The embarrassment of languages, by Jean-Claude Corbeil
IMAGE PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHING HOUSE
The embarrassment of languages, by Jean-Claude Corbeil
“For understanding Law 22, everything that preceded it and everything that followed it, I think it is a very interesting book,” says Pascale Lefrançois.
She evokes, for example, the linguistic conflict that occurred in Saint-Léonard in 1969, the beginnings of the Office québécois de la langue française, etc. “The work reads almost like a novel and is a very valuable resource for understanding the origins of current policies in Quebec,” adds the vice-rector of UdeM.
Mme Lefrançois also praises the work of the author, the linguist Jean-Claude Corbeil, who died in January 2022, for his contribution to the advancement of French in Quebec. “He did a doctorate and taught linguistics at university, in addition to being linguistic director of the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF),” she says.
Finally, some will remember that Mr. Corbeil was the author of the famous Visual dictionary (with Ariane Archambault) which has taken several variations.
The linguistic showcase
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The linguistic showcase is an excellent resource for someone who wants to write and who wants to check if they have chosen the right word or understood a grammar rule.
“This website of the Office québécois de la langue française is fantastic,” says M.me The French. It brings together two resources: the Linguistic Troubleshooting Bank and the Large Terminological Dictionary. With a search engine common to these two resources, we can immediately find all of its contents. »
What do we find there? The rules of grammar, punctuation, syntax, as well as a choice of vocabulary. “And also all the terminology that Quebec has developed in recent years to promote the French language,” specifies Pascale Lefrançois.
“It was great, in the 1970s, to promote the French language, but we lacked the resources to have the right word,” she adds. There has been immense work done by many linguists at the OQLF to develop vocabulary in French in all kinds of areas. And the fruit of all this work is available on The linguistic showcase. »
For example, artificial intelligence terminology is presented there.
“This is an excellent resource for someone who wants to write and who wants to check if they have chosen the right word or understood a grammar rule,” concludes our interlocutor.
Consult the linguistic showcase
I learn French
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
“We want the welcome language in businesses to be French, but for that, merchants need to be able to speak the language,” explains Pascale Lefrançois.
The J’apprends le français website project was designed by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal in 2016. Mme Lefrançois sees it as an “original and human way” of helping traders with immigrant backgrounds to better understand and use French.
“The concept is to help merchants in certain neighborhoods of Montreal, such as Côte-des-Neiges, where there are a large number of people from immigrant backgrounds and who perhaps do not have the time to follow training courses. French lessons outside their business, to take French lessons on site,” she summarizes.
She continues: “Students in a field related to language (teaching French, linguistics, translation, writing) and with an affinity for teaching French go to businesses and speak French with the merchants. It’s a nice gesture to make people more Francophiles, more French-speaking. We have laws on commercial signage in French, we want the welcome language in businesses to be French, but for that, merchants must be able to speak the language. »
The initiative began in Côte-des-Neiges and extended to several Montreal neighborhoods, but also to Longueuil and Laval as can be seen on the interactive map of the site.
Visit the J’apprends le français program website
Constellations
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Young readers at the Montreal Book Fair last November
This is a perfect website to promote the discovery of French-speaking literature among young readers.
“This website supported by the Quebec Ministry of Education allows teachers, but also the entire public, to have recommendations to encourage reading among young people from preschool to secondary school,” explains Pascale Lefrançois. There are many recommendations for Quebec works, but also Canadian ones, and classics of French literature. »
Recommendations are made according to age, whether French is the mother tongue or second language, the degree of difficulty, etc. “There are also educational sheets for teachers who would like to use these books in class, whether for reading in French class, but also in other disciplines: history, sexology, etc. », notes Mme The French.
In all, 13,246 books on a wide variety of subjects are recommended.
“It’s a beautiful tribute to Quebec literature in French for young people,” said the vice-rector. One thing that fascinates me is seeing young people sitting on the floor, reading at book fairs. It’s beautiful to see that and we don’t say it enough. »
Visit the Constellations website
Who is Pascale Lefrançois?
- Pascale Lefrançois has been a professor of French teaching at the University of Montreal since 2000. She has taught written French to future teachers for 24 years and conducted research on learning written language from primary to university.
- She currently serves as vice-rector of student affairs and studies at the University of Montreal.
- She remains passionate about linguistic issues, particularly in the field of education in Quebec.