Language
Often described as the expression of culture, language is essential for communication. At present, one of the most common primary languages in the world is French. While there are certainly many more varieties of French, Quebec French and France French are among the leading examples. This paper is meant to highlight the differences between these two French dialects.
The major difference between Quebec French and French in France lies in the vocabulary. First, there is a presence of words in each variety which do not exist in the other one. Indeed, while Quebec French incorporates unique colloquial words and idioms, French spoken in France uses many English words that do not even appear in Quebec French. Consequently, each of these two varieties of French has its own words or expressions that result from cultural differences and historical development. For example, the English word “shopping” used in France does not exist in Quebec. Also, the verb “barfer” used in Quebec which means “throwing up” in English does not exist in France.
Second, French spoken in France uses some words with a meaning different from Quebec French. Following are some examples of the semantic gap between the two dialects. Whereas the word “ma blonde” is used to describe a girl having fair hair in France, it rather means “girlfriend” in Quebec. Another example is the word “bec”. In France it refers to “a beak” but in Quebec, it means “a kiss”.
Third, there is a variant spoken among French speakers of France and those in Quebec. French in France is more formal whereas in Quebec it is more traditional. This is mainly conditioned by the environment of each of the two regions. On one hand, France is a vast country within Europe whose culture including language is continuously influenced by progressive development of this modern era. On the other hand, Quebec is a small province floating in a North-American pool where single contacts with Europe have been those with original French colonists.
The major difference between Quebec French and French in France lies in the vocabulary. First, there is a presence of words in each variety which do not exist in the other one. Indeed, while Quebec French incorporates unique colloquial words and idioms, French spoken in France uses many English words that do not even appear in Quebec French. Consequently, each of these two varieties of French has its own words or expressions that result from cultural differences and historical development. For example, the English word “shopping” used in France does not exist in Quebec. Also, the verb “barfer” used in Quebec which means “throwing up” in English does not exist in France.
Second, French spoken in France uses some words with a meaning different from Quebec French. Following are some examples of the semantic gap between the two dialects. Whereas the word “ma blonde” is used to describe a girl having fair hair in France, it rather means “girlfriend” in Quebec. Another example is the word “bec”. In France it refers to “a beak” but in Quebec, it means “a kiss”.
Third, there is a variant spoken among French speakers of France and those in Quebec. French in France is more formal whereas in Quebec it is more traditional. This is mainly conditioned by the environment of each of the two regions. On one hand, France is a vast country within Europe whose culture including language is continuously influenced by progressive development of this modern era. On the other hand, Quebec is a small province floating in a North-American pool where single contacts with Europe have been those with original French colonists.
Cited: * http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ais_qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9cois#Variations_sociolinguistiques_et_r.C3.A9gionales * http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-quebec-french-and-france-french/ * http://learn-canadian-french.language101.com/how-to/big-differences/ * http://learn-canadian-french.language101.com/how-to/big-differences/ * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_French_lexicon#Use_of_anglicisms