Language is a powerful reflection of a culture; the French Canadian language is no exception. It has evolved over the years taking inspiration from Old French, English, and indigenous languages. French Canadian is a common language in the province of Quebec, Canada. Although, every province in Canada has a significant French-speaking population. In Canada, it is the second most spoken and second language taught in schools. Even some French celebrations of the French language exist, such as the Festival du Bois.
French Canadian language and its culture is heavily influenced by early French settlers in the 16th century. Here are some more captivating facts about the French Canadian language that will surely surprise you:
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Strong Roots Of Old French
The French Canadian language still has some Old French characteristics that are no longer part of the standard French. Verb forms, vocabulary, and idioms that connect to the language’s historical roots are some examples of these ancient elements. Thus, French Canadians provide a window into the development of the French language.
On the surface, it appears that Quebecois French may be identical to French spoken in France for those who do not speak the language. Both are identical to one another when it comes to writing. However, the laws are different when it comes to spoken French.
The spoken French in France during the 17th and 18th centuries served as the foundation for Quebecois French. During that period, residents of Paris migrated to “New France,” or what is today Quebec. Since then, Quebec has maintained the same language tradition and has been locked in time relative to France. In France, however, spoken French continued to develop, resulting in a significant distinction between the two.
Bilingual People Are In Demand
Nobody should be surprised that speaking French is favorable, especially when it comes to job chances, given the significance of the French language in Canada. Contrary to popular belief, “Francophones” can be found in every province of Canada. There is a wrong perception that French is solely part of the Quebec region. French Canadian translation services are in high demand in Canada.
You can work anyplace in Canada if you speak both English and French. Additionally, it is feasible to find employment in any nation that speaks French worldwide! There are French-speaking regions on each continent. It offers a wide variety of nations to explore! Additionally, knowing French makes learning a third, fourth, or even more languages simpler!
Two Dialects Country
The fact that there are two dialects spoken within Canada may come as a surprise to you. People from Quebec speak in the region-specific dialect called Quebecois. Whereas, the people in provinces Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia communicate in the Acadian French dialect. The two dialects differ from one another in terms of accents, words, and phrases. As we mentioned earlier, the language is static in Quebec and hasn’t evolved much. So it’s not surprising that Acadian French contains some words that are not even used in France yet.
Joual – Vibrant Slang Used in Canada
Joual is an expressive slang that has its roots in the working-class areas of Quebec. It developed as a means for French Canadians to promote their national identity. Joual differs from both normal French and French Canadian because it contains a variety of linguistic elements, including different pronunciations, vocabulary, and grammar.
Joqual is widely regarded as a cultural symbol of Quebec although it is not often used in formal contexts. Still, it has made a huge impact on the region’s music and literature. When asking for French translation services, it is best to signify the details so that there is no confusion between various dialects and slang.
Region’s Most Popular Holiday is Carnival.
French Canadians observe both the national holidays of Canada and the province-specific holidays. Roman Catholic roots have a big impact on a lot of people. The Catholic feast days St. Jean Baptiste Day and Victoria Day, which honor Queen Victoria’s birthday, are a few of these unique holidays. Others include Good Friday and Easter Monday. Possibly the biggest event is Carnivale, which is similar to the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. The two-week-long Winter Carnivale festival features ice sculptures, parades, competitions, and town fairs. The Ice Palace is a particular favorite of kids.
The French Language is Lengthier.
You must have experienced that moment when you are translating one language to another and have discovered that the length of the same content varies in different languages. Or, have you ever picked up a bilingual book or side-by-side translated text at the bookstore only to see that one text has significantly more pages than the other? Imagine whata Professional translation company goes through trying to do this every day.
All languages vary from one another in various ways and are not developed to the same extent. It is common that certain phrases in various languages contain more words than others. So this should come as no surprise that according to research, French translations tend to be between 15% and 20% longer than their original English texts.
Key Takeaways
These were some fun facts about the French Canadian language. However on a serious note, in the era of globalization, Canada is leading the race with its bilingual capabilities. In addition to having two official languages, some bilingual programs are becoming more and more popular in Canadian schools.
Programs like enrolment in French immersion, for instance.The fact that Canada now has the highest rate of bilingualism ever and the growing popularity of this type of bilingual schooling serve as indicators that demand for translation services will continue to grow, especially in primarily English-speaking centers like Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa.
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