To Edward Selleslagh and Larry Trask, on Quebec French nasal vowels.

[Stephane Goyette]

Sorry I couldn't reply earlier...

To Edward Selleslagh:

I sincerely apologize if my objections were expressed in too shrill a
fashion. It is undeniably true that Quebec French is acoustically quite
unlike the Parisian standard, or indeed most European varieties for that
matter.

On the subject of twenty-based numbering systems: Quebec French doesn't
have any form like "septante", "otante" or "nonante". The numeral
system in Quebec French is fundamentally that of the standard --except for
certain speakers who use forms such as vingt-et-deux, vingt-et-trois, for
standard vingt-deux, vingt-trois. Also, some varieties in Eastern Quebec
(as well as Acadian French) have feminine forms DEUSSE, TROISSE for DEUX,
TROIS.

To Larry Trask: your surmise was not illogical. However, it is clear that
Quebec French is transplanted seventeenth-century Parisian French, not a
transplanted dialect or dialect koine, and the EN/AN merger had of course
already taken place in this variety before it was transported to the
Americas.

My best to you both,

Stephane Goyette.
University of Ottawa.

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