Quebec, the French Language, and Quebecois Identity

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Ça existe même à une demi-heure de Montréal.

Avec la circulation, ces temps-ci, "à une demi-heure de Montréal", on est encore sur le pont ou dans le tunnel

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lio45

Avec la circulation, ces temps-ci, à une demi-heure de Montréal, on est encore sur le pont ou dans le tunnel

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

A question for the Québécois here: à la campagne au Québec, est-ce que vous avez des producteurs de fruits et légumes qui vendent leurs fruits et légumes au bord des routes et les laissent sans surveillance avec juste une boite posée à côté en faisant confiance aux automobilistes de laisser de l'argent dans la boite quand ils se servent ? Ou bien est-ce que personne ne fait ça de peur de se faire voler les fruits et légumes ?

Definitely see this in rural Nouveau Brunswick as well. Vegetables, flowers, bundles of firewood. All on the honour system.

[big T]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Sympa.

En France j'ai bien peur que ça n'existe plus nulle part. Mais aujourd'hui il y avait des gens (des Français) sur Twitter qui disaient que ça se voyait encore en Autriche et en Suisse.

J'en ai vu dans le Sud Ouest l'été passé, pas loin de Carcassonne. C'Est vrai que c'est une région assez excentrée à l'échelle de la France ceci dit.

What I have yet to see is a transition to e-payment for unattended stuff like this, as people no longer carry cash. Especially here - Canada and Sweden are tied for most cashless societies, and with the huge concentration of our banking market into a handful of institutions which all support Interac, we're definitely ripe for that.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Masoliantekw

Ah bon? J'ai passé pas mal de temps en Lozère, et autour de Florac / Vébron, la vibe est pas mal hippie et il y a plusieurs petits kiosques du même genre (sers-toi, laisse le montant que tu trouves juste). Dommage que ce soit en voie de disparition!

En Lozère peut-être, mais c'est très isolé. En Normandie nulle part, et dans le Sud-Ouest j'ai pas le souvenir non plus ces dernières années d'avoir vu ça.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by kwoldtimer

You still see it in the area of Southern Ontario that I'm from - Mennonites set out flowers, fruit, veggies, eggs, etc at the roadside for sale on an honour system. Although it has become more common to direct cars up to the farm where sales can be dealt with in-person, but extend to things like quilts, meat products and honey.

In California I've seen that nowhere. Neither in Washington State. North of SF they sell delicious apple pies on the side of the road near Sebastopol, but there's always someone there, they would never leave the apple pies unattended.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by big T

What I have yet to see is a transition to e-payment for unattended stuff like this, as people no longer carry cash. Especially here - Canada and Sweden are tied for most cashless societies, and with the huge concentration of our banking market into a handful of institutions which all support Interac, we're definitely ripe for that.

Some of these provinces are very backward... I'm in Normandy today, in a town of 40,000 people, capital of its own administrative district, very good food stores in the Medieval city center, I wanted to buy some excellent Roquefort cheese in one of the stores there, the lady at the cheese store has forced me to go to an ATM because she wouldn't accept credit/debit card below... 15 euros!!! In 2024!

So forget about e-payment!

Anyway, I DID go to the ATM (under the rain, cliché Normandy). Qu'est-ce qu'on ferait pas pour du roquefort de qualité supérieure... It'd better be good!

[Acajack]

Un bon départ!

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Un bon départ!

Dans quel sens ?

Bought a bottle of excellent Poiré too, from a local producer in a nearby village, at a dirt-cheap price (3.20 €). That's the good side of the provinces. Things are so cheap.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by big T

JWhat I have yet to see is a transition to e-payment for unattended stuff like this, as people no longer carry cash. Especially here - Canada and Sweden are tied for most cashless societies, and with the huge concentration of our banking market into a handful of institutions which all support Interac, we're definitely ripe for that.

It wouldn't be hard at all... as e-transfer is extremely common here in the Kijiji/FB Marketplace world. All you'd have to do is leave a sign that said "payments/donations to <email address>" and I'm sure it'd work. The only bump in the road might be the fact that it's a lot of "older" rural folk who put up these kinds of fruit/veg/wood stands and might not be as "with" e-transfers, though that's changing a lot lately. My parents are nearly 80 and e-transfer often enough.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

Dans quel sens ?

Bought a bottle of excellent Poiré too, from a local producer in a nearby village, at a dirt-cheap price (3.20 €). That's the good side of the provinces. Things are so cheap.

Je regarde votre cérémonie. Jusqu'à présent, j'aime ça.

[Acajack]

Brisavoine va être content. Personne (d'après moi) n'a chanté La Vie en Rose.

