Canadian Language Education Questions

[The Brain]

I don't think gays are bad horrible people.

You think they're good at being horrible?

Meh. They're OK.

We think you stink.

Yeah you people just can't get enough of my manstink.

[garbon]

As if.

[Sheilbh]

In the parts of English speaking of Canada I've been in, you usually take mandatory French starting at some point in elementary school. It goes on into part of high school, at which point it becomes optional (usually you're required one or two years in high school).

Interestingly that seems less French than was the system  being introduced in Scotland when I lived there. There you started as soon as you started primary school and wouldn't be allowed to quit until you were 16.

Unfortunately most of the teachers weren't fluent (except in high schools) so they were normally only a lesson ahead of their classes and I don't think it was terrible successful. Though it may have got better and I think it's been extended to other languages like Gaelic and Spanish.

Interestingly French has always been the dominant foreign language you learn in Scotland, in England it's the 'easier' German. The Auld Alliance indeed

[Martinus]

I don't think gays are bad horrible people.

How many gays have you met?

[The Brain]

I don't think gays are bad horrible people.

How many gays have you met?

In the Biblical sense?

[viper37]

I think making that analogy only serves to condemn you.

What if I'm an english speaker and I don't want to hear french spoken in my shop?  How is that intolerant that there'd be laws affirming the right of someone to speak french if he wants to?  Sounds to me like you want french speakers to simply surrender without a fight.  You've already decided it's a lost cause and you want us to surrender our future as a nation.

[viper37]

rather bizarre analogy since one can learn a language but not pick his sexuality

If a language can simply be learnt, then there is no problem for the anglo-community of Quebec...
I think it goes a little deeper than that.

[viper37]

In the US it depends on the state (sadly), but generally speaking you can't discriminate against people in hiring or service.

But that would be an infringement on that person's individual rights to hire whom he/she wants.
Which brings us to the limits on individual rights...

It seems it is ok to infring on one's individual rights to prevent un undesired side effect.

[garbon]

I think making that analogy only serves to condemn you.

What if I'm an english speaker and I don't want to hear french spoken in my shop?  How is that intolerant that there'd be laws affirming the right of someone to speak french if he wants to?  Sounds to me like you want french speakers to simply surrender without a fight.  You've already decided it's a lost cause and you want us to surrender our future as a nation.

If you are an English speaker and don't want to hear French in your shop then you are pretty bigoted.

Also, why do you love strawmen so much? I've already said in this thread that I think it is good to have laws that allow people to converse in whatever language they choose. But that's not really what Quebec's language laws are about, now is it?

[Eddie Teach]

If you are an English speaker and don't want to hear French in your shop then you are pretty bigoted.

Unless they're glancing at you while they're talking, and occasionally laughing.

[Admiral Yi]

As long as they're talking they're not miming, which is a blessing.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

rather bizarre analogy since one can learn a language but not pick his sexuality

If a language can simply be learnt, then there is no problem for the anglo-community of Quebec...
I think it goes a little deeper than that.

we have the same problem with francophones here, as you well know.
One has to be willing, but when one is then language can be learnt. No one is even asking for perfection or even fluency. Making a sincere effort will generally do the trick

[Malthus]

So based on this thread it sounds like that in all students in Canada should have some familiarity with both official languages; is that a fair assessment?

French speakers start english lessons in 1st grade.
English speakers start french lessons in 7th grade.

It likely goes without saying, but that's probably overly broad, right?

I think it's 1hr a week in 1st to 3rd grade.  It then increases gradually in 4th, 5th grade and then half a year in english for 6th grade, for all classes.
Can't be sure about the exact numbers, don't trust me on this.  Tried to find it, found a lenghy document filled with educational mumbo jumbo that doesn't make any sense, can't find the total hours per week dedicated to english, decided to forget about it.

As for the english, this is valid for Ontario and New Brunswick. Don't think it's radically different in other provinces.

My son is currently having French, and he is in grade 4.

[HVC]

My son is currently having French, and he is in grade 4.

He's in grade 4 already? Jesus. Time flies.

[Martinus]

I think making that analogy only serves to condemn you.

What if I'm an english speaker and I don't want to hear french spoken in my shop?  How is that intolerant that there'd be laws affirming the right of someone to speak french if he wants to?  Sounds to me like you want french speakers to simply surrender without a fight.  You've already decided it's a lost cause and you want us to surrender our future as a nation.

Since your examples are so outlandish, I am still not sure which side you are on. In that example, are you arguing that you should have a right to ban French speakers from your shop? Or that you shouldn't be able to do that?

For the record, I think you shouldn't be able to do it. If you run a shop open to the public (and not a closed club), you shouldn't be able to ban customers on arbitrary pretences, whether they are black, male, gay or speak French.