Western Canada - Is it annoying or obnoxious that Quebecers speak French?

While I'm not trying to play the ignorant American, I can't help but feel that if I lived in the Western US and wanted to travel to NY, and needed to know a second language to do so, I feel like I would definitely be peeved. This isn't a rant against people from Quebec, the few I've known have been awesome people. Just a culture question I guess.

While I'm not trying to play the ignorant American, I can't help but feel that if I lived in the Western US and wanted to travel to NY, and needed to know a second language to do so, I feel like I would definitely be peeved. This isn't a rant against people from Quebec, the few I've known have been awesome people. Just a culture question I guess.I'm from Manitoba. I haven't yet been to Quebec, but I wouldn't hesitate to visit. I've known a few people from Quebec (they worked with me) and they were nice folks. They always said they didn't have a problem with English people, or English-only speakers. It's a select few loudmouths (mostly the politicians and lobbyists) that have issue with it. The average person cares more if you're an arse or not, regardless of the language you speak. :)

The Quebec culture does have a very different flavor to it, but it's a good difference, in my opinion. Just like the Maritimes. They speak a different language there too. :D

But as an inconvenience do you think it would bother you?

I've been to la belle province several times, and in the more rural areas french is the only language spoken. Like most english speaking canucks, what little french I know is from the back of the cereal box so, yeah, there is a bit of inconvenience.

But so what? One of the great pleasures of travel is meeting and interacting with people from different cultures, and one of the defining aspects of culture is language. It can be fun to try to speak the local language and generally people react in a friendly way if you do so. Shouting in english, not so much.

I've been to Quebec a few times and french culture there is not a problem for me. In the cities, folks are bilingual. I love the rich french heritage there. Really cool place.
Quebec is a distinct part of Canada that makes this country unique. Otherwise it will be just another USA. Why would you want that?
Did the natives complain why can't them pale skins speak mohican or huron?

While I'm not trying to play the ignorant American,

And yet you do it so well.....

It's their native language. Why would you expect them to adapt to you?

Je suis fils de la vallée d'Ottawa.
J'aime mes frères et mes soeurs de Québec.
So there. ;+)
Learning a second language is a pleasure, not an imposition.
More people should do it.

I am an Anglo that chooses to live in Quebec and it is neither annoying nor obnoxious that Quebecers speak their mother tongue.

What are they supposed to speak American?

Are you a racist or a xenophobe or simply annoying and obnoxious?

Why is this in the Western-Canadian thread?

This is the stupidest thread of the year!

I was a few too many beers deep when I thought of the thread title and question, so for anyone I offended I apologize. I only wanted to know if it was a legitimate inconvenience to non-French speaking Canadians.

Tabernac!!!

Why would it be a problem? I truly don't understand your point.

I was a few too many beers deep when I thought of the thread title and question, so for anyone I offended I apologize. I only wanted to know if it was a legitimate inconvenience to non-French speaking Canadians.

Is it an inconvenience for you when people in our country speak another language?

sneekyjesus, I'm not sure where you live but if you ever have the chance you should come up for a visit. Oh just so you know Quebec beer is magnificent, the cycling is fantastic and the people are wonderful.

Gordon p

I was a few too many beers deep when I thought of the thread title and question, so for anyone I offended I apologize. I only wanted to know if it was a legitimate inconvenience to non-French speaking Canadians.
Inconvenience? possibly. Annoyance? Only that i have forgotten too much French.

Anyway, visiting Montreal, I'll put up with the struggle to remember the French, ( In those rare places they can't speak English ) for the food.

No I like the fact that they speak another language and I'm kinda proud that Canada has 2 official languages. It makes me feel like we're more worldly. My sister and I both took french immersion out here on the prairies and now my daughter starts french immersion in the fall.

I just can't stand their politics.

You'll occasionally get some attitude, but you can get around that by letting them know you're American. Most of the hardcore french-speakers don't have a problem with speaking english, they have a problem with Quebecers speaking english.

Unless, as has been mentioned, you're in the country-side. Then it's no different than visiting any other non-english-speaking country. I've never gotten any real attitude from anyone in the rural areas.

While I'm not trying to play the cosmopolitan central Canadian, I can't help but feel that if I wanted to travel to Calgary, and needed to wear chaps and a 10-gallon hat to do so, I feel like I would definitely be peeved. This isn't a rant against people from Alberta, the few I've known have been awesome people. Just a culture question I guess.

Fixed.



It's the differences that make us interesting as a country.

Fixed.

can i point out now that the only people in calgary who wear chaps and 40 litre hats are accountants visiting from toronto?

can i point out now that the only people in calgary who wear chaps and 40 litre hats are accountants visiting from toronto?

I think you missed my point. The whole chaps and hat thing is just the stereotype that exists about Calgary, just like nobody in Quebec speaking English is a stereotype or myth.


Just noticed the 40 litre thing - nice. :thumb:

A second language like say Spanish, Texan, or Ebonics? If you were peeved at needing to know a second language than why would you want to go? Doesn't talking louder and slower American enable everyone to understand that you are looking for the bathroom?

I think Quebec is a gem in Canadian culture. It's just too bad more Canadians don't realize it.

Being a bilingual country encourages more Canadians to be bilingual than most other English-speaking countries. This is a good thing. I travel a lot, and my ability to speak French has been tremendously helpful in former French colonies, as well as providing a background that lets me decipher Spanish. Quebec itself is a lovely place, with (mostly) lovely people. Why would it make a difference what language they speak?

While I'm not trying to play the ignorant American...

Attempt failed.

