[Canada] Canadian Politics Redux

[Barrister]

So you DO understand why that'd would stick in francophone's craw then? Because demanding that a francophone speak english is exactly what happened here.

Minister, I noticed that you answered my questions in French, but other questions you answered in English if they're from your Liberal colleagues. I realize it's completely your choice, we're a bilingual country, but if at all possible I'd love to have an English answer.

I can't agree with your characterization here.

So when the demand is coated in polite flourishes, it's fine. CANADA! 

The mere fact of asking another person to speak in your language in this context is eye-rolling.

Imagine the reverse. You would all find it ridiculous if a bloc quebecois mp asked - in French - an alberta mp to give her answers in French. We know none of you fucking speak it, so what we do is either LEARN THE FUCKING LANGUAGE, or use translators. We don't pull a Karen and say "AcKshUallY caN yOu AnsWer in my PreFerreD lanGuage because I'M a SnoWflaKE whO caN't be BothEred kkthanxbai"

You know what?  Politeness actually matters.  A lot.

So who exactly is being the precious snowflake in this scenario?

[garbon]

I don't think polite discrimination is all that great.

[PRC]

I know you all want to get back to talking about Canadian Politics - but literally just saw this on my comment about Google Translate with a phone. It's incredible:

Jason Rabinowitz
@AirlineFlyer
Google Translate continues to be a life saver  I can't believe it works so well on this handwritten board.

As Sheilbh posted this not that long ago... this type of thing is a step in the direction of a true universal translator and it's going to make much of this French English shit completely meaningless at some point.

[Zoupa]

You know what?  Politeness actually matters.  A lot.

So who exactly is being the precious snowflake in this scenario?

Donc la prochaine fois qu'un député francophone demandera - en francais - à un député anglophone de s'exprimer en francais, il suffira qu'il fasse sa demande poliment et personne au Canada anglais n'y verra à redire. Bon à savoir!

D'ailleurs, pourrais tu s'il-te-plaît me répondre en francais à partir de maintenant?

[crazy canuck]

Speaking different languages based on party politics is kinda weird.

It is more likely that the nature of the question being asked by the Conservative member was such that it was more appropriate to answer it in the language in which he felt more comfortable.

The Conservative then tried to make a pretty point that really only petty people would appreciate.  To her credit she realized her error and apologized rather than doubling down and making a further silly comment.

That just seems highly speculative and I'm not sure what based on given that neither the questioner or answeree is a male.

Thank you for correcting me 

[crazy canuck]

Canada: fighting global warming despite its best efforts.

I don't think that could be true.

I wonder what they are defining as cover.

[HVC]

Yeah, I mean I know Canada is big, but Ontario can't be anywhere near as forested as it once was. Nor Quebec. I mean due to its size and low population density number is probably high, but 91 doesn't seem plausible.

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, I mean I know Canada is big, but Ontario can't be anywhere near as forested as it once was. Nor Quebec. I mean due to its size and low population density number is probably high, but 91 doesn't seem plausible.

Just the beetle blight destroying the pine forests in Central BC would bring the number well down

[Barrister]

You know what?  Politeness actually matters.  A lot.

So who exactly is being the precious snowflake in this scenario?

Donc la prochaine fois qu'un député francophone demandera - en francais - à un député anglophone de s'exprimer en francais, il suffira qu'il fasse sa demande poliment et personne au Canada anglais n'y verra à redire. Bon à savoir!

D'ailleurs, pourrais tu s'il-te-plaît me répondre en francais à partir de maintenant?

*uses google translate*

The difference is that of course Thomas heard the Minister speaking in English just moments before.

If you ask an anglo who can speak French to please speak French almost all of them would be excited to do so.

If you ask an anglo who can't speak French to speak French, and you know they can't speak French, you come across as a dick.

So no, sorry, I will not be able to comply with your request to answer you in French, as I am not conversant in that language.

[Jacob]

D'ailleurs, pourrais tu s'il-te-plaît me répondre en francais à partir de maintenant?

Cela semble être une demande raisonnable, tout bien considéré.

La qualité de mon français n'est malheureusement pas très bonne, car je dépends de google translate. Mais bon, il est temps d'adopter un peu de bilinguisme officiel.

