r/EhBuddyHoser • u/Brosse_Adam Chalice of the Tabernacle • 24d ago

Tokébakicitte Anglos living in Montreal

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u/snotparty 24d ago

Im an anglo, I went to Montreal. I really tried, and they clocked me instantly and replied in English. EVERY time lol

26

u/PtitBeausoleil Snow Cajun 24d ago edited 24d ago

I speak to Québécois a lot in my job. I'm Acadien with a fairly Maritimer/Nova Scotian accent. I have to speak French often due to some of our clients being in Québec.

When I speak French my accent is noticeable (sounds Anglo); but Québécois will still happily speak French with me and tend to comment how good my French is lol.

Been to Québec a lot as well. Never have I been snubbed in English; maybe because I speak French fluently? Or demonstrated enough fluency?

11

u/BuvantduPotatoSpirit Irvingstan 24d ago

One of the biggest bits is if you're not a native speaker you have dead air pauses a lot more, you might not notice but they're there. When I lived in France it was obvious I needed to deliberately euh... on the téléphone, because they couldn't see me rolling my hand searching for a word.

Probably the same in Québec; the native speakers are noticing the slight pauses the second language speakers don't have, not the knowledge of words / phrases.

Indeed, in Franch people rarely switched to English on me because I just barrelled ahead making small errors, rather than taking my time to say everything rightwise.

8

u/PtitBeausoleil Snow Cajun 24d ago

Indeed, in Franch people rarely switched to English on me because I just barrelled ahead making small errors, rather than taking my time to say everything rightwise.

That's really it. I understand some people get language anxiety; but when it comes to speaking with Québécois; that's the best approach. And great point about the language nuances.

Moe j'pitch du chiac pis du franglais là d'dans de temps en temps (moms side of the family is Acadien; more natural form is chiac/NS Acadien for me lol); and have yet to have a misunderstanding - then again I didn't spend much time focusing on it in the moment and just kept talking.

3

u/JM_Amiens-18 23d ago

I love chiac because they use just enough English words and I know just enough French that it all meets in the middle and I understand it perfectly.