Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Funny also how "bloke" in Quebec is a slur for anglophones, whereas in the UK and Australia it just means "guy" or "dude".

AFAIK we're the only place in the world where it's a slur - even if extremely rarely heard these days.

France has other slurs for the English and the British, like "rosbif", right?

Bloke is not used in the US as far as I know. It's mostly used in the UK (Australia also perhaps?), but these days it's largely been replaced by the awful "mate", which you can hear ALL THE TIME in the UK.

As for "Rosbif" (always in the plural, "les Rosbifs"), it's not really considered a slur in France. More like a sarcastic term. We have sarcastic terms about several European nations : "les Russkofs", "les Espingouins", "les Ritals", etc. The only ones that are really slurs are those reserved for the Germans: "les Boches", or "les Schleus", or "les Verts de Gris". But this is mostly historical today.

The real ethnic slurs in France are those used for various African and Asian people. Those are really nasty, and would land you in trouble if you used them. A cousin of my mother once invited me for Sunday lunch, and casually referred to the Arabs as "les Melons" in front of me. I was a bit shocked.

PS: Ah, I forgot we also have a sarcastic term for the Americans : "les Amerloques". You hear it often. It's not really considered a slur. No specific term for the Canadians, they are not important enough for the French.

[dleung]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah right. The "frog" slur originated in the UK and is used in Canada, the US and basically the entire anglosphere.

But sure Lio and I invented it or at least resurrected it single-handedly here on SSP.

None of you guys would have ever heard of it, if not for us.

Riiiiight.

Full of strawmen as always. Not even sure what you're trying to argue? That justifying Biden's speech in English (since the global language is English) is akin to calling the French "frogs"?

And how do I even get special treatment? Not like I have a Lio-esque bosom frd constantly affirming everything I say against all incredulity from everyone else

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Bloke is not used in the US as far as I know. It's mostly used in the UK (Australia also perhaps?), .

It's used to some degree in all of the anglosphere (UK, Australia, NZ) I would guess, except the US and Anglo-Canada too.

Ironically, this most British of terms if used anywhere in Canada at all, would be heard primarily from francophone Québécois speaking in French.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

PS: Ah, I forgot we also have a sarcastic term for the Americans : "les Amerloques". You hear it often. It's not really considered a slur. No specific term for the Canadians, they are not important enough for the French.

I don't think we francophones from across the pond have a common slur for the French, except for the expression "maudit Français" which tends to be about individuals, not the larger group. We also sometimes say "Français de France" which sounds a bit funny. It's not really nasty. And AFAIK there is no common slur for us in France, though some people of course may say nasty things of their own invention.

Amerloque(s) for Americans is known here, though you hear 'Ricain(s) for them as well.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

I assume that English Canada would be the only place where "Pepsi" has been used as a slur.

yep.

I think Rosbif is hilarious.

In high school, I have heard "May Wests" applied to Francophones (as a slur, supposedly for their love of that brand of Vachon cakes....even though we ALL ate Vachon cakes).

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

yep.

I think Rosbif is hilarious.

In high school, I have heard "May Wests" applied to Francophones (as a slur, supposedly for their love of that brand of Vachon cakes....even though we ALL ate Vachon cakes).

One of the places I lived in Ontario growing up had an anglophone majority and a sizeable francophone minority, and the anglo kids would joke that a "French breakfast" was a "Pepsi - May West".

[MolsonExport]

^ah yes, the old alleged breakfast of champions for Quebecois, along with a pack of "green death"

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by dleung

Full of strawmen as always.

What fun would be left on online forums without strawmen?

To be fair I see strawmen in all directions in this thread.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Ironically, this most British of terms if used anywhere in Canada at all, would be heard primarily from francophone Québécois speaking in French.

Odd. I thought you called them "maudits Anglais" or something like that when you were angry.

