Whenever someone talks about the French language, the first country that comes to your mind is France. However, it depends on your intended audience. Is it France or Canada? Because both languages are different and you cannot merge them. French spoken in Canada differs from French in France based on history and geographical aspects. Canadian French is the official language of French people who have been living in North America for a few hundred years. The language boasts a rich history and its foundation lies in the dialects brought by French colonists in the 1600s. On the other hand, the French language originated from Vulgar Latin, the language of the Roman Empire.
Here, understanding the core differences between these two languages can bridge the gap and ensure your access to a widespread audience.
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Canadian French Feels Outdated
As the French settled in Canada in the 16th and 17th centuries, it has preserved some pronunciations, which makes it an old-fashioned language. Moreover, the Canadian French has retained some characters from 17th-century French that are obsolete or no longer exist in regular French. For example, two French vowels ‘droit’ and ‘froid’ retain sounds that no longer exist in regular French.
Also, Canadian French still includes some consonants that have disappeared from French. These major differences highlight the complexity of managing the Canadian French language and reaching out to their native speakers. However, a Canadian French translation company can connect you with French-speaking audiences in Canada for seamless expansion and marketing.
Variations in Vocabulary and Pronunciation
You will also find a lot of differences in pronunciation and vocabulary of these two languages. In Canadian French, ‘Bienvenue’ is a word used to say ‘You’re welcome’; however, the same word is used as a greeting in regular French. Both Canadian and Metropolitan French take serious measures to protect the legacy of their language from the dictatorial presence of English. In Canada, French speakers often find themselves in a minority position as English is the dominating language. In the case of France, the majority of the audience speaks French. Still, a growing trend of English being used as a common language has been observed.
Canadian French has a higher number of vowel sounds as compared to Metropolitan. Moreover, vowel sounds tend to be prolonged in positions within words other than closed stressed syllables.
Writing Pattern and Accents
Despite having spoken and pronunciation differences, both dialects have standardized scripts and the same written form. If you know how to read regular French, you can also read and understand Canadian French. The accents of these two languages are quite different. You will find the Canadian French accent more rhythmic, while the regular French accent sounds more nasal tones.
Different Industry-Specific Terminologies and Regulations
As the origin of both languages is entirely different, they have several industry-specific terminologies and language regulations that only relate to their geographic location and culture. So you will find major differences in these terms and language regulations. While Quebec’s legal system comes from French civil law, traditional French in Canada has a different meaning and context of terms from that in France. Quebec’s renowned Charter of the French language, strictly monitors how businesses can use English terms in their menus, signage, and other contexts. However, the Toubon Law enforces the use of French in business activities. To better understand the legal system and regulation of these languages, a qualified language translation company can greatly help.
Final Thoughts
Canadian and Metropolitan French are two famous dialects of the same language tree. While Canadian French is more complex, it is widely adopted by French-speaking people across Canada and North America. We believe these differences come from cultural nuances and geographical backgrounds. French speakers in France follow their own culture that is different from Canada. By understanding the background of each language, you can confidently find and reach your target audience. This clear and transparent understanding of languages can be developed by translating your business material into these languages.
