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My wife is francophone, and she doesn't want to give up her career. Speaking English at home is not a substitute for learning English in an academic setting. They would be able to speak daily English but would be unable to explain complex technical concepts in English if they learned those advanced subjects primarily in French.
My wife especially is against our kids learning Quebecois French. So we are considering our options.
My dad is francophone and my mother English. I grew up in a very Quebecois part of town. I went to school in French. Mom spoke to us in English. We read English books, watched TV in English, and wrote stories in English. I moved to Florida after completing Sec 3 and finished High School here. My English grammar was leaps and bounds above that of the average American. It's really not that difficult.
The point i'm trying to make isnt whether learning French is easy or hard its about the op wanting to send his kids to English school,if he doesnt want his kids to be educated in French ,so what? has he not got the personal choice to follow whatever course of action he so desires?
Although in this case he wont be given the choice as Quebec government has deprived him of freedom of choice in the matter,his kids will be going to French school whether he likes it or not...its the law.
jzhang1 do you have any comments to add to this conversation?
I split my time between Longueuil and New York. I was previously 100% in for the last 4 years for school but my fellowship gives me more flexibility.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jambo101
The point i'm trying to make isnt whether learning French is easy or hard its about the op wanting to send his kids to English school,if he doesnt want to join the francophone community ,so what? has he not got the personal choice to follow whatever course of action he so chooses?
And when he needs to call 911 and the operator doesn't speak English, what then? When his children need an ambulance and the paramedic doesn't speak English, what then? When his kids need jobs, what then?
I've reiterated this 100000000x times. You don't need to speak French at home. You don't need to convert to Catholicism. You don't need to change your name to Lucien Brossard. You should just have enough common sense to speak the language of the majority of the people where you live. Because regardless of whether or not you want to be part of that society, that society pays for your schools, your roads, your firemen and police and ultimately will have to pay people to speak to your and your family in English because you were too lazy to learn French.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jambo101
Those reading Lex's posts still have the freedom to come to their own conclusions to the meaning of his viewpoints which in my opinion certainly sounds like strive to be French or leave.
Except I'm not French at all. I just happen to speak French (parmi d'autres langues) because my parents had enough sense to have me learn the language 85% of people around me were speaking. My culture is Caribbean, not French.
So your advice to the op is learn French whether you like it or not,if you want to speak English make sure its hidden away behind closed doors in your home. , wanting to send your kids to English school is nonsensical,as for attributing my view points to old age? .Really? we have to stoop to that level? why dont you just accept the fact other people have differing view points and very few non francophones in Quebec are happy with all the linguistic laws (bs)the government expects them to abide by.
Bottom line the op doesnt want to send his kids to French school,get over it.
So your advice to the op is learn French whether you like it or not,if you want to speak English make sure its hidden away behind closed doors in your home. , wanting to send your kids to English school is nonsensical,as for attributing my view points to old age? .Really? we have to stoop to that level? why dont you just accept the fact other people have differing view points and very few non francophones in Quebec are happy with all the linguistic laws (bs)the government expects them to abide by.
Bottom line the op doesnt want to send his kids to French school,get over it.
It is the OP'S francophone wife, not the OP, who doesn't want their kids to learn Quebecois French. And it's very possible that the OP is, like you, an allophone (I suspect he is). So, how would you address that? Perhaps they're undermining allophone issues? Or, golly, demonstrating that there IS diversity among francophones, just as there is among anglophones.
So your advice to the op is learn French whether you like it or not,if you want to speak English make sure its hidden away behind closed doors in your home. , wanting to send your kids to English school is nonsensical,as for attributing my view points to old age? .Really? we have to stoop to that level? why dont you just accept the fact other people have differing view points and very few non francophones in Quebec are happy with all the linguistic laws (bs)the government expects them to abide by.
Bottom line the op doesnt want to send his kids to French school,get over it.
It's absolutely false that there is near unanimity from non-francophones on the language issue (and against the current set-up). Many people don't care and see it as totally normal and don't get why anglos have such an issue with French.
The point i'm trying to make isnt whether learning French is easy or hard its about the op wanting to send his kids to English school,if he doesnt want his kids to be educated in French ,so what? has he not got the personal choice to follow whatever course of action he so desires?
Although in this case he wont be given the choice as Quebec government has deprived him of freedom of choice in the matter,his kids will be going to French school whether he likes it or not...its the law.
jzhang1 do you have any comments to add to this conversation?
You make it sound as if everywhere in the world has public schools that teach all subjects in English. In fact 99 percent of the world does not. Schools teach one main language and that is it.
So you live in Quebec but you don't want your kids to be Quebecois and don't want them to be able to function as productive members of Quebecois society?
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