Brian
As Heller (2008) describes, culture in Quebec is something in which the government and Quebec society have invested a great deal of energy and money. As a result, the arts are thriving, and Quebec writers are able to take advantage of subsidized publishers, an enthusiastic public, and opportunities to export their work to francophone countries in Europe, where it is promoted as Quebec culture. This is in contrast to English Canadian writers, who have greater opportunity to see their work get recognized by the Anglo-American mainstream, but more barriers to publishing and less local support. I’m generalizing to an extent, but these are factors in why English-Canadian writers from Montreal are less likely to use vernacular than their francophone counterparts.
noms fictifs, by Olivier Sylvestre, was released in 2018 and was a finalist for the French-language Governor-General’s award in fiction, among other prizes. While a work of fiction, the entire book is told in verse, another trait that is unusual for English-language fiction. Because of this structure, there is extra focus on language, which makes it a good study for both Quebec slang and franglais, or, as we could also call it, bilingual repertoire.
Continue reading “A Look at Franglais in a Work of Quebec Fiction: noms fictifs”