I spent most of the winter in Tremblant surrounded by many English-Canadians, Brits and Aussies who were there for the season. Many spoke some French, most were determined to learn and did. But on top of the effort of learning a language it was as if they had to fight to use it. Francos would just constantly speak English to them. Either because it was just more easy or out of habit.”

This is a very weird feeling I get from reading about the Welsh linguistic situation too. The Welsh speakers are so adept of code-switching that English-speakers are, can we say, ”denied” access to the language because everybody switch to English.

It’s a vicious circle : The more we switch to English the less newcommers are exposed to our language, the less motivation they have to learn it. This is why we should always speak French. Excusez… «C’est pour ça qu’y faut tout l’temps parler français. Sinon on donne pas la chance aux autres de participer à notre culture.»

“I don’t know of any law that makes it mandatory to watch a certain amount of Canadian films and channels, or a law that makes it mandatory to buy at least a Canadian book every month.”

It’s coming, it’s coming, don’t worry. Our bureaucrats have got all their “productive” minds on that one.

Protectionism at work exponent 100.

It’s true that English to me has always been more inclusive than let’s say French in Quebec.

Since it’s threaten, we live in a paranoid state of mind and we listen to a guy like Gilles Proulx (great radio show man BTW) correcting his auditors each time they make a mistake or say an “anglicisme”.

Whereas English has always been very keen at using other words from other languages, borrowing and stealing without remorse and I love it, it’s great. Think about all the great French words used in English like let’s say Chef, cliché, rendez-vous, en masse, largesse and what not.

Nobody understand the Texas accent except texan people themselves.

It is almost like a code language just like Quebeckers have their own “joual” code language or Belgium talks very differently from France people (actually, I find Belgian accent closer to Quebecois accent, some even think that you come from Belgium when you go to France and Paris).

Besides, I never listen to French translation, it’s a universal French that no one talk. It’s an insult to everyone so much that lots of movie are retranslated in France because they don’t have the French accent enough and their expressions.

I even tried spanish translation but I am so annoyed by spanish, it’s unbelievable. I am never going to get that language nor do I want to.

Anglos have their culture that French Quebeckers ignore and vice-versa. (think about Jean-René Dufort at le gala des Oliviers asking anglos if they knew about our comedians and most of them did not).

There seems to be a fracture in Montreal, it almost look like the East doesn’t live in the same country as the West Island. That is why if Quebec is to separate, it would be completely illogical to think that the West Island would come in softly, they are culturally opposite to everything Quebec nationalism stand for that is why the West Island of Montreal would probably end up in Canada’s end, partition would be inevitable.

“I’ve often heard second-language English speakers, most of them Canadian francophones of course, say that the great thing about English is that you can make it up as you go along.”

Heheh, yeah, that’s sort of true in that so many nouns can be used as verbs, and gerunds are both easy to form and used more extensively. So vocab is a lot tighter.

“I’ve also heard people say that aside from imperialism (first British, then American), English’s tremendous global advantage is directly related to the language’s fabulous malleability. All of which I guess is related to the “bastard” theory.”

I suppose, but I think imperialism is the main reason. I mean, the world had no problem learning French in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, and that’s when y’all were still using “l’on” all the friggin’ time.

Your last point is interesting. I’ve often heard second-language English speakers, most of them Canadian francophones of course, say that the great thing about English is that you can make it up as you go along. And that what you say will still be comprehensible. I’ve also heard people say that aside from imperialism (first British, then American), English’s tremendous global advantage is directly related to the language’s fabulous malleability. All of which I guess is related to the “bastard” theory.

I myself tend to be on your side Hoo boy, and cringe at stuff like “I done it” and “you did good”, which seem to be part of accepted usage these days. (I cringe at a lot of stuff I hear in French as well, BTW.)

Since when do FLQ – and Quebec nationalists in general – write their grafitti in English? And since when do francophones not know that the long diphthong (I think this is the right term) for the “o” sound is spelled “eau” and not “eua” in French?

Very weird.

Now english is not endangered in Texas. Even the large spanish speaking population understand they are in english territory.

I am not saying the quality of french is not important but I view that as a separate issues from Bill 101.