[New Brisavoine]

I was on the road during most of the ceremony. Some rainpour! Although I hate the mayor and sort of wished these games would be a catastrophe to force a change in city government, I felt a bit sad for them seeing all that rain. They deserved better after 2 years of work and preparation. It's exceptional to see so much rain and gray weather in late July. Today felt more like October, just warmer than October, but otherwise much like October.

So anyway, how was it? I arrived home just when they started raising the Olympic flag. It looked a bit dull to me. Few people, few athletes. Where were the athletes?? Usually in opening ceremonies you see so many athletes in the end, but there around the flag there were so few.

The finale was spectacular though, with the balloon rising, and Céline Dion frankly quite moving (and I say this as really not a fan). They also chose the right song from Edith Piaf (I was afraid they would choose the overly cliché "Non je ne regrette rien", but in the end they chose the more beautiful and fitting Hymne à l'amour.

You could see the emotion on her face, singing in public after all these years. Like many people, I suppose, I was afraid something would happen before she could finish the song, but she managed it. Frankly very moving.

I was checking British newspapers online, as predictable, they found the ceremony subpar, a bit dull, no match for London 2012, but suddenly in the end they couldn't help feeling wowed with the balloon and Céline Dion singing.

I still think there would have been more energy (and more of a crowd of athletes) if they had done it in a stadium. Making it over miles of a city of course thins crowds and makes it feel a bit "empty".

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Brisavoine va être content. Personne (d'après moi) n'a chanté La Vie en Rose.

Yeah, Lady Gaga ended up singing "Mon truc en plume", which was a very good choice I thought. A nice wink at Paris cabaret culture, without being too cliché, and just the right dose of humor.

One thing you can't take away from Céline Dion though: she sings French lyrics immensely better than Lady Gaga! Lady Gaga was your typical American trying to pronounce French (awfully). But 10 points for the effort.

For the original song by the inimitable Zizi Jeanmaire (who died recently, so the song was a tribute to her, which was also nice I thought):

• Video Link

French TV says Lady Gaga trained for 1 year (!) to manage to pronounce all the French lyrics of the song:

• Video Link

[Acajack]

It was very long so there were high points and low points. But way more high points. Overall it was quite spectacular and gutsy.

I really liked it.

And of course the ending was fantastic.

That is Céline's favourite song by La Môme. She often includes in her shows. Even in anglophone markets. (She also likes and frequently sings Quand on n'a que l'amour by Jacques Brel a lot, another beautiful song.)

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

One thing you can't take away from Céline Dion though: she sings French lyrics immensely better than Lady Gaga! Lady Gaga was your typical American trying to pronounce French (awfully). But 10 points for the effort.

Uh, it's Céline's native language. I think she didn't speak English probably until her 20s.

It's like saying Olivia Newton-John pronounces English better than Luciano Pavarotti!

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

That is Céline's favourite song by La Môme. She often includes in her shows. Even in anglophone markets. (She also likes and frequently sings Quand on n'a que l'amour by Jacques Brel a lot, another beautiful song.)

British commentators were scathing about her performance.

This is what the guy from the Telegraph (Britain's main Conservative newspaper) wrote:

It took a while but what a conclusion. The cauldron-balloon is a beautiful sight and an inspired idea. Fantastical but stately, much like Celine Dion, who (pardon my French) sang la merde out of that song.

Brits will always be Brits! Especially right-wing ones.

Overall, the journalists from the Guardian (feft-wing) were more appreciative of the opening ceremony than those from the Telegraph. The Telegraph has always been rather Francophobic.

[New Brisavoine]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Uh, it's Céline's native language. I think she didn't speak English probably until her 20s.

It's like saying Olivia Newton-John pronounces English better than Luciano Pavarotti!

I know. I was being cheeky.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

British commentators were scathing about her performance.

This is what the guy from the Telegraph (Britain's main Conservative newspaper) wrote:


Brits will always be Brits! Especially right-wing ones.

Overall, the journalists from the Guardian (feft-wing) were more appreciative of the opening ceremony than those from the Telegraph. The Telegraph has always been rather Francophobic.

I think he meant it as a compliment.

To sing the shit out of a song is to sing it extremely well, to "kill it".

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

British commentators were scathing about her performance.

This is what the guy from the Telegraph (Britain's main Conservative newspaper) wrote:


Brits will always be Brits! Especially right-wing ones.

Overall, the journalists from the Guardian (feft-wing) were more appreciative of the opening ceremony than those from the Telegraph. The Telegraph has always been rather Francophobic.

I think you misunderstood the commentator - to sing the shit out of a song is strong praise. And pretty accurate, given her ability to belt out a tune at full blast (I've always wondered how her throat and vocal cords have stood up to the abuse).