immersion. I mean, as we've said there are people in Quebec who don't speak English well despite learning it in school (and I don't think that they used to start in grade 1 when alot of people who are adults now were educated), but a majority of Francophones in Quebec do consider themselves to be bilingual and we shouldn't lose sight of that. It's just that there is a sizable minority that doesn't feel comfortable in their second language abilities. Likely, they just didn't use the language and forgot most of it, which is what tends to happens to many Anglos in the ROC as well, who learn French in school and then don't use it much.
Ugh, to be honest with you, I found this video to be kind of offensive. I try, but the bigoted caricatures of English Canadians went through my armor and rubbed a raw angryphone nerve in there somewhere. Not amused, couldn't bring myself to look past it, call me overly sensitive if you must, but for me it was too much.
Last edited by BIMBAM; 04-17-2013 at 07:54 PM..
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