Québec and the French Language (generations, Mexican, Brown, cost)

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Moth

It has many immigrants, but they tend to be French speaking.

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"Tend" is not the right word. Immigrants to Quebec from non-English speaking countries are obliged to enroll their children in French-language schools. There are English language schools, but they are open only to children of parents whose mother language is English. All others must go to French schools.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by jtur88

"Tend" is not the right word. Immigrants to Quebec from non-English speaking countries are obliged to enroll their children in French-language schools. There are English language schools, but they are open only to children of parents whose mother language is English. All others must go to French schools.

Yes I know. But there are also a great many folks from Haiti, French-speaking Africa, etc.

You are correct with regards to Quebec's language requirements. Viva le Quebec, Libre!

[ChrisC]

As someone hinted at earlier, most folks in the States don’t really follow anything outside the states (I’m taking the actual comment to its logical conclusion ). But when they do, it’s usually something negative. I can hear in now over the back fence: Oh my good lord, can you believe they require students to speak French!

Well, duh, that’s their language! Why shouldn’t they? Can you believe our schools are conducted in English?

I’ll bet dollars to doughnuts (chocolate’s my favorite) those who are indifferent or anti Québec French would be all over 'rallying to the cause' if the languages were swapped. If Québec were struggling to retain English in an encroaching French-speaking Canada, they would suddenly be quite sympathetic. (I like Daylight Donuts best)

We tend to sympathize with struggles that result in commonality with us. We tend to ignore or discourage struggles that result in differences. It tends to be less important whether those struggles are just causes or not (Now, before having an aneurism or reaching for nitro pills, notice I used the word ‘tend’)

[rlchurch]

A substantial portion of this country has its roots in traditional Spanish speaking areas. Maybe the official language of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and a few other states should be Spanish.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

A substantial portion of this country has its roots in traditional Spanish speaking areas. Maybe the official language of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and a few other states should be Spanish.

It was Spanish, before the 1840s.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

A substantial portion of this country has its roots in traditional Spanish speaking areas. Maybe the official language of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and a few other states should be Spanish.

Don't know Put it to a vote.

The difference is that in Québec, French is the language of business, government, and a vast majority of the people (80% mother tongue) right now.

[west_end_don]

Originally Posted by ChrisC

Don't know Put it to a vote.

The difference is that in Québec, French is the language of business, government, and a vast majority of the people (80% mother tongue) right now.

I don't really know what point you’re trying to argue here?

Quebec is majority French region within a majority English country.
U.S.A. is majority English country with a growing Spanish minority.

That people who support English-only in America should in theory support French in Quebec?

One is a case of a "minority group" getting rights from the "majority".
One is a case of a "majority group" denying rights to a "minority". Apples to Oranges my friend. Unless I'm missing something...

[Moth]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

A substantial portion of this country has its roots in traditional Spanish speaking areas. Maybe the official language of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and a few other states should be Spanish.

Actually, New Mexico is officially bilingual- Spanish and English.

[ChrisC]

Originally Posted by west_end_don

I don't really know what point you’re trying to argue here?

Quebec is majority French region within a majority English country.
U.S.A. is majority English country with a growing Spanish minority.

That people who support English-only in America should in theory support French in Quebec?

One is a case of a "minority group" getting rights from the "majority".
One is a case of a "majority group" denying rights to a "minority". Apples to Oranges my friend. Unless I'm missing something...

Correct me if I’m wrong, but your vote is that their struggle is unjustified because although they are a majority within their region (a very LARGE region of 600,000 square miles), it is ‘overruled’ by being within an even larger non-French speaking region. In our case, we are justified because our region just happens to encompass our entire nation.

My vote is they are justified (as are we) because the region is very large, the language is traditional to the area, the culture is unique to them, business is conducted in that language, and daily life is overwhelmingly carried out in that language.

Other votes? I should have made it a poll: Do you support Québec’s desire to retain their language, tradition, and culture or not? Why? How do you compare it to the US struggle to retain English only?

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Here's a hypothetical for you: let’s say the entire western half and eastern seaboard of the US became majority Spanish speaking. Let’s say the Spanish language was (by popular vote) made official. You live in the middle, still speaking English. What would your attitude be toward your English at that point? After all, it would be for the good of the entire nation if you learned Spanish, wouldn’t it? I’ll bet most of you would refuse to give it up... whether or not it is for the common ‘good.’ In fact, I’ll bet many of you would become quite militant about it. Sound familiar?

[Yeledaf]

I support Quebec's efforts to retain their culture et les autres choses, but I do not for a moment support the ham-handed, quasi-fascistic way they have gone about it: in effect, by punishing and discriminating against the anglophones who have lived there as long as the francophones have.

Perhaps if the Quebeckers were a little more equitable to the minorities within their borders, they would be regarded more positively by the majority without (not that they do not already benefit from the numerous concessions made by the Canadian government to their pride and vanity...).