French Influence in Quebec English Article 2022

Running head: FRENCH INFLUENCE IN QUEBEC ENGLISH
FRENCH INFLUENCE IN QUEBEC ENGLISH: A COMPARATIVE SOCIOLINGUISTIC
STUDY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
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FRENCH INFLUENCE IN QUEBEC ENGLISH1
Summary.
The English spoken in the Quebec province of Canada is different from the English
spoken in other parts of the world primarily because of the inter – language borrowing that
happens as an effect of Quebec’s mixed populace of Anglophone and Francophone individuals.
The article by Charles Boberg discussed the status of English in the Quebec Province of Canada
particularly how the French influence has changed the way the speakers in the province speak
English. Montreal, being the largest business and cultural centre of Canada, English was the
chief recognised and used language in all provinces (494) prior to the French language protection
and promotion legislation in the 1970s. Boberg’s article primarily highlights the instances of
lexical borrowing from French that can be seen in Quebec English. This is specifically
influenced by French being the official language of the province, and evident in specific cases
like ‘Government du Quebec’ instead of ‘Government of Quebec’ (496). Apart from lexical
borrowing, the article also highlights specific instances of syntax level differences between
Quebec English and Standard English.
The paper by Pamela Grant also discusses the influence of French on the English spoken
in Quebec province. Grant highlights lexical instances of direct borrowing from French, as well
as certain instances of semantic nuances that are specific to Quebec English. These examples
highlight the differences between Standard English use in Canada and the Francophonic English
spoken in Quebec. Grant’s paper presents a deeper insight into the French influence on Quebec
English, with specific examples including words like ‘garderie’ (daycare centre), metro
(subway), autoroute (highway) which are direct French borrowings (184). Similarly, it also gives
examples of proper nouns that are commonly used, like St. Jean Baptiste Day (Quebec’s national
holiday) (185). Alongside a historical background and discussion stemming from the French –

FRENCH INFLUENCE IN QUEBEC ENGLISH2
English contact since the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, the paper also provides insight
into the political and demographic contexts of lexical borrowing from French because of
language contact.
Discussion.
Both the articles provide distinct insight into the influence of French on Quebec English,
citing examples that are specific to the language and that make the language different from the
Standard English that is used in other parts of the world. Boberg’s article is introduces by a
discussion regarding the political background of French – English intermingling in Quebec, with
specific reference to the language legislation introduced by the Quebec administration in the
1970s (493). Grant on the other hand provides a detailed insight into the political and
demographic context of the Francophone and Anglophone speakers in the region, prior to her
discussion about the specific instances of borrowings from French (178-181). With respect to the
discussions regarding French influence on English, there are two key differences between the
articles by Boberg and Grant, as elicited below.
The first difference between the two articles is in the detailed description of specific
instances of lexical borrowing that the authors have depicted in their papers. While Grant has
given detailed lists of instances and examples where lexical borrowing in Quebec English can be
specifically seen, Boberg highlights French lexical transfers, termed also as Gallicisms in his
article. Boberg presents his discussion regarding Gallicisms in terms of commonly used words or
phrases in Quebec English. These instances of borrowing can be seen in both speech as well as
script. According to Boberg, certain phrases like official designations or names, which are
usually in French instead of English, can only be stated in French and not in their respective
English translations. He states, “This somewhat absurd restriction forces English speaking radio