English speakers in Quebec, French speakers outside Quebec (to buy, high school)

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Comments from your old uncle at the tavern aside, the general trend for knowledge of English is ticking upwards a few percentage points during every five-year census period. It has risen from about 25% in 1970 to over 35% today and is moving in on 40% now.

Acajack,

I think your response should be directed to someone else.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Was Clarksdale, MS a major Quebecois destination?

Only for those who want some blues!

Delta Blues Museum - The Blues Museum is located in Clarksdale Mississippi

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

Acajack,

I think your response should be directed to someone else.

It wasn't directed at you. Sorry if you thought it was.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Kind of a vague phrase,"the general trend for knowledge of English" Does that mean 40% of Francophones are learning English?And if so where exactly are they acquiring these skills in English?as it certainly isnt in Quebec public school system where even speaking English between classes is forbidden.
I cant really comment further until you clarify what is meant by "the general trend for knowledge of English"As from my Anglo perspective i'm not seeing any trend for an increased knowledge of English in fact quite the opposite is the general trend.

Interesting that you would you think that your perspective on society is more precise than that of Statistics Canada.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Acajack
Comments from your old uncle at the tavern aside, the general trend for knowledge of English is ticking upwards a few percentage points during every five-year census period. It has risen from about 25% in 1970 to over 35% today and is moving in on 40% now.

You'll have to show me those statistics for "the general trend for knowledge of English" because as written i have no idea what that statement means , especially if you are inferring those statistics apply to Quebec. 40% English in Quebec? c'mon

[aliss]

Jambo, I am confused, are you currently living in Quebec?

I am an Anglophone mother, living in QC but not in Montreal (99% francophone community here), and I teach English as a second language. ALL Francophone children here are learning English in public school, both through formal lessons and informal chatting in between lessons (and even more emphasis in private schools). Quebecois children are also being exposed to Spanish at an increasing rate - the notion that the Quebecois hate and fear anything non-French is a product of people generalizing a few vocal extremists rather than speaking to the Quebecois community, meaning the normal guy who works at an auto shop, the 8 year old school child, or the woman at the grocery store just going about her life. The parents here in Quebec recognize that being fluent in English (or at least having a descent grasp on spoken English) is an important future business skill for their children. The children are exposed to English frequently through television and other media forms.

The same is confirmed to me through family in very rural Quebec as well.

There is currently a debate going on about whether or not to make partial English immersion a mandatory component in Francophone public schools.

I wonder how much of your opinion is based on being an offended Anglophone in the Quebec community and how much is based on actual knowledge of the public (Francophone) education system here

[jambo101]

AJ going to love you

Yes i'm living in Montreal.. How about you? been here long?
Yeah probably more along the lines of "offended Anglophone in the Quebec community" as i watch Anglophone culture slowly disappear in Quebec through attitudes like this one for instance=
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ing-zones.html
,Nice to hear some one has a brain on their shoulders in your school board and is seriously teaching the kids English,not sure how proficient they'll remain if they are subject to a 99% Francophone demographic..
As a teacher what do you think this statement means?.=

Originally Posted by Acajack
, the general trend for knowledge of English is ticking upwards a few percentage points during every five-year census period. It has risen from about 25% in 1970 to over 35% today and is moving in on 40% now.

In response to this post

:

Is the trend for Quebeckers to become increasingly multilingual?

[MexiQuebecois]

Originally Posted by jambo101

AJ going to love you

Yes i'm living in Montreal.. How about you? been here long?
Yeah probably more along the lines of "offended Anglophone in the Quebec community" as i watch Anglophone culture slowly disappear in Quebec through attitudes like this one for instance=
Montreal schools to make playgrounds and hallways French-speaking only zones | Mail Online
,Nice to hear some one has a brain on their shoulders in your school board and is seriously teaching the kids English,not sure how proficient they'll remain if they are subject to a 99% Francophone demographic..
As a teacher what do you think this statement means?.=
In response to this post

From the article:

'If they are automatically switching to another language, the monitor will gently tap them on the shoulder to tell them, "Remember, we speak French. It's good for you".
LOL!

I'm sorry, but that's just ridiculous. I totally understand and agree with speaking only French during class, but during your recess, lunch break? That's just ridiculous. If I want to speak Spanish to my best buddy from Colombia, why the hell should I do it in French and not Spanish if I wanted to? Are they gonna follow me home and check that I'm speaking French to my dad too?

Normally I do support bill 101 and agree with the protection of the French language in Québec, but I'm with jambo101 on this one, sometimes they go over the top (a few, not everyone). Here's another idea: Why not take a different approach and highlight the benefits of speaking French. It works a lot better when you sell a child the idea that speaking French is cool, rather than obligating him/her in the most extreme ways.


It's like that rebellious teenage girl who has sex with a good-for-nothing bum just to **** daddy off because dad is a prohibitive and repressive jerk, even if he knows what's best for her.

[dougie86]

From the article:

'If they are automatically switching to another language, the monitor will gently tap them on the shoulder to tell them, "Remember, we speak French. It's good for you".

Teachers in some Vancouver schools collect fines when the students converse in languages other than English. Not sure what they do with the money collected though, buy timbits at the end of the week?

[aliss]

The DAILY MAIL is a UK tabloid newspaper which is well-known in Britain for publishing misleading/embellished/outrageous stories. It is widely known as "the Daily Fail".

First off, there is no ban. It is an idea that may be implemented in a few months. So, to say that speaking English is 'forbidden' is not correct.

The idea is to encourage students in francophone schools to speak French on school grounds - there is NO plans for punishment, NO plans for sanctions, NO plans for "language police", simply that regular school ground monitors may remind children to speak in French if they speak in anything but French (and of course this applies beyond English- Spanish, Arabic, or whatever).

It is also interesting to note that parents themselves support this action by a majority - including Anglophone and Allophone parents.

Yes, I live in Quebec, no I do not live in Montreal, yes my family are a bunch of Irish Anglophones from Montreal (Mirabel if we want to get specific) dating back to the 1920's as far as I can remember, and my husband is Francophone with family here from back in the old old old days.

Your Anglophone children have the right to go to an English-language school and speak/learn English all they want. Let the French encourage their language in their schools.