buickanddeere
Well-known Member
Anybody get the impression from watching the Olympics. That everybody in canada speaks french but sometimes speak English, only to communicate with foreigners?
- Thread starter buickanddeere
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Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Yes, and of course french is always first. I always thought english was the official language in world wide affairs, like the UN? Dave
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
From Wikipedia:
"French and English are the official languages of the Olympic Movement. The other language used at each Olympic Games is the language of the host country. Every proclamation (such as the announcement of each country during the parade of nations in the opening ceremony) is spoken in these three languages, or the main two depending on whether the host country is an English or French speaking country."
A few years ago my wife and I were touring DC with my mom and my wife's French Canadian mother. My wife and her mom had been chatting away for several minutes until the lady sitting next to them could take it no longer. "Excuse me, but are you talking to each other in different languages?". My mother-in-law had been speaking entirely in French, and my wife was answering entirely in English, just like they have for the past 50 years.
"French and English are the official languages of the Olympic Movement. The other language used at each Olympic Games is the language of the host country. Every proclamation (such as the announcement of each country during the parade of nations in the opening ceremony) is spoken in these three languages, or the main two depending on whether the host country is an English or French speaking country."
A few years ago my wife and I were touring DC with my mom and my wife's French Canadian mother. My wife and her mom had been chatting away for several minutes until the lady sitting next to them could take it no longer. "Excuse me, but are you talking to each other in different languages?". My mother-in-law had been speaking entirely in French, and my wife was answering entirely in English, just like they have for the past 50 years.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
That would drive me nuts too.......... I live in an area where there three different dialects withing a 15 mile circle and my wife comes from Southern Germany. I usually just try to shut out conversations that I'm not participating in. Had a buddy a long time ago that was peurto rican, spoke decent english, but would get on a role telling a story and switch to spanish then back to english without realizing it.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Well, G-G, I'd say the US is lucky, too. Were it not for help from Lafayette, we'd have the Queen on our dimes, just like our neighbors to the north.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Oh, and I wouldn't recommend extending your criticism of the French to French Canadians. At least not to their face, unless you want a hockey stick inserted someplace where it will be difficult to extract.
My late French Canadian father-in-law was one of the toughest guys I've known. Built like a fireplug, he didn't take guff from anyone.
My late French Canadian father-in-law was one of the toughest guys I've known. Built like a fireplug, he didn't take guff from anyone.
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
According to every US produced movie produced. Nobody fought the Germans or Japanese except the Americans.
Hardly a mention of Australia,refuges from every Nazi occupied nation,South Africa,Great Britain and her colonies, and Canada.
Hardly a mention of Australia,refuges from every Nazi occupied nation,South Africa,Great Britain and her colonies, and Canada.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
A highly populated (bad choice of words) Cemetery over here is made up of Canadian and American Soldiers. Forget the name at the moment, but there are several with allies making up a big part.
Dave
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
Well said. Little is ever mentioned of the Soviet Union, which lost more people in the war than any other country. More than Germany and Japan combined.
A few years ago I was walking through the Allied cemetery in a little town called El Alamein. I was stopped short by one marker which said merely "Four Soldiers of the War, known only to God". Choked me right up.
A few years ago I was walking through the Allied cemetery in a little town called El Alamein. I was stopped short by one marker which said merely "Four Soldiers of the War, known only to God". Choked me right up.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
You'll find something to that effect on a lot of stones over here..........
Dave
Lamar Fudd
Member
The French are NOT wimpy. My uncle wouldn't be alive today had it not been for the French Underground. Besides which, the English are still subjects to the Queen or King. The French had a revolution similar to ours. The English? NEVER
John Harmon
Member
Well, most buisness's here in Az. post messages in english and spanish,so?
Now, now.... nobody wants to admit that the russians did more dieing in WW2 than anyone else, by a wide margin. It seems to me that at the time of D-Day the germans still had more than 2/3 of their army on the eastern front. Could have looked a lot different if we'd had to face another 100 german divisions...
Rod
Rod
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Some of the Canadians are multi-lingual. When I worked for an aluminum company I had to make calls to another aluminum company in Quebec. They always answered in French but when I replied in English they then spoke in English and were quite fluent.
Sounds like you know little about French history and war.
France was a big factor in the United States existing, due to the American Revolution. Do some reading of history and how France helped us during the American Revolution - initially helped along by Ben Franklin.
France, especially the rural farming areas in the south near Spain was devastated during the early stages of World War I starting 1914. That was years before the United States got involved. My great uncle joined the French Army and was killed at age 16. My grandfather also joined and survived. My grandmother's entire village was destroyed by German Nazis. Every building burnt, every farm animal and person killed (that did not flee). That was the village of Oustous, Department Ariege, which is no longer on the map.
I wonder how brave you would be if living in a rural village, with no huge army to protect you, no big friendly country to help, and everyone around you getting killed? My grandmother escaped and made her way to the USA. She was one of the lucky ones. She was 18 years old, had no family left, and couldn't speak English and barely spoke French (Catalan was the major language in rural French farm areas near Spain).
World War II? France declared war on Germany in 1939. The USA stayed out of it for many years and did not get involved until FDR formerly recognized Charles de Gaulle.
During early World War II, France basically had three different Armies that were sometimes killing each other. Try to imagine us now in the USA having a nnalert Army, a nnalert Army, and maybe an Independent Army - all running around the country killing each other instead of giving speeches. Some supporting foreign enemies and some trying to drive them out. Hmmm. Actually sounds too familiar with our current status.
Charles de Gaulle was an independent (not government supported) French freedom fighter during WWII and the US president, FDR, refused to acknowledge him or help France fight. So? DeGaulle et. al. did it on their own. DeGaulle later became president of France - and then FDR DID have to acknowledge him.
During World War II, the USA war department was trying to find a way to retool US factories to produce arms. Who led the way? Several French industrialists were brought over to help with the quick retooling.
That is just a vague generalization of what went on. But, to say the French don't fight just diplays your ignorance. They just got worn out over the years, and then became socialist. Sound familiar?
France was a big factor in the United States existing, due to the American Revolution. Do some reading of history and how France helped us during the American Revolution - initially helped along by Ben Franklin.
France, especially the rural farming areas in the south near Spain was devastated during the early stages of World War I starting 1914. That was years before the United States got involved. My great uncle joined the French Army and was killed at age 16. My grandfather also joined and survived. My grandmother's entire village was destroyed by German Nazis. Every building burnt, every farm animal and person killed (that did not flee). That was the village of Oustous, Department Ariege, which is no longer on the map.
I wonder how brave you would be if living in a rural village, with no huge army to protect you, no big friendly country to help, and everyone around you getting killed? My grandmother escaped and made her way to the USA. She was one of the lucky ones. She was 18 years old, had no family left, and couldn't speak English and barely spoke French (Catalan was the major language in rural French farm areas near Spain).
World War II? France declared war on Germany in 1939. The USA stayed out of it for many years and did not get involved until FDR formerly recognized Charles de Gaulle.
During early World War II, France basically had three different Armies that were sometimes killing each other. Try to imagine us now in the USA having a nnalert Army, a nnalert Army, and maybe an Independent Army - all running around the country killing each other instead of giving speeches. Some supporting foreign enemies and some trying to drive them out. Hmmm. Actually sounds too familiar with our current status.
Charles de Gaulle was an independent (not government supported) French freedom fighter during WWII and the US president, FDR, refused to acknowledge him or help France fight. So? DeGaulle et. al. did it on their own. DeGaulle later became president of France - and then FDR DID have to acknowledge him.
During World War II, the USA war department was trying to find a way to retool US factories to produce arms. Who led the way? Several French industrialists were brought over to help with the quick retooling.
That is just a vague generalization of what went on. But, to say the French don't fight just diplays your ignorance. They just got worn out over the years, and then became socialist. Sound familiar?
I'm not sure it's even what France calls "French."
French Canadians speak a type of 17th century French that many modern-day mainland French people can barely understand.
My grandparents, both rural farming-area people from southern France tried living in Montréal in the 1930s. They were fluent in French and Catalan and my grandma knew just a little English. They quickly found out that could not understand the language anywhere in Québec, and had to communicate with the little bit of English they had picked up. After a year, they fled and moved to the USA. My grandma said the French was lousy, weather too cold, and the catholic priests wouldn't leave them alone. So, they lived out their lives in New Jersey.
French Canadians speak a type of 17th century French that many modern-day mainland French people can barely understand.
My grandparents, both rural farming-area people from southern France tried living in Montréal in the 1930s. They were fluent in French and Catalan and my grandma knew just a little English. They quickly found out that could not understand the language anywhere in Québec, and had to communicate with the little bit of English they had picked up. After a year, they fled and moved to the USA. My grandma said the French was lousy, weather too cold, and the catholic priests wouldn't leave them alone. So, they lived out their lives in New Jersey.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I would hope that everyone in Canada would spell Canada with a capital C. They can spell French however they want.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
People from the United States are welcome in Canada (bring cash), that is what BC stands for. As far as language spoken, English is quite fine, but many of you will have to learn to speak it first.
![US_World.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket](https://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii44/thurlow8/US_World.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket)
The Canadians I've met who speak french as their Provincial language, for the most part, speak english better than most "Americans". I presume they also speak perfect french, although in spite of studying under a french girl for three years, I speak vey little french and understand even less.
Most don't like to acknowledge that the US allied itself with a country that committed many of the same "crimes" as the country we were fighting.
While Germany took half of Poland the low countries and France, the Soviet Union took the other half of Poland, the Baltic nations and attempted to seize Finland. The Soviets laughed at England when it warned them they were next and actually increased their trade with Germany to support their conquests. If Germany had stopped with Poland its as likely WW2 woud have been between the "allies" and the Soviets with the Germans playing king maker.
On May 1st 1940 the Soviet Union was as big of a threat to the world as Germany.
While Germany took half of Poland the low countries and France, the Soviet Union took the other half of Poland, the Baltic nations and attempted to seize Finland. The Soviets laughed at England when it warned them they were next and actually increased their trade with Germany to support their conquests. If Germany had stopped with Poland its as likely WW2 woud have been between the "allies" and the Soviets with the Germans playing king maker.
On May 1st 1940 the Soviet Union was as big of a threat to the world as Germany.
Phil in Pa
Member
I watched the documentary on General Lafayette some time ago.
A very impressive man.
A very impressive man.
showcrop
Well-known Member
I recently conversed briefly with some residents of Ontario who spoke English with no accent that I could detect. They spoke disdainfully about Quebecans who won't speak English to you, but then will to each other after you walk away. My experience in Quebec is that they try, but in rural areas they probably don't get much opportunity to speak English.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Canada has 2 official languages. English and French but the French is not true French. It's a Quebec French that is kind of a slang version of France French. I don't know how to spell the Canadian version, it's Quebecquay but I don't think that's how it's spelt. Dave
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I thought the US didn't enter the war until after the attack on Pearl Harbor? 1941 anyway. Canada entered the war at the same time England declared war on Germany. What really ticked my dad off was some people in Quebec, like future Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, not signing up to fight but riding around on bicycles with German helmets acting like the war was just a big joke! According to most Americans, it was the US that won the war. While the allies may not have won the war without the US, it was a combined effort of all the allied forces. The Americans always flew in formation which seemed odd to a lot of the other allied air forces. It would make them an easier target if they're all in one group. Dave
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Well said, jdemaris. The Germans overan France because of superior tactics by them and outaded tacticts on the French and English side. France lost a generation of their young people in WW One. Without French assistance and involvement in our Revolutionary War, Britain would have defeated us. I am by no means a Francophile, but these are the facts.
That's where you're wrong. England did in fact have a Civil War, and at the end King Charles I was beheaded.
Oliver Cromwell and parliament ran the country until Charles II was invited back to be the constitutional monarch, and the Royal Family has done so ever since. Look it up, Constitutional Monarchy.
Britain is still ruled by Parliament, not the Monarchy.
Oliver Cromwell and parliament ran the country until Charles II was invited back to be the constitutional monarch, and the Royal Family has done so ever since. Look it up, Constitutional Monarchy.
Britain is still ruled by Parliament, not the Monarchy.
Actually I have read many many books on WW2.
The French (knowing that the Germans would attack) didnt do much after the advance started.
See the World at war series "France falls"
It was explained that the Germans pretty much marched right in and there was little resistance, even though there were fortifications along the border.
I know that the French helped the USA 230 years ago and thats great........But look at the last 60-70 years of lost lives in Europe.
There is a joke that I have.
Why are the streets of Paris lined with trees?
So the Germans can march in the Shade.
Ha Ha.
There are thousands and thousands of USA soldiers buried in France.........I hope that there are some french people that realize what we did for them. (both my grandfathers were in WW2) Not on European ground though. (in the Pacific)
The French (knowing that the Germans would attack) didnt do much after the advance started.
See the World at war series "France falls"
It was explained that the Germans pretty much marched right in and there was little resistance, even though there were fortifications along the border.
I know that the French helped the USA 230 years ago and thats great........But look at the last 60-70 years of lost lives in Europe.
There is a joke that I have.
Why are the streets of Paris lined with trees?
So the Germans can march in the Shade.
Ha Ha.
There are thousands and thousands of USA soldiers buried in France.........I hope that there are some french people that realize what we did for them. (both my grandfathers were in WW2) Not on European ground though. (in the Pacific)
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
French families adopted graves right after the war and have passed the responsibility down to take care of the grave as far as visiting and taking flowers and washing the cross. Met an older lady about 12 years ago that was bringing flowers to a grave. She spoke a little english and told me and my buddy that, when she was little, the soldier buried in the grave she was tending had taken shelter in her house. He was killed the next morning as he was leaving and once they found out where he was buried, she started visiting the grave. The French ain't all that bad, just that the normal (decent) people don't get the publicity......... There are roads/lanes all around Normandy named after US and Allied Soldiers.
Dave
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