An educational day today - at least for me Most people assume that all Canadians are just ‘Canadian’, and that the French spoken by the people there is the same as any French. Such is not the case, however! In fact, Canada didn’t use to be one colony, but two, and one of those was the Acadian region. Acadian Day celebrates these people and the culture they represent to this very day. History of Acadian Day Acadia consisted of what is now Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and included areas of Quebec and Maine. Acadia was a separate colony from that which eventually came to form Canada (until it got absorbed) and even developed their own dialect of French! In fact, there are remnants of 17th Century French that no longer exist anywhere but in books and the language of those who still speak the Acadian regional dialect! Most people know about Louisiana and the Cajun culture that comes from there, what most people don’t know is that the Cajun’s roots lie in Acadian refugees escaping the British when they conquered Acadia in 1710. The next 45 years were contentious and when the Acadians were found fighting the British alongside the French massive deportations began. Of the 11,500 Acadians who were deported, many of them found their way to Louisiana. The rest of them returned to France, and from there many of them came back to either Louisiana or to New Brunswick since they were not allowed to reclaim their lands in Nova Scotia. Through these trials and history the Acadian people persevered, and now Acadian Day celebrates their history, culture, and heritage.
Brilliant. I had a French Canadian girlfriend many years ago. I speak good French, but I was told by her not to speak French in Montreal as her family would not like my 'French' French. They are quite touchy about it, it seems. The accent and some of the dialect words are very different and it took me a while to tune in to understand anything they were saying. On a different note, her brother in law worked in the Montreal Fire Department so he flashed his badge and got me onto the grand prix circuit to drive his old Buick round.
If you visit Canada, definitely a spot not to miss. * A Terrordales Top Travel Tip ....................... avoid going in December, Janary or February. It's a long story but trust me.
I've been to Montreal and it's easy to forget that you are in Canada as it looks/feels very European A real French friend of mine was most offended when she went there as she was told they couldn't understand her and her French was no good!