"Maudits Anglais" is never used in France by the way. When we want to make fun of them sometimes we say "boutter les Angloys", which is how Joan of Arc used to speak (it means "throw the Englishmen out", I'm saying it for the non-Francophones here, but "boutter" is an old French verb, it's not used in modern French anymore, except, curiously, in Belgium, as I found out recently, where they say "boutter le feu à..." une maison for instance, which means set something (like a house) on fire; in France we would say "mettre le feu à..."; how do you say in Québec? I heard that "boutter le feu à..." twice in the past month, both times from Belgian guys, so it's one of those Belgian oddities I guess).

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't think we francophones from across the pond have a common slur for the French, except for the expression "maudit Français" which tends to be about individuals, not the larger group. We also sometimes say "Français de France" which sounds a bit funny. It's not really nasty.

I presume in the last decades of New France there must have been some sort of "slur", or rather some sort of sarcastic moniker used by the French arriving in Canada (soldiers, etc) to call the "Canadiens", and vice versa, perhaps the Canadiens had a way to call the people arriving from Metropolitan France. I wonder whether we have traces of that.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

I'm saying it for the non-Francophones here, but "boutter" is an old French verb, it's not used in modern French anymore, except, curiously, in Belgium, …

As well as on the other side of the Pyrénées, where “botar los Anglos (fuera) de Francia” would be a standard modern turn of phrase

[New Brisavoine]

Why would the Spaniards care for the French getting rid of the Angloys?

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Odd. I thought you called them "maudits Anglais" or something like that when you were angry.
.

Yeah, that one exists here too. There are a few slurs for English Canadians here. One of the most common or famous is "tête carrée", but it's rarely used anymore.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Odd. I thought you called them "maudits Anglais" or something like that when you were angry.

"Maudits Anglais" is never used in France by the way. When we want to make fun of them sometimes we say "boutter les Angloys", which is how Joan of Arc used to speak (it means "throw the Englishmen out", I'm saying it for the non-Francophones here, but "boutter" is an old French verb, it's not used in modern French anymore, except, curiously, in Belgium, as I found out recently, where they say "boutter le feu à..." une maison for instance, which means set something (like a house) on fire; in France we would say "mettre le feu à..."; how do you say in Québec? I heard that "boutter le feu à..." twice in the past month, both times from Belgian guys, so it's one of those Belgian oddities I guess).

Bout(t)er if used here would have the same meaning as in Belgium. As in "je me suis fait bouter (en) dehors".

Never heard anyone here use it in reference to setting a fire.

Here you'd say "mettre le feu à la maison" in regular speech.

In more colloquial borderline trashy speech you'd say "crisser le feu à la maison".

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah, that one exists here too. There are a few slurs for English Canadians here. One of the most common or famous is "tête carrée", but it's rarely used anymore.

What about "cou rouge"? Was that used only in Louisiana?

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Bout(t)er if used here would have the same meaning as in Belgium. As in "je me suis fait bouter (en) dehors".

It's the opposite. "Bouter le feu à" is used in Belgium, not in France.

Originally Posted by Acajack

In more colloquial borderline trashy speech you'd say "crisser le feu à la maison".

Jesus Christ! (if I may)

PS: In France the equivalent would be "fout' le feu à la maison".

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

What about "cou rouge"? Was that used only in Louisiana?

Never heard that in French. Of course, I've heard "redneck" in English.

There is a term in Quebec which is "cou bleu", referring to very nationalistic, identitarian Québécois people.

You sometimes hear the term "caribou" used for these people as well.

And now for some music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLAmJczWMs

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

And now for some music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLAmJczWMs

This is more my style. Paris style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PT4J293Ak

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

This is more my style. Paris style.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PT4J293Ak

Yes, I know that song. Cool.

I was expecting a song that was critical of les Parigots. Since my song was a very sarcastic caricatural one.

Something like this, but focused on a city's residents, as opposed to a socio-economic class:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCHi5apc1lQ

[Acajack]

Guys, we're gonna have to stop this eventually, because the ROCers are going to think that in normal real life circumstances we'd all be speaking in English and not French with each other! (Confirming all of their suspicions.)