En passant, j'aimerais pouvoir traduire vers le français québécois au lieu de ce que je suppose être le français français standard, mais je suppose que les mendiants ne peuvent pas choisir.

(Est-ce que « mendiants ne peuvent pas choisir » a-t-il un sens en français ou est-ce évidemment un anglicisme directement traduit ?)

[Grey Fox]

It will please Dguller, ChatGPT is pretty good at writing out stuff in french from the English prompt.


@jacob the sentence is sound but I've never heard it in french.

[viper37]

Canada: fighting global warming despite its best efforts.

It's misleading.

It applies to the Boreal forest only.

As of 2005, Canada as a whole has 91% of the boreal forest cover that existed at the dawn of European settlement^[35]. More deforestation has occurred outside the boreal region, in more southerly areas of the country.^[34]

The forest sector annually harvests approximately ½ of 1% of the region. However, this is not considered deforestation by some, given that provincial laws are meant to ensure that areas harvested by the forest sector are replanted or regenerated naturally.^[34]

However, the resulting road network from logging has effects that persist long beyond the period of harvest; indeed, one can make the case that road construction is one of the most harmful and persistent effects of logging.^[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_forest_of_Canada


The most densely populated areas of Canada are outside that zone.  Which explains why 91% of it is preserved.

Southern Quebec, Southern Ontario, most of British-Columbia are totally excluded of this.  The 3 most populous areas of the country aren't part of this zone.  No wonder 91% of it is preserved.

[Jacob]

@jacob the sentence is sound but I've never heard it in french.

Merci. Je suppose que cela montre que le langage figuratif reste un défi pour les programmes de traduction automatique (ou du moins ceux qui sont facilement disponibles).

[crazy canuck]

Canada: fighting global warming despite its best efforts.

It's misleading.

It applies to the Boreal forest only.

As of 2005, Canada as a whole has 91% of the boreal forest cover that existed at the dawn of European settlement^[35]. More deforestation has occurred outside the boreal region, in more southerly areas of the country.^[34]

The forest sector annually harvests approximately ½ of 1% of the region. However, this is not considered deforestation by some, given that provincial laws are meant to ensure that areas harvested by the forest sector are replanted or regenerated naturally.^[34]

However, the resulting road network from logging has effects that persist long beyond the period of harvest; indeed, one can make the case that road construction is one of the most harmful and persistent effects of logging.^[17]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boreal_forest_of_Canada


The most densely populated areas of Canada are outside that zone.  Which explains why 91% of it is preserved.

Southern Quebec, Southern Ontario, most of British-Columbia are totally excluded of this.  The 3 most populous areas of the country aren't part of this zone.  No wonder 91% of it is preserved.

Thanks, that makes sense.   

[Jacob]

En passant, j'aimerais pouvoir traduire vers le français québécois au lieu de ce que je suppose être le français français standard, mais je suppose que les mendiants ne peuvent pas choisir.

J'ai donc trouvé un traducteur censé être alimenté par l'IA, qui m'a fourni une traduction différente.

Soit dit en passant, j'aurais aimé pouvoir traduire en français québécois au lieu de ce que je suppose être le français standard, mais j'imagine qu'on ne peut pas se plaindre.

Je remarque qu'il semble positionner le français québécois comme non standard dans la phrase, alors que mon intention était de juxtaposer le français standard du Québec au français standard de la France (et en tant que Canadien, j'estime que je devrais favoriser le français standard du Québec).

Je ne suis pas sûr que la traduction du langage figuratif ait été beaucoup mieux traitée, car elle semble s'être débarrassée complètement de l'élément figuratif. J'aurais préféré qu'il applique une figure de style équivalente... mais peut-être qu'un tel équivalent n'existe pas en français ? J'en doute un peu.

Quoi qu'il en soit, étant donné qu'il s'agit d'un média écrit, il n'y a pas vraiment de raison pour que nous ne puissions pas communiquer en français - même pour les anglophones unilingues.

Je trouve que c'est assez stimulant mentalement, mais si c'est ennuyeux, dites-le moi et j'arrêterai