Originally Posted by axolotl

I always liked the sound of it. The word is in English dictionaries, too, but you're absolutely right about its origin.

Here's a story that Québecois cyclists may appreciate. I was on my Bike Friday (a folder w/20" wheels) on le P'tit Train du Nord (a wonderful rail-trail north of Montreal), and a cyclist asked me in French what kind of bike I had. I responded in French, and she no doubt realized I wasn't Québecois myself but also that I wasn't a native French speaker. However, my accent is mostly European French and not identifiable, I'm told. After I explained about my Bike Friday, the very next thing the woman said was, "mais vous êtes d'où, monsieur?" (which basically translates to "where the hell are you from?"

I sometimes have a difficult time understanding Québecois French....