should we be bilungual?

[poil27]

canada is a bilungual country should we be that way , 47% of canada speeks french as first language we should get them here !!

[Gippeto]

I'm not trying to be a dick, but as ever, there are two sides to any question.

Is there something you would say in french that you would not (or could not?) say in english?

It seems you're entirely conversant in english...as are most I've noted hanging about the forums...so I'm not seeing the reasoning, and as such wonder why a solution has to be created for a problem that may not actually exist?

Al

[AirGunEric]

I think that 47% is a bit off- more likely 47% of Canadians these days speak neither French or English as their first language.

In any event, I think we should probably all be learning Chinese or Arabic the way things seem to be going...

[ARSIE]

French is the mother tongue of about 7.0 million Canadians (22.3% of the Canadian population, second to English at 58.4%).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_language_in_Canada

I agree. I would be learning Mandrin as a second language as I am out West.

http://www.krysstal.com/spoken.html

Top 30 languages spoken in the world Mandrin was # 1 with English #2

[poil27]

ok guys think of it that way french canadian has no place to go but france and france dont know the canadian reality

it's just a quastion from one of your felow. i respect you ans all and no need to be rude or bad, i asked this in good faith and in thinking in the good of our comunity.
I'm biluingual and flulent for that mather but i'm the exception.... how many of you can say the same ... flulent in both official languages ?

[AirGunEric]

I don't think anyone was suggesting French go anywhere/should be anywhere in particular- only that there was some question as to whether or not it has alot of 'real world' applications as the world moves on.

English is now #2, although still the dominant language in the Western world in business and science, Chinese is obviously the most common language based on pure numbers- and if things go the way they have been going the last 20 years in Canada (mass production moving to China, millions of Chinese moving to Canada) it may become more dominant/relevant in Canada than either of the "official" languages at some point in the future. I think, and this is not intended with any sort of malice or bad intent, but the French language has been becoming less and less relevant in the world since the decline of the French colonial nations/former territories since the middle of the 20th Century. This is not to suggest there isn't a place for French in the world, but I think any of us, French or English, trying to hold the dam up against the onslaught of history and current events is going to be a losing battle. Personally, I'd rather be fluent in English and French as opposed to Chinese/Madarin- but someday I may have no choice (or my children may have no choice- despite the fact my daughter is enrolled in "French Immersion" and spends 25% of her class time speaking in French).

[PACTOO]

To know more than one language could only be an advantage! I wish I had been more attentive when taking French in school now. When travelling through Quebec last summer on my way to PEI I had to remember how to order lunch in French. "Combo un avec Sprite"
Most European children know more than 2 languages.

Jean are you asking as you would like Eric to consider starting a French members thread? Just curious my friend!

[AirGunEric]

If that was the question (?) I missed it, obviously- I took it to be a sort of "generic" French/English question...

[poil27]

my bad sorry yea i was asking for a french board i should have been more specific

[PACTOO]

Probably not a bad idea Eric as there are plenty of French airgunners looking for a place to talk! You might need to appoint another mod however if the present ones don't speak the language. Just so we can keep an ear on these guys and realize they are not trying to take over!

It is scary that I am starting to understand what Jean says now!