Le Quebecois

#lemonde
#frenchfantastique

Le Quebecois

by Lead Counselor, Charlotte Megret

You might already know that Canada has two official languages: l'anglais and le français. But did you know that the province of Quebec has declared that their only official language is French? Le Français plays a very important role in the way manle Québécois and French from France are actually quite different. I wanted to share with you some Québécois expressions très utiles that I heard everyday while living in Montreal.

y people from Quebec define their identity. Yet,

1. J'ai le goût de ________ : is used to say "I want to". In France you would say "j'ai envie de".

2. ça a pas d'allure!: a way of saying "That's ridiculous"

3. mon char: means "my car". this word is often said to be un anglicisme, but it can also be that many words in Québécois are old French words that France decided to drop a long time ago. In France, you would say "ma voiture".

4. tu m'niaise?! : "You're kidding?!". A very popular expression that you will hear all the time! In France you would say "Tu plaisantes?!" or "Serieux?!" (slang).

You are now ready for your next trip to Quebec, and don't forget to try their famous dish: La poutine!

Le français ~ French language

l'anglais ~ English language

Le Québécois ~ French from Quebec

Très utiles ~ very useful

Un anglicisme ~ an anglicism (a word borrowed from English into a foreign language)

Protecting a Gem

#leschosesaraconter
#lemonde

Protecting a Gem~ written by Max Thomas, Science and Outdoor Education Director at Canoe Island French Camp

Picture from Mountain Culture Group

Anyone who has been to the Salish Sea knows how special this place is. The Salish Sea is the body of water that encompasses Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan De Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia. It's hard to come here without falling in love with the abundance of wildlife, sheer beauty of the mountains and ocean, or the sense of pristine wilderness. This place also has strong cultural roots and incredible scientific importance. The rich diversity of species is unique to North America, and it's no surprise why people have settled here for over 10,000 years!

Within the past year there has been a grassroots effort to designate this amazing place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This designation would be a recognition of outstanding universal value to not only people who live here, but to the world as well. Sites that are considered for this honor must reach one of ten criteria, and many leading this effort believe the Salish Sea meets six. Some of the most spectacular areas in the world are World Heritage Sites including the Great Barrier Reef, Yellowstone National Park, and the Amazon to name a few. Protecting the Salish Sea is protecting our legacy. We are intertwined with these waters and land, and future generations will thank us for many years to come.

The partnered groups heading this effort are SeaLegacy and the Salish Sea Trust. To learn more about their mission and vision for protecting the Salish Sea, visit We Are the Salish Sea or Salish Sea Trust.