The article “Quebec Tries to Say Au Revoir to ‘Hi,’ and Hello to ‘Bonjour’” is about Quebec’s conflict of language, and how a new resolution passed by Quebec’s legislators contributes to it. Recently, a resolution was passed in Quebec stating that instead of using the usual “Bonjour hi”, the people should just say “Bonjour” as a greeting. This adds on the already formed debate over the culture/language embraced in the area. The article also talks about how the conflict – which has been going on since Britain won the ‘Seven Years War’ – has people debating whether the government has crossed the line, even though this motion cannot be enforced legally. With this decision, there was much backlash from Quebec’s people – English speaking and bilingual. …show more content…
This includes the concept of lingua franca, diffusion, and non-material culture. The article references how globalization has a long term effect on the French language in Canada. Globalization is defined as the “shrinking” of the world in terms of communication and interaction, this plays a role in the diffusion of the lingua franca of English. Since English is the lingua franca of the world, the language the used around the world to do business and well as communicate with each other, many people will be learning English for better communication with other parts of the world. This article could also relate to the concept of non-material culture. Non-material culture is defined as the parts of culture that aren’t objects. This includes beliefs, norms, values, and language. The language of French is a major part of Quebec’s origin. They are trying to preserve this language so their culture is not lost, because language is the foundation of their customs and traditions. Another concept of human geography A possible solution to this conflict could be for the government to stop over enforcing the presence of French culture. Trying to preserve the French culture in the area, but trying to restrict what people do in their daily lives could be crossing the line. It is the peoples’ job to preserve the culture they wish to keep. They could read, write in it, and teach their younger generations French as well as English. By over enforcing the language, it is causing greater conflict among the
In the expository essay “Newfoundlandese, if you please,” Diane Mooney talks about Newfoundland and its diverse world of dialects. Port au Port is where Mooney sets sail on her rhetorical journey talking about how they speak Newfoundland French, which, Mooney continues, is a piece of the whole Newfoundland language. Many different cultures formed many different settlements and they each kept a bit of their language, but also adapted to English with their own little variations. The East coast, Southern shore, has an Irish flavour to their English. Consequently, if you look deeper into individual communities on the South Shore you will find different Irish dialects woven into English.
In the text, “Changing Anglo-Quebecer Self Consciousness,” the author, Michael Stein, questions the transformations of political consciousness among English-speaking Quebecers, since the election of the Parti Québécois government in 1976. Early on, key concepts emerge where the author defines the terms “anglophone” and “non-francophone Quebecer” which are mutually used. However, Stein makes a clear differentiation between those who are virtually English-speaking, inclusive of Anglo-Celts, Jews, Germans and other early immigrant arrivals, and those who nevertheless generally utilize their language of origin such as the more recent Italian, Greek, and Portuguese immigrants. Furthermore, the main objective of the text is to bring attention to the often disregarded yet ongoing psychological changes of
Before Laurendeau became co-chairmen of the commission he had a goal of finding a solution that provided equality to the French Canadians; “ Fearing the political and social implications of the rise of SEPARATISM in Québec after 1960, Laurendeau called upon the DIEFENBAKER and the PEARSON governments to investigate the crisis in Québec-Ottawa relations.” Furthermore, the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism created the Official Languages Act: “The Official Languages Act (1969) is the federal statute that made English and French the official languages of Canada.” This act eased the unrest growing among French Canadians in Québec and protected the French language; “The commission's findings led to changes in French education across the country, and the creation of the federal department of multiculturalism and the Official Languages Act.” French Canadians had always feared of losing their language and culture because there were more English Canadians than French Canadians and English was the only official language of
In many countries, conflict between different groups of people is inevitable. In Canada, the divide between English-speaking and French-speaking regions has been a prominent political and cultural topic since the birth of the nation. The most well known of these conflicts goes to Quebec. The province has sprouted several movements and parties supporting the autonomy and independence of Quebec. One of those parties is the Bloc Quebecois.
In the history of Quebec officially attributed by Jacques Cartier in 1534, but thousands of years before his arrival, people have crossed the frozen ground and established different communities. These people were Indigenous people, the first inhabitants of the province Quebec. Many years later, numerous explorer stopped in Quebec attempted to explore the land especially the east of Quebec. During 1535, Jacques Cartier’s second journey brought many benefits to the King of France. During this journey, he went to Stadacona (Quebec City), Hochelaga (Montreal), and finally, he stopped in Trois-Rivieres on the way back home (Fauteux, A, 2004).
Culture is defined as behaviours, values and beliefs shared by a group of people and passed on from one generation to another. Canada is a bilingual and a multicultural country. Canada is also known as a cultural mosaic as it allows people of many cultures to coalesce into one. Immigrates are coaxed to keep their culture and teach others about their cultures. Canada was established in 1867 by British North America act.
