Where in the World Isn't Bob Saget?

King Racoon 77

Thank you sir. You were an inspiration.
Premium Member
@JenniferS , are you fluent in French? I figured you probably learned some when you were a kid in school in Canada, but wasn't sure if you hear or speak French at times, in your province. (I'm listening to a press conference with PM Trudeau and Pres. Biden). PM Trudeau speaks both in French and English. :cool:
episode 12 friends GIF
 

JenniferS

Time To Be Movin’ Along
Premium Member
@JenniferS , are you fluent in French? I figured you probably learned some when you were a kid in school in Canada, but wasn't sure if you hear or speak French at times, in your province. (I'm listening to a press conference with PM Trudeau and Pres. Biden). PM Trudeau speaks both in French and English. :cool:
I used to be fluent; not for decades now. I can read for context, but my ear for it is gone. Doesn’t help that we are taught “Parisian French” vs “Quebecois French” … aka Gutter French.

Trudeau is from Quebec. French is his first language.

All federal MP’s are required to speak both official languages. Some are more fluent than others. All federal services must also be offered in both languages.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned our mandatory bilingual packaging.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I used to be fluent; not for decades now. I can read for context, but my ear for it is gone. Doesn’t help that we are taught “Parisian French” vs “Quebecois French” … aka Gutter French.

Trudeau is from Quebec. French is his first language.

All federal MP’s are required to speak both official languages. Some are more fluent than others. All federal services must also be offered in both languages.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned our mandatory bilingual packaging.
Quebec French is wrong. French French is the real deal.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Quebec French is wrong. French French is the real deal.
Don't say that in Quebec. It wouldn't be healthy. My wife was born in Quebec to very British parents. She worked as a nurse in Montreal General before she moved to the states and they required that she speak or at least understand French. I do not remember her ever uttering a single word of French for the entire 29 years we were married.
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Don't say that in Quebec. It wouldn't be healthy. My wife was born in Quebec to very British parents. She worked as a nurse in Montreal General before she moved to the states and they required that she speak or at least understand French. I do not remember her ever uttering a single word of French for the entire 29 years we were married.
I took four years of French in high school, and we focused on France's French 99% of the time. We learned a bit about Quebec French my senior year, and when we heard someone speak it for the first time we all thought it was so weird.
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
I flunked French in High School intentionally (although it didn't take all that much effort because I sucked at it). I intentionally put the wrong answers on a large portion of the final exam. Reason? First off, I was dumber then a bucket of rocks and could not perceive any situation that would require me to know French and secondly, if I had passed it I was required to take French II, the next year. Not gonna happen!

Then if having that on my "permanent" record wasn't bad enough, my family moved from New York state to Vermont that summer and my next High School didn't require a language. Then all I had was the only course that I ever failed and no victory to claim for my clever action. It was weird though because my grandparents on both sides spoke French fluently amongst themselves but never taught my parents and so on. I guess that they felt it would be fun to make fun of other people in the room without the others knowing that is what they were doing.

Anyway, I do remember my wife telling me that it used to upset her that she had to strain to understand what a patient wanted when she was 99% sure they could speak English. People that lived in Southern Quebec pretty much had to be bilingual because until the 1970's, English was used in just about all business (especially Montreal). Northern Quebec (the area of Quebec City) it was more solid French. I soon regretted my decision when I got out in the world of Vermont business while we bordered on Quebec and a lot of our commerce was connected with our friends just over the border. Now here in NC I think Spanish is more of a need. Don't know that one either!
 

PUSH

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I flunked French in High School intentionally (although it didn't take all that much effort because I sucked at it). I intentionally put the wrong answers on a large portion of the final exam. Reason? First off, I was dumber then a bucket of rocks and could not perceive any situation that would require me to know French and secondly, if I had passed it I was required to take French II, the next year. Not gonna happen!

Then if having that on my "permanent" record wasn't bad enough, my family moved from New York state to Vermont that summer and my next High School didn't require a language. Then all I had was the only course that I ever failed and no victory to claim for my clever action. It was weird though because my grandparents on both sides spoke French fluently amongst themselves but never taught my parents and so on. I guess that they felt it would be fun to make fun of other people in the room without the others knowing that is what they were doing.

Anyway, I do remember my wife telling me that it used to upset her that she had to strain to understand what a patient wanted when she was 99% sure they could speak English. People that lived in Southern Quebec pretty much had to be bilingual because until the 1970's, English was used in just about all business (especially Montreal). Northern Quebec (the area of Quebec City) it was more solid French. I soon regretted my decision when I got out in the world of Vermont business while we bordered on Quebec and a lot of our commerce was connected with our friends just over the border. Now here in NC I think Spanish is more of a need. Don't know that one either!
I took two years of Spanish in middle school and was awful at it. When I got to high school, French was another option. I switched to that, and it became my favorite class. It came naturally to me. I only had to take two years, but I ended up taking all four. I liked it so much that I even took a French conversation class in college. But that was not fun. I stopped after a semester, and now I look back and wonder why I spent my time taking that college class that I didn't need to graduate.
 

Songbird76

Well-Known Member
I used to be fluent; not for decades now. I can read for context, but my ear for it is gone. Doesn’t help that we are taught “Parisian French” vs “Quebecois French” … aka Gutter French.

Trudeau is from Quebec. French is his first language.

All federal MP’s are required to speak both official languages. Some are more fluent than others. All federal services must also be offered in both languages.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned our mandatory bilingual packaging.
Was in mandatory for you in school? I have a couple of Canadian friends and both of them had to learn it in school. I was thinking it was mandatory for everyone, but it might be different now, or I may have misunderstood.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom