This should not be so fraught with anxiety, but.
Am in Ottawa, speak marginal French (French immersion in school, but weak from lack of use), and like to go to Montréal for dinner or what-not now and then. Invariably:
(apropos of me peeking at the back of a restaurant last night)
'Vous cherchez les toilettes?'
(me) 'Oui, merci...'
'Ah -- upstairs and just to the right.'
(me) 'Thanks!'
The second it's evident that I'm Anglo -- the 1st or 2nd time I open my mouth, of course -- I'm always spoken to in English.
Which makes me feel like I might be bordering on rude by trying to conduct things in French at all, as though I might be harbouring nasty assumptions about Montréalais English... It definitely seems rude to persist with my awkward French when faced with perfect English, though.
Outside of Montréal, my French lasts a few more sentences, but in Montréal, even getting a 2nd sentence in in French is rare. What's the preferred behaviour for visitors?
2006-10-25
07:38:25
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6 answers
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asked by
Anonymous