The only thing that peeves me on my visits to Montreal (one of the most fun places in Canada) is that whenever I try to speak French, they speak English back to you. Montrealers tend to be quite a bit more arrogant than other Quebecers, sort of the Paris of Quebec. I guess they don't like to listen to bad French, and they want to let you know they can speak English better than you can speak French!

If you don't speak French at all, the best place to visit is the Eastern Townships (the area to the east of Montreal, around Bromont (where the Atlanta Olympics velodrome resides) and Sherbrooke). They're all bilingual, and they speak the most unaccented English in Quebec. They have a big Masters bike race there, le Coupe des Ameriques. Lovely countryside, and it's just north of Vermont, so fabulous in the fall.

If you want to improve your French, tour the countryside. The people are extremely friendly, but you have to make an effort to speak their language. The Gaspe peninsula is highly recommended.

I used to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, but I've lived in Canada now way longer than I've lived in the US. My only accommodation to Canadian bilingualism is that I always sing the Canadian national anthem in French (well, it was written originally in French, and the French words make way more sense!).

L.

The only thing that peeves me on my visits to Montreal (one of the most fun places in Canada) is that whenever I try to speak French, they speak English back to you. Montrealers tend to be quite a bit more arrogant than other Quebecers, sort of the Paris of Quebec. I guess they don't like to listen to bad French, and they want to let you know they can speak English better than you can speak French!

I am a bilingual Quebecer (with French as mother tongue) and I can tell you that if I reply in English to someone who tries to speak French, it would be to accommodate the person, not to be an *******. ;) I personally believe that's generally the case in Montreal. I now live in the south shore so my English speaking is strictly limited to business now. :lol:

It is neither annoying or nor obnoxious. Canadians speak french and english and a gamut of many languages. Being a western Canadian, I welcome the fact that we can speak multi languages. My french is not all that good, however when I am immersed in Quebec or France, It comes back to me quickly. Enjoy it.
I spent some time in southern France, and enjoyed the wine, cheese, croissont, and cycling.:thumb::thumb:

Pourquoi est-ceci toujours ici ?
I mean REALLY.

While I'm not trying to play the ignorant American, I can't help but feel that if I lived in the Western US and wanted to travel to NY, and needed to know a second language to do so, I feel like I would definitely be peeved. This isn't a rant against people from Quebec, the few I've known have been awesome people. Just a culture question I guess.

I don't need to read past this first post to know that this is about the dumbest most ignorant post ever at BF. Wow.

If I lived in a bilingual country, a condition of High school graduation would be so many terms of the second language of the country.. Problem solved.

If I lived in a bilingual country, a condition of High school graduation would be so many terms of the second language of the country.. Problem solved.

Canada is a multilingual country and the majority do speak more then one language. For some reasons Anglos have a problem learning French - myself included. When I went to school in Manitoba the second language taught was German reflecting the second largest linguist group in that province. I never heard French spoken publicly in Manitoba until I was an adult!

^Wow! German? Really?

I was forced to learn Francais in Elementary school in BC, I think that's a federal requirement? I was terrible at it, still am. I was raised by an American mother so I barely ever *heard* French.

I have no issue with Quebecois speaking French. French is an official language of this country, it's part of our identity as Canadians, eh? However, it bugs the ever loving hell out of me when people from Quebec call my workplace and expect us to speak French with them, I'm in BC, they're lucky if any of us even speak English these days.

This rude ***** called the other day from QC, she spoke English quite well but insisted in conversing in French. I scrambled to find someone, I did but he didn't sell the products she wanted, that's a different department.

The person in the correct department only speaks English, she's from BC. Later, she told me the rude ***** told her she should learn French. :twitch:

I have a big problem with sanctimonious jerks no matter where they hail from. I also have major issue with Chinese people that live here calling in to my workplace and expecting us to speak Cantonese. This is Canada, not China. FFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuu-.

One of my coworkers is Quebecois but he's the furthest thing from being sanctimonious or obnoxious he even makes fun of me if I use the occasional Portuguese Brazilian expression. My ex husband is Brazilian so I fala um pouco, just for fun.

Incidentally, I'm going to be learning Latin in college, I would have studied Portugese if I could but they don't offer it.

I was forced to learn Francais in Elementary school in BC, I think that's a federal requirement?Not a Federal requirement. Education is provincial jurisdiction. The only nationwide language requirement is in the Charter which says that education must be available in either official language if there's demand for it.

The person in the correct department only speaks English, she's from BC. Later, she told me the rude ***** told her she should learn French. :twitch:Having lived in Quebec, I've pretty much just learned to just ignore the language snobs. I do speak French, but not overly well, so I got plenty of flak. (The reality is that most Quebecois don't actually speak french...they speak a weird hybrid language with a funny accent. Don't tell them that, though...they're absolutely convinced that they speak the purest form of the language.)

German is actually fairly common throughout the Prairies. In my part of the world you can find miniority language communities of German, Ukrainian and French in pretty much equal balance. All are dying out, though - my in-laws live in a formerly French dominated town, where you'd now be hard pressed to find someone under the age of 50 who prefers French.

Canada is a multilingual country and the majority do speak more then one language. For some reasons Anglos have a problem learning French - myself included. When I went to school in Manitoba the second language taught was German reflecting the second largest linguist group in that province. I never heard French spoken publicly in Manitoba until I was an adult!

that's odd, because Winnipeg has a very large French population.
heck, in St. Boniface the stop signs also say Arrete on them.

Manitoba's Francophone population is about 47,000 while 22% of the province is of German extraction. I grew up there a few decades ago and things have changes for the better for the Francophone community.