What's Wrong With Canada ?

[DonQuixote]

When we went to Man and His World in 1968 they spoke English to us and treated us well - but I know they would snub Canadians who didn't speak French.

 

[Callum]

I shouldn't rag on Quebec. It's a beautiful province. It's just full of French people.

 

[Kyanimal]

Um ... make that French SPEAKING People!

Even though they may not like to admit it, they're Truly CANADIAN, which is quite a bit far away from France!

Besides, they're not Nearly as Anglophobic as the French I met in France!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

 

[Alnitak]

You could just say "Frenchies"

I'm sure that'll go over well.

 

[Callum]

Um ... make that French SPEAKING People!

Even though they may not like to admit it, they're Truly CANADIAN, which is quite a bit far away from France!

Besides, they're not Nearly as Anglophobic as the French I met in France!

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

Oh God, no, never say that! You have to say they're French. Or at minimum Quebecois.

 

[bankside]

I am quite happy to call my fellow Canadians Canadian. Knowing that this annoys the separatists among them makes no difference to me. Okay, that's not true. It's actually a small, petty incentive. But one that pales in comparison to the principle, which is that I will not allow separatists to deprive the identity of other people in Québec who are happy to be Canadian and Québécois.

 

[bankside]

Though my travels through Quebec were an Excellent Adventure, and absolutely Beautiful, I still remember those that REFUSED to speak English, or even pretend they understood it, though, through their reactions, actually did follow English.

However, I suppose they had a "point" to make. After all, I was on their turf, and couldn't understand, nor speak, French, yet.

Nes pas?

All the more reasons to ... no matter what ...

Keep smilin'!!
Chaz

Just under a fourth of my fellow citizens wake up each day and live their lives in French.

Though many French Canadians are better at bilingualism than many English Canadians, it would be wrong to assume someone can speak English because it is completely possible they do not (less than half speak English). And it would also be wrong to assume someone can speak English, even if they actually do, because it is presumptuous and poor etiquette to impose on someone else to carry a conversation when a tourist can't. Basically assuming they should be the ones to sweat it out in whatever English they remember from their school days. This is annoying in Canada but mostly people will do what they can. In France, they'll rip your face off.

However, if you begin with "Bonjour monsieur! Excusez-moi mais je ne parle pas français…" you will be off to a much better start with whatever you have to ask. And try to direct your question to someone who looks like their job is to help tourists or at least to help customers. Everyday Parisians get tired of people bothering them with their causes and panhandlers and crazy strangers just like we do in our large urban areas. They don't go out of their way to be rude to tourists; they're just trying to go home on a packed RER train.

Especially in France, do not forget the "Bonjour monsieur" or "Bonjour madame." This is less of a linguistic thing than a cultural thing. In France, a salutation is good manners and to omit it and just barge into your question is to treat someone almost like a servant or a slave. In North America, getting out of someone's way as fast as possible is good manners, so if you can quickly get your question out and move on, you're doing them a favour, thus we might skip the greeting with no harm done. Instant cultural clash.

 

[DonQuixote]

Un petit peur du bon pain?

(A little bit of good bread?!)

Where's the maple butter to go with it?!

I occasionally try my very poor Franglais out w/ Neil, or my family - they all took French in honour of their maternal side, while I took Spanish in favor of the practicalities of our closer environs and the globe.

Los Puerto Riquen~os se habla Espan~ol.

 

[gsdx]

Un petit peur du bon pain?

(A little bit of good bread?!)

"A little 'fear' of good bread?"

You mean "Un petit PEU du pain bon". (The adjective follows the noun.)

 

[palbert]

I shouldn't rag on Quebec. It's a beautiful province. It's just full of French people.

No it's not.

They come to Maine to trash the place!

Need better Border Control.

 

[Willie Boy]

You could just say "Frenchies"

I'm sure that'll go over well.

That doesn't sound right. Makes one think that if they went on vacation near Italy on a particular hot day they may end up becoming a somewhat tasty American snack that the Brits would normally refer to as "chips".

 

[DonQuixote]

My French Gammatist to the rescue.

I took my queue from the bread/patisserie down here - "Au Bon Pain".

That'll teach me.

 

[gsdx]

I took my queue from the bread/patisserie down here - "Au Bon Pain".

This just isn't your day for French, mon ami. This one is a line. You want the OTHER 'cue'.

 

[DonQuixote]

Yes, yes it is.

I haven't had much caffeine the last couple of days, being under the weather and all.
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Now if I can only dodge that white ball on the pool table . . .

 

[gsdx]

I haven't had much caffeine the last couple of days, being under the weather and all.
That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Don't worry about it. My Spanish is worse than your French. I don't even know how to make an upside-down question mark.

 

[DonQuixote]

MS Word is a good place to start, now that the ASCI special character set isn't included in Windows.

I get lazy with the tilda and the accent - including the single character post the letter.

I guess I need to install a Spanish keyboard - I didn't find it in Word.

 

[borg69unimatrix]

Don't worry about it. My Spanish is worse than your French. I don't even know how to make an upside-down question mark.

¿?¿?¿? I used to know the alt code for this. Now it's an option on my pad.

 

[White Eagle]

You're declining arts, especially in the forestry side.

I was trying to see Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy in that couple and then I read the song title at the top.
Sorry, I'm a Texan, what can I say? But , my Grandfather was Canadian.

Thanks for the link, BTW.

 

[PreTTy PeTe]

only Canada would define themselves with a beer commericial

 

[bankside]

only Canada would define themselves with a beer commericial

Only a more successful, iconic Canadian company, would buy a US company outright, and then pretend it was a merger and start downplaying its Canadian roots. Thus Molson becomes Molson Coors. See also: Canadian Pacific Hotels becomes Fairmont.