Quote:
Originally Posted by big T
It could be, though I guess it's more annoying than anything. Bonjour/hi is an invitation to choose, extended to you, the customer. By not picking one option, you're creating more work for the clerk (they have to pick now). If you were indeed making a political statement with that response, then you're creating an even more exhausting situation for them (they likely want to sell you stuff and go on about their day, not debate language dynamics with a stranger).
Assuming the spirit of your query is "is it ok to use English then" -- if they open with bonjour/hi, they're ok with it. If they wanted to stick to French only, they could go with only bonjour, with the law on their side.
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That's been my impression as an anglo (with some high school level of French - mostly forgotten from lack of opportunity for use) visitor to Quebec.
As a rookie visitor, I made the mistake of answering "Bonjour", thinking I was being polite and respectful to the fact that I was in a mostly Francophone province. The clerk/waiter/person on the street/etc. would take from that that I was francophone and then proceed in very quick (to me) and fluid French that I might only pick out one quarter to one half of what they said... in other words I didn't have a hope in hell of understanding what they were saying to me.
So... I learned to answer "Hello", and the situation worked out much better for both parties.
In the times I met a francophone person, I would attempt to stumble through a conversation in French, which usually was mostly amusing to both parties, but almost always resulted in some understanding (often with help from hand gestures, etc.). Now, with smartphones and translation apps, I suspect this would go much more smoothly. I have yet to test this theory, though, as I haven't traveled to Quebec since before the pandemic...
You know... on a side note, I think this is why all the prickly rhetoric in this thread kind of rubs be the wrong way. Any time I've met a francophone in person, the exchange has always been a positive one, even if the differences in languages created some challenges. I've always been left with such a positive impression of Quebecois, that this thread has eroded to a small degree (I also realize that a lot of this is about the airing of grievances over the internet, and the ability to shoot from the hip anonymously, with no recourse other than hurt feelings). However, despite the efforts of people like NB to create divides, I hold fast to my impression that we are all good people, and part of a Canada that is much stronger than some participants of this thread want to let us believe.
