Notes on Quebec English
A blogger has a detailed piece about the English spoken in Quebec and its quirks. I’ve heard (and used) most of these, one time or another. I especially like the point that “all dressed” depends totally on context. (I had an all-dressed lahmajoun the other day which involved tomatoes, onions, pickled turnip, two kinds of olives and fresh mint.) He gets a few minor things wrong (like not knowing there’s a hospital commonly called “the Children’s”) but it’s generally well observed.
He doesn’t mention one important influence on the city’s spoken English, though, which is Italian. I’m pretty sure the people I’ve known who tend to “open the lights” have been Montreal Italians.
Ian 10:04 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
I’m from Ontario originally – A terrasse is a patio in the ROC. “all dressed” is equivalent to “the works” in the ROC and also depends on the food in question. Double double is common to all of Canada. Saying “the cash” is common in Ontario. Most of those funny things Anglos say besides the adopted words are funny things Italians all over Canada say – you got that in one, Kate. The one thing that really bugs me about Montreal Anglos is that most of them don’t make a distinction between co-operation and collaboration… Anyway this isn’t a particularly accurate article – the writer’s from the UK and doesn’t know much about the ROC evidently.
Alex Bowyer 10:36 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
Thanks for posting Kate! You are correct, I haven’t had much exposure to the Italian influence. Actually I am aware of “the Children’s” (hospital) – that’s the one near Atwater right? Maybe I wasn’t clear in my writing, but that’s why I theorized that it’s just abbreviation – meaning for that specific hospital. I’ve definitely seen their fundraising posters talk about “un children” though.
Ian, again you are correct this is just my own observations and theories based on my experiences in Québec, and I’ve only done a few short trips to Ontario. I did qualify it by saying it’s entirely subjective. I didn’t expect to be entirely accurate, and I didn’t mean to imply what I wrote was in any way definitive. I’m glad that discussions like these and the ones in the comments are uncovering more theories, observations and linguistic quirks.
“Montreal Anglos don’t make a distinction between co-operation and collaboration” is an interesting observation.. I hadn’t noticed that one at all. As a Brit I am very aware of the difference… I will have to watch out for it.
jeather 10:37 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
It’s the first time I’d experienced another language influencing English, usually it’s English that absorbs words from other languages.
He’s never seen other languages influencing English, just other languages giving words (and phrases) to English?
Writing an exam is not, generally, ambiguous elsewhere. (The teachers write it.). Relatedly, marks vs grades, and “three on five” vs “three out of five”.
Blork 14:30 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
Where I grew up in Nova Scotia, a pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, and green peppers was called a “combination.”
AS 15:46 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
A difference between co-operation and collaboration?
dewolf 19:47 on 2012/04/22 Permalink
One thing that might surprise Alex — here in Hong Kong, people say “subvention” instead of “subsidy.” For instance, “The ESF school board receives an annual subvention of $200 million” or “This facility is subvented by the government.”
I’ve always thought it was strange since there’s no real French influence there.
Alex Bowyer 09:23 on 2012/04/23 Permalink
Great point @jeather – that sentence is completely contradictory! I will correct it to what I meant to say!
j2 11:07 on 2012/04/23 Permalink
Dated a Montreal girl who was English mothertongue, of Scottish descent, and she used “close the light” – but she did high school in French. Similarly, people I knew from Gatineau who were essentially accentless in English used “close the light”. I don’t see the link to Italians specifically, I think it’s just exposure to that modality.