How Similar Are Metropolitan French and Quebec French?

Introduction

• Discussing the similarities and differences between Metropolitan French and Quebec French (Québécois).

General Overview

• French is spoken in numerous countries.
• Standard/formal French is similar worldwide, based on Parisian French (Metropolitan French).
• Informal speech differs with local variations in accent and vocabulary.
• Quebec French is particularly distinct due to specific historical and cultural factors.
• French in Quebec can be difficult for French speakers from France to understand.

Historical Background

• Settlement and Isolation:
  • New France: Early settlers mainly from Normandy and Brittany (not Paris).
  • King Louis XIV sent Parisian women to New France to bolster numbers, influencing the linguistic shift.
  • French became the lingua franca among the settlers.
  • After the French Revolution, the bourgeois class's language became the new standard in France.
  • British conquest of New France in 1760 led to isolation from France and independent linguistic evolution in Quebec.

Vocabulary Differences

• Loanwords from English:
  • Period 1850-1960: Quebec French borrowed from English (e.g., "une job", "chum").
  • Recent decades: Metropolitan French adopted more English loanwords (e.g., "email", "smartphone").
  • Quebec French uses French terms (e.g., "courriel", "téléphone intelligent").
• Expressions and Calques:
  • Direct translations from English (e.g., "avoir du fun" for "to have fun").
  • Quebec French uses older expressions (e.g., "des souliers" for shoes, "un char" for car).
• Slang and Swear Words:
  • Derived from Catholic religion (e.g., "tabernak", "câlice").
• Unique Vocabulary:
  • Developed independently in Quebec (e.g., "faire du magasinage" for shopping).

Grammar Differences

• Informal Grammar:
  • Yes/no question marker "tu" (e.g., "T'as-tu une blonde?").
  • More frequent use of "que" as a relative pronoun (e.g., "Je cherche le livre que j'ai besoin").
  • Use of interrogative pronoun in embedded questions (e.g., "Je fais qu'est-ce que je veux").
  • Explicit subjects as tags (e.g., "Mon boss, y me met tellement en colère").
  • Differences in imperative forms (e.g., "Dis-moé le!" vs. "Dis-le-moi!").

Accent Differences

• Main Differences:
  • Distinct accent in Quebec French, difficult for European French speakers without exposure.
  • Differences in some consonants (e.g., "t" and "d" before specific vowels).
  • Various "r" sounds in Quebec; similar variation exists in France.
• Vowels:
  • Nasal vowels and diphthongs differ (e.g., "cat" vs. "cone").
  • Retention of long vowels from older French that shortened in Metropolitan French.
• Contractions:
  • Specific contractions in Quebec French (e.g., "su" with definite article).

Example Sentences

• Romantic Expression:
  • Quebec: "J'ai tombé en amour avec elle car elle est belle."
  • Metropolitan: "Je suis tombé amoureux d'elle parce qu'elle est belle."
  • Notable differences: Usage of older phrase in Quebec.
• Weekend Plans:
  • Quebec: "J'veux sortir en gang avec mes amis la fin de semaine."
  • Metropolitan: "Je veux sortir avec mes amis le week-end."
  • Differences: Use of "en gang," avoidance of Anglicism "weekend" in Quebec.
• Parking Sentence:
  • Quebec: "J'vais parquer l'char ici pis j'vas prendre ma bicyclette."
  • Metropolitan: "Je vais garer la voiture ici et je vais prendre mon vélo."
  • Differences: Use of old-fashioned "bicyclette" in Quebec.

Conclusion

• Differences between Quebec French and Metropolitan French exist but often exaggerated.
• Accent differences are significant but understandable with exposure.
• Informal vocabulary and expressions vary, similar to other French regions.
• Grammar differences are minor and manageable.
• Formal French in Quebec is very close to Metropolitan French, aside from accent.