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Linguistic Chaos in Montreal

Linguistic Chaos in Montreal. 1995 Referendum. Oui!. No Way. History of Montreal. Northern Entry to the Continent. Orig. Iroquois settlement called Hochelaga “Discovered” in 1535 by Jacques Cartier. Settlement of Montreal. Settlement of Montreal.

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Linguistic Chaos in Montreal

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  1. Linguistic Chaos in Montreal

  2. 1995 Referendum Oui! No Way.

  3. History of Montreal

  4. Northern Entry to the Continent • Orig. Iroquois settlement called Hochelaga • “Discovered” in 1535 by Jacques Cartier

  5. Settlement of Montreal

  6. Settlement of Montreal • Orig. Iroquois settlement called Hochelaga • “Discovered” in 1535 by Jacques Cartier • Ville Marie founded 1642 (Iroquois gone) • Defensible and accessible site • Center of French settlement & fur trade for 120 yrs. • Center of English commerce & industry after 1760

  7. Canal de Lachine

  8. Downtown Montreal viewed from the Canal de Lachine

  9. Settlement of Montreal • Orig. Iroquois settlement called Hochelaga • “Discovered” in 1535 by Jacques Cartier • Ville Marie founded 1642 (Iroquois gone) • Defensible and accessible site • Center of French settlement & fur trade for 120 yrs. • Center of English commerce & industry after 1760 • Canal de Lachine creates industrial axis & immigration magnet • Golden Square Mile 1850-1930: 70% of Canada’s wealth • St. Lawrence Seaway 1959

  10. Montreal Today

  11. Montreal Today

  12. Population Density

  13. Bilingualism

  14. The Order of Chaos • Bilingualism • below 40% outside Montreal • 40-100% on Island of Montreal • Political tension around language • Canada officially bilingual, mostly Anglophone • Quebec officially monolingual • language choice is politicized in Montreal • impacts of politicization may be contradictory and counter-intuitive • Complicated linguistic geography

  15. Schematic Diagram of Montreal’s Linguistic Geography

  16. French and English mix • many words like cool, gang, show, and “tripper” have found their way into French • a few words like metro, dépanneur, CEGEP, and “confessional” (denominational) have found their way into Montreal English • conversations flip-flop as bilingual friends with different mother tongues converse • sentences flip-flop: “These shoes hurt here et juste en arriere” (overheard on street) “C’est pour ça que I’ve been wanting to talk to you” (overheard in café)

  17. Language Politics • As suggested above, the language games resemble a dance, a promiscuous mingling of languages • People take delight in shifting from language to language at whim • Nevertheless, language is a locus of heart-felt struggle in Quebec and in Montreal

  18. The dance of English and French is less chaotic than it appears.

  19. Language Games • Mr. Smith starts in French to show that he accepts that French is the official language of Quebec • Mr. Tremblay switches to (almost perfect) English to show his good will and/or to avoid confusion • If Smith does not acknowledge this good will by abandoning his attempt to speak French, this will be taken as a sign that Tremblay’s English is not good enough (a snub) and a sign of stupidity and/or vanity because Smith overestimates his (undoubtedly flawed) French • However, if Jones becomes complacent and uses English first, he will encounter “incomprehension” or somewhat surly use of English

  20. Axes of Variation in Language Games • Time • centuries (???) • decades • months • Space • East Island vs. West Island • on island vs. off island • public vs. private space • Francophone vs. Anglophone establishments • e.g. donut shop vs. pastry shop • Ethnicity • Anglophones are not necessarily Anglos! • Many Italians, Greeks, Arabs, etc. • Jewish population predominantly Anglophone

  21. Political Context • a linguistic island “six millions de francophones perdus dans un océan d’anglophones” • René Lévesque (founder of the Parti Québécois): “To be unable to live as ourselves, as we should live, in our own language and according to our own ways, would be like living without an arm or a leg—or perhaps a heart.” • linguistic peculiarity increasing through out-migration and in-migration • Open conflict • two failed referenda on sovereignty • several unresolved constitutional battles • rise of the nationalist Parti Québécois • a spate of laws supporting “Francisation”

  22. 1995 Referendum Oui! No Way.

  23. What is the meaning of the “sovereignty” movement? • To redress historical wrongs • To earn recognition as a “distinct society” • To achieve autonomy in areas like media regulation and immigration policy • To perpetuate French culture in North America

  24. Law 101, of 1977 • most famous of many language laws signed into law under the P.Q. • had three objectives: • restrict outdoor signage to French • designate French as the official language of all workplaces in Quebec • ensure that children of immigrants to Quebec will be educated in French • was softened by constitutional challenges, but remains largely intact

  25. Three signs in the Montreal area, one controversy

  26. ARRÊT STOP ARRÊT STOP

  27. Regulation of Signage • General perception of Francophones: a worthwhile project • General perception by Anglophones: vindictive and pointless regulation • confusing eradication of the apostrophe: Joe’s  Joes • confusing bilingual signs: “Av. Sherbrooke Ave.” • Richard Y. Bourhis (Psychology, UQAM) • linguistic landscape is the strongest predictor of people’s perceptions of ethnolinguistic vitality • so the sign law serves a purpose, whether or not it’s a purpose the Anglophones understand or support

  28. The only English signs are relics of an earlier era

  29. Immigrant zones are key sites of linguistic struggle

  30. Why did Quebec lose in 1995? • Jacques Parizeau (Quebec’s premier): “It’s true that we were beaten, but by what? Money and ethnic votes.” • Universally recognized as a tasteless expression of anger, and a political gaffe

  31. Other signs of ethnic division in the Montreal urban landscape • French: dense, urban, stone/brick/concrete, sociable, prioritizes chance encounters and the sense of community • English: serene, suburban (lawns), dignified, prioritizes the protection of personal and familial privacy • Other ethnicities: conforms to English or French standard, though Italians have a special style

  32. French districts: e.g. Plateau-Mont-Royal

  33. English districts: e.g. a street in Westmount

  34. Italian row houses in Lasalle

  35. A quiet, civilized afternoon, lawn bowling in Westmount

  36. A less civilized pass-time, shopping at Marché Jean-Talon

  37. The Zone of Linguistic Confusion (Z.L.C.) Virtually all of Montreal’s tourist zone, plus the contact zone between East Island & West Island

  38. nominally Francophone Z.L.C. nominally Anglophone

  39. The zone of linguistic confusion(Place d’Armes)

  40. The zone of linguistic confusion(la Vieux Porte)

  41. The zone of linguistic confusion(Gare Central)

  42. The zone of linguistic confusion(the Métro and Parc Mont Royal)

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