I have some old and formal training in French. This would be Parisian French or High French as spoke in France. I have come to learn that Quebec french is quite variant from the mother tongue. I have since learned that Northern Ontarion French is even more variant. I am now receiving "street" language tutorage. I am learning the Northern Ontario way. Our new friends have been instructed not to coddle us, but to make us learn. This means we are going to learn "slang". We are concentrating right now on just understanding...speaking will come.
"Abstract: The province of Ontario, Canada is home to a small yet well-studied group of francophones. Although fewer than 3% of Ontarians speak French at home (1996), in some locations, French is provided strong institutional support. One robust feature of Ontarian French that has been noted in other contact language communities as well (e.g. Highfield 1979: 134 for St. Thomas French) and referred to here as 'Variable lexical usage' (VLU) is a type of synonymy that involves the borrowing and use of lexical items from another contact speech variety for which equivalents already exist in the local variety (cf. Mougeon & Beniak, 1991: chapter 11). The following study focuses on the Northern Ontarian community of Hearst, population 6000, where over 90% of residents speak French at home in a context of French language maintenance. VLU is shown to be socially significant in the Hearst community; in particular, the use of certain lexical items--those associated with local speech--are symbolic of self-identification with the local community, bilingualism, and the working class. "
Dan Golembeski
http://www.indiana.edu/~iulc/WP2-golembeski.pdf
Sue and I learned Vien ici means come here. However, when we used that in language we were not understood. We kept hearing viencitte and thought it was a differant word. We have now clued in. We kept hearing people say to dogs "icitte, icitte" and now know it means "come here". We had learned "ici" in high French but will use "icitte" of Northern Ontario French. My buddy leaned over and said "paradis icitte!" It is paradise here......it sure is.....and we will learn yet another way to express it.
.....a la prochaine
Don... What you and Sue originally learned would be written as "viens ici" not "vien ici."
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the language itself, I am not sure I would call it "slang" but rather "common usage" or even a "dialect.".
I am thinking even "dialect" would be closer to reality. I can't recall the exact spelling but there is a name for the version of french you're referring to: "joual"
Just like Engllish variations, there are differences between the language and regional dialects. In England, the English spoke by the Queen is quite different from some of the English spoke in different parts of the kingdom and even the accents vary from major city to city.
French in North American spread from East coast to west coast over time becaue of the french trappers and soldiers who first visited here from the europen continent. So "Northern ontario" french is, in my experience not noticeably different from "quebec" french.
There are even differences between what you call "high french" (which I believe is really "parisien" french (french dialect of Paris region). It was considered "proper french" because Paris was the power center of France and even way back - the world.
The farmer on the outskirts spoke a different variant of french than Napolean. But it was still french... And I am sure Napolean understood it even though it was not how he spoke.
French in quebec, even "high french" is still changing from it's roots. Even joual is changing as it adopts new word from the Quebec "high"french.
With the politics of language in quebec and Bill 101, new french words were created. And these words are not in use in france. As the elite french learned, if you wish to eliminate english words from signs, you have to invent words in french to replace them.
So, while in Quebec, if you want to advertise youR hot dogs for sale, the word used is "chien chaud." Literally meaning "hot dog." For hamburger, you use "hambourgeois.". Sounds fancy but if you spoke such "high" french in France - they'd either instantly (due to experience) know your from quebec or they'd have no idea what you're asking for. In paris, a hot dog is a "hot dog." A hamburger is "hamburger."
Continued...
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to quebec from europe, I learned words which were not used in Quebec. For example, I would refer to the grass on the lawn as "la pelouse" which my friends didn't understand. They called it "le gazon.". And so I did frm then on too.
All this to say that the word "icitte" and "ici" both mean the same thing. And anyone in Canada who speaks french well should understand them both. I see them only as variations derived from regionality and experiencial living. I may not use the term but when a guy from England says "bullocks" - I know what he means.
A language is a living thing and it changes as it spreads and adapts over time. At the end of the day, the "proper" language is one that all native speakers understand. That's how I see it. Language is about communicating. If words accomplish this - then you got a language.
My thoughts if you'll entertain them.
wOw!!! thanks for the info! You are quite right to call it dialect as perhaps slang is a bad term.
ReplyDeleteI have a french friend who was born in Quebec City and moved to Sturgeon Falls and he said he had a hard time adjusting to the language. I also have a friend here who moved from Sturgeon to Quebec and he had a hard time. I would say, that based on this, there is a certainly a differant dialect between Quebec City French and Sturgeon Falls french.
Puis-je avoir un Cheeseburger Deluxe avec Ketchup and onions....haha
great thoughts and I appreciate them!...real life experience and knowledge!
ReplyDeleteI just want to fit in. These northern ontario french people are beautiful and gracious. They share a rich culture based on community. I know I will never be "french" but I sure would love for them to know that I will try. I think I would prefer to speak community dialect. Community is where I live....yet....
I cant help but think about my Temagami Ojibway friend who can not communicate with his North Bay Ojibway friend, even though they are only an hour and a half away by car. Their dialects are so differant.
A culture living in isolation is a totally different matter. Hence why many languages die.
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