Funding for research on the diversity of the French language (fwd)

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Funding for research on the diversity of the French language

How Canada's multicultural history has influenced the way we speak
French
http://www.news.gc.ca/cfmx/CCP/view/en/index.cfm?articleid=145969

(Ottawa, May 13, 2005) - The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, deputy leader
of the government in the House of Commons and minister responsible for
official languages, on behalf of the Honourable David L. Emerson,
minister of industry and minister responsible for the Social Sciences
and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), today announced $2.5 million
in research funding to explore the diversity and unique history of
Canadian French.

Dr. France Martineau, a French professor at the University of Ottawa,
and an international team of researchers will use funding from SSHRC to
study differences in French across the country and how each group's
individual history has influenced the language they speak.

"This research will help us to better understand the history and
diversity of the French language and its speakers," said Minister
Bélanger. "I congratulate Professor Martineau and her research team for
embarking on this very important and timely research, which comes as we
celebrate the 400th anniversary of French settlement in Canada."

The researchers will also examine how contact between French and other
languages-particularly English and First Nations languages during the
early years of French settlement in Canada-changed the way people
speak. Using traditional sources such as literary and grammar texts, as
well as legal records, diaries and travel logs, they hope to chart the
evolution of the French language in Canada and compare this to the
language's development in France.

"This research team is asking important questions about how societies
and groups manage the evolution of their languages and their linguistic
identity," said Marc Renaud, president of SSHRC. "By comparing the early
development of French in Canada to its development in France, the team
will help us determine what exactly is behind the unique character of
the French language spoken by Canadians."

Rivalries and tensions between different forms of French-Parisian versus
Québécois, or Acadian versus Franco-Manitoban are at the heart of the
study. Martineau's team will explore how French speakers learned to
master several grammatical systems simultaneously, and became, in some
instances, bilingual or multilingual speakers of French.

"We know that learning a language is a lifelong process-individuals
refine and perfect their speech throughout their lives," said Dr.
Martineau. "We want to learn more about what causes the competition
between grammatical systems and how individuals navigate this
instability until one form eventually dominates and becomes the
standard."

Researchers from seven other Canadian universities are taking part in
the study, as well as researchers at universities in Brazil, Denmark,
France, Germany, Italy, Scotland and the United States. More than half
of the funds will support the research training of graduate students.

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For additional information on this release and other SSHRC research
projects, please contact:

Doré Dunne
Media relations officer
Telephone: (613) 992-7302
E-mail: dore.dunne at sshrc.ca