History of Québécois French

The French language is established in American ground with the foundation of Quebec by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. Although Jacques Cartier explored all the valley of the St. Lawrence in 1535, all the attempts at colonizations preceding construction by the Dwelling of Quebec did not allow the permanent establishment of a French population. It will actually be necessary to await the training of the Sovereign Council of 1663 so that the colonies of the News-France really develop in colonies of population.

Between 1627 and 1663, a few thousands of French colonists unloaded in News-France, that is to say in Quebec, the Canada, or in Port-Royal, in Acadie. The French provinces best represented during these migrations are them those of the North-West, that is to say the Normandy, the Aunis, the Perche, the Brittany, Paris and the Île-de-France, the Poitou, the Maine, the Saintonge and the Anjou. The first colonists were thus mainly not-French-speaking people (patoisants) except for the immigrants of the area of Paris, who were to probably modulate a popular speech.

Among the speakers Norman S, Picardy S, Aunisien S, poitevins and Breton, several understood the language of Roy like second language. Gradually, a linguistic transfer took place in favor of French, driving with the linguistic unification of all the ethnos groups from France. According to several sources, the Canadians all spoke already French towards the end about.

According to Philippe Barbaud, the arrival of the “girls of Roy” in Canada is not foreign with the fact of the linguistic unification. Indeed, we know that those were the orphan ones educated with the expenses of the State in convents and Houses of education of Paris, Dieppe, Honfleur and La Rochelle. Although originating in modest milieus, these young girls had thus received an excellent education. They will become thereafter the mothers of a whole generation of Canadians at one important moment in the demographic trends of the country. Approximately 2500 inhabitants in 1663, the population passes to 20.000 in 1713 and 55.000 in 1755,5 years before the British Conquest. For that, it is necessary to add approximately 10.000 inhabitants in Acadie, and 4.000 in Louisiana. French spoken in these two other areas about News-France will evolve/move differently. See History of acadian French.

In France, with, one heard Piarre instead of Pierre , instead of the table , Al for it , has to me verrâ pus for it will not see me more , quéqu' a for somebody , quéque thing for something , etc These contractions oral are not specific to the inhabitant of Quebec. Even aristocrats of metropolis said still at that time, a rented , for a law , pout , for me and coiled for king .

However, the assumption more vraisembalable is that the " second langue" colonists who asserted themselves as the koinè country was popular French of Paris of the 17th century since French of the court of the king was inaccessible for the majority of French of the time and that this last assumption is confirmed in the light of the compared grammar of the varieties of involved French.

Under the British mode

The September 13rd 1759, Quebec, capital political of News-France, therefore of Canada, is taken by the British army. The consequences of this event will transform the linguistic situation of drastic Canada of way.

According to the terms of the treaty of capitulation of Montreal of 1760, the French Army leaves the conquered territory. The elite leading, made up members of the French aristocracy and high French tradesmen makes in the same way. Remain only the people, the catholic clergy, the lower middle class and people of the civil administration, for the vast majority born in Canada. People who remain with the country become prone British. Little time after the conquest, the British general Jeffrey Amherst sets up a provisional military government which perdure until in 1763.

In 1763, France yields Canada to the Great Britain by the treaty of Paris. Very quickly, the new elite monarchist decides fate of the French-speaking colonists: they will be assimilated, i.e. they will be brought to melt itself in the anglophone and Protestant company of the British kingdom. The October 7th, the British royal Proclamation comes to define the new political conditions of Canada. The territory of the colony, famous the “Province off Quebec” is tiny room to the inhabited area along the St-Laurent river. James Murray is named governor and becomes responsible to establish the British policy concerning the colony. He must support British immigration, establish the official religion - Anglicanism - and the administrative and legal structures British.

The transfer of being able brings the British administration and the gradual establishment anglophone British colonists. To replace the noble ones and French high bourgeoisies, the noble ones unload and English and Scottish high bourgeoisies coming from British Isles and of the British colonies of the south. The trade passes quickly to the British who settle in Quebec. Because of the “oath of the test”, all the catholics are legally excluded from the public office. It does not remain any more with the Canadians but to cultivate their grounds to remain.

The French language, which hitherto enjoyed the statute of Lingua franca in all the levels of the company, was seen relegated to the second rank in practice of the trade and in the communications of state. By need, the educated class started to learn the English language and became gradually bilingual.

The Act of Quebec of 1774 answered several of the requests of the Canadians, who up to that point, had activated themselves to petition the British crown in order to obtain the restoration of the civil laws French and the guarantees to the use of their language and their catholic faith.

American revolution

The beginning of the American Revolution, followed War of independence, will completely slow down the effort of colonization of French Canada by the British government. The Acte of Quebec precisely forms part of the English laws which were qualified the “intolerable ones” (Intolerable Acts) by the members of Parliament of the Thirteen colonies. Until the recognition of the independence of the United States of Americas by the British Empire, the status quo linguistics persists. The major part of Canadian will choose not to take part in the conflict between Great Britain and its colonies. The demography of the French-speaking population will be constantly in rise whereas that of the anglophone population remains stable.

The end of the war brought immediate demographic changes. Some 7000 subjects Loyalistes will come to be established in the Province of Quebec and to increase the importance of the anglophone population.

Union and confederation

French of Quebec

Today

See too

French inhabitant of Quebec
Chronology of the history of Quebec

External bonds

History of French in Quebec

References

LECLERC, Jacques. “History of French in Quebec” in linguistic installation in the world , Quebec, TLFQ, Laval University, January 22nd, 2005, (August 18th, 2005)
BARBAUD, Philippe. the shock of the patois in News-France , Sillery (Quebec), Presses of the Laval University of Quebec, 1984,204 p.
WITTMANN, Henri. " French of Paris in French of Amériques." Proceedings off the International Congress off Linguists 16.0416 (Paris, 20 July 25th, 1997). Oxford: Pergamon (CD edition). * The Council of the French language, equips directed by Michel Plourde, French in Quebec: 400 years of history and life , Official publications of Quebec - Editions FIDES, 2000

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