Quote:
Originally Posted by Capsicum
Whoops, kind of misread Acajack's description of those in France who have little experience with Quebec.
But in any case, I'd still be surprised that a French person in France would expect the most French part of Canada to be no more French than the most French part of the US, given that most people in France I presume would be aware that Canada at least is officially bilingual and supports/revived the French language much more than its US counterparts (Louisiana and whatever parts of New England or the Midwest once had more French influence).
I would still be rather surprised if a French person really thought that Canada's most French part was no more French that the US in general within the broader North American context, as I presume most French people are aware, if they know Canada and the Quebec situation at all, that one thing that makes it distinctive is that the Francophone influence hasn't gone away, relative to the rest of Anglo North America.
That makes me wonder, how many people in France are unaware of the French language revival post 1960s, and think that Montreal now is no more French than Toronto or NYC, and still think Anglo dominance over Canada is still the way it was say in the 50s and French has long been assimilated away?
|
We're definitely seen as stubborn resisters - this image is fairly ubiquitous throughout the francophone world.
The classic image of us being that of the Village Gaulois from the Astérix comic strips, surrounded on all sides by threatening Roman outposts:
http://one360.eu/blog/archives/42068
That said, people are more iffy on the details of how successfully we are resisting.
Which is why for example many European French are often mystified by the fact that many Québécois speak little to no English.