Authors

Louna Fournier

Faculty Advisor

Kristin Bovaird-Abbo

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

4-2020

Abstract

My project would aim at observing the linguistic differences between French spoken in Québec and France. Although English is the most spoken language in Canada, Quebec is known for being a French speaking province since the 17th century, due to French colonists. French from Québec and French from France are often said to be different in terms of accent and idioms. However, they are much more distinct, especially when it comes to the pronunciation and even the linguistic structures of certain words, phrases and sentences. Therefore, I would like to explain what makes them so different. How has English influenced the way people speak in Québec? What are the noticeable phonetic, phonological and syntactical differences? In other words, how do they sound and are grammatically constructed differently? Although French from Québec can be understood by French people and vice versa, it is important to recall that it might be more difficult for English speakers learning French to understand Québec French. It is linguistically and culturally relevant to observe these differences to recognize that despite their differences, both types of French are legitimate and deserve a specific attention. The main distinction that could be found between those two types of French is that French from Québec is characterized by a different type of vocabulary, and a different pronunciation due to the English influence. Canadian French is also characterized by a more informal way of speaking, which could; therefore; lead to a modification of some grammar rules that would be more respected in France.

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