English accent

[Chris F Waigl]

George Thompson wrote:
> "It would never occur to a Canadien to describe a Frenchman as
> speaking French with a French accent." [I'm unsure who said this. CW.]
>
> My impression is that the Quebecois still feel that their version of
> French is a barbarous regional dialect, a feeling that we Yanks lost
> about our version of English about a century ago.

This is not the impression I get from people my age (mid-30s) or
younger. My French-speaking Quebecois acquaintances use "French accent"
most of the time rather unselfconsciously. Rather like a Brit would use
American Accent or, maybe a better comparison, an Australian would refer
to "British English".

Though a few *are* infected by the notion that French French (or
actually, Standard Quebecois French) is superior to Joual.

Chris Waigl

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