Contrasting Parisian French with Quebecois French French is a language that has conquered much of the world, being spoken extensively in eighty-four countries scattered across the globe. As a pluricentric language, French differs heavily in the way it is spoken from region to region. Two notable French dialects are Parisian French and Quebecois, which are spoken in France and Canada, respectively. Despite their similar linguistic heritage, the two dialects contrast significantly in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.
To call this era of drastic change the ‘Quiet Revolution’ is a vivid, and yet, paradoxical description. The Quiet Revolution was a time of intense socio-political and socio-cultural change in Quebec, which extended beyond Quebec’s borders because of its influence on contemporary Canadian politics. As a result of the effects of the changes that occurred during this Quiet Revolution, most Quebec provincial governments since the early 1960s have maintained political and social orientations based on the core concepts developed and implemented during the Quiet Revolution. As such, there is no doubt that the Quiet Revolution had a significant impact in Canadian History. This impact can be characterized by the prelude to the Quiet Revolution; the demographic evolution of Quebec; the social educational reforms that were put in place; the economic reforms and their impact; the rise of nationalism; and finally, the cultural changes that occurred.
English and French are the official languages of Canada, so the country recognizes the equal status for both languages in the Parliament, federal courts, and in all federal institutions (OCOL 2009). Due to this bilingual recognition and the driving force of globalization, the translation industry eventually flourished since the founding of the country and is constantly expanding and playing a key role in the growth of the country. In line with the CTISC, it points out that translation is becoming an economic activity with growing importance as a factor contributing to increased sales, revenue and employment (1999, 3). Indeed, Lynne Bowker knows this current reality and wanted to discover this reality by examining the situation of the translation
In the essay, “Federalism, Nationalism, and Reason”, Pierre Trudeau addresses the history and origins of self-determination and nationalism and its central role in federal statehood, he then discusses the interactions of federalism and nationalism in a Canadian context. Trudeau posits major arguments that will be assessed in this review. First, he postures that that the federal state is driven by self-determination and nationalism, which ultimately makes it unstable due to its foundation in emotionalism rather than reason. Second, Trudeau outlines the historical factors that resulted in the separatist narrative in Quebec and claims that Canadian nationalism cannot combat Quebec’s regional nationalism. Trudeau begins the essay with a historical
Introduction Nowadays people can communicate easily. They can share their ideas, their cultures even with people who are not in their countries. They can trade, transporting products around the world in just a few days. This is a big economy where everything related to each other. This is globalization.
Should there be a universal language? (citations are in the bottom of every page for the websites used) Abstract Should there be a universal language and if so, what would it be like? How would this affect the existing cultures and languages? This issue is going to be looked at from a personal, national and global perspective to optimise analysis.
What are Critical Incidents? In general Critical incidents are tools that increases our awareness and understanding towards human attitudes, expectations, behaviors, and a way to interactions. They are intended to engage participants at a meaningful, personal level as they examine attitudes and behaviors that might be critical to their effectiveness in the roles they are already performing or preparing for (in the workplace, in educational settings, and in society at large). Triandis (Cultural Psychologist) were the first to use critical incidents to develop cross-cultural competence in the 1960s in his work with cultural assimilators (Triandis, 1994). Critical incidents in intercultural communication training are brief descriptions of
Identity Norms (1) Belgitude The concept of belgitude can be described as “a popular culture centered around beer, fat food and folk parties [...]; a use of French distinguishing itself by the use of “tu”, idiomatic expressions, and accents borrowing from Flemish or different patois; and, more fundamentally an attitude characterized by compromise-seeking, hostility to any form of pretentiousness, a sense of hospitality, and of course humor – an offbeat, irreverent, sly humor. […] many Belgians like to essentialize their culture […] and to claim it as an integral part of their experience and collective identity.” (Petit & Rubers 2013: 12). Several elements mentioned in the above definition are recurrent in the comment streams: the great importance given to beer (a), fat food (b), the fact alcohol together with parties can trigger the use of Walloon (c), some comments recognized an influence of Germanic languages to Walloon (d) (note that in the definition this peculiarity is meant for French but its existence in Walloon is not incidental), the hostility to pretentiousness (e), and a sense of humor (f) (even though the type of humor is matter of discussion). The following
Language and Elitism One of the major ways to influence and change the Moroccan population was the language. Leila Abouzeid calls it “the most insidious wedge the colonialists have driven into our society” (Abouzeid, 2003). French was used both as a medium and as an objective – assumingly to provide Moroccans with more life opportunities. However, a person`s culture is always tightly connected with their mother tongue, therefore one cannot expect to introduce school education in a non-native tongue without encountering side effects such as identity crisis and self-defining issues. Sometimes French-educated Moroccans would use Arabic words, but still convey a French way of phrasing.