My wife took ESL (English as a Second Language) courses when she first came to Canada, from Mexico, and to prepare better, we bought some inexpensive Language programs that you run on your computer. Her sister came here to study English as well for 2 years, and she used these programs also. They are excellent!!! http://www.transparent.com/ I learned Latin and Greek with my French in Quebec, so learning other languages was much easier for me. When I met my wife, I didn't know Spanish, 3 months later, after using a software program like this, I knew more Spanish vocabulary than my wife (then girlfriend) and made fewer spelling mistakes. I highly recommend this company's products. They work for children up to adults.
We have 3 dialects of French in Canada. Francais, Joual and Franglish. Francais is taught here in Quebec (I'm in Manitoba) like they 'think' the real French speak it, but moreso in Montreal and Quebec City. Other regions in Quebec teach the language for its functionality, not its societal snobery. Joual, its a commoner's slang French, used by tradesmen and lumberjacks in Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Northern French-speaking towns in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Even I have to ask folks to repeat themselves. Franglish is usually by Federal bureaucrats who don't believe that our Constitution really means that we are a bilingual nation, so they bastardize French (which they are supposed to know and we pay taxes for their tutors) to frustrate French-speaking Canadians. And for you Americans. Did you know that parts of Vermont and Maine are bilingual? hehehe :banana: And they speak excellent French. I think Maine even has bilingual Stop/Arret signs. Just remember that Alto in Mexico is not a song-pitch. If you don't, it could mean a 'Mordida' (bite into your wallet = bribe).
it seems that i return at schoolseriously,i am happy to learn these difference.i am 49 old,but i like to learn each day,and it is a good thing to speak and see peoples in other countries
While I'm giving you a virtual tour of Canada, Winnipeg, where I live, is the geographic centre of North America. Exactly in the middle East to West and North to South. Until 1977, Winnipeg was 3 cities, Transcona, Saint Boniface and Winnipeg. Saint Boniface is officially a French city, with even the speeding tickets in French and English, as well as the street signs. The rest of the City of Winnipeg has all English signs. Great french cooking and pastries! Manitoba is offically a bilingual Province, where all of its laws and official documents are in French and English. Other Provinces apply the Federal Language Laws differently, depending on how many French-speaking people live in a region or city. Years ago, I did a rough estimate that almost 25% of the global market speak Latin-based languages. Africa has one or two countries that speak Italian, a few more that speak French, and some that speak Portuguese, South America speaks Spanish and Portuguese as well as French Guyana, and many Mexicans speak French. Indonesia and Vietnam speak French. Some parts of the Phillipines speak Spanish or Portuguese as well as a derivative called Tagalog. Russia speaks French as well. The neat thing about English is that it borrows from so many languages that other than pronounciation (and too many broken grammar rules), it makes it easy for most people to converse. I see it as a global language basket - English. There ends the lesson. Bonne chance!!!
thanks for this lesson,i have friend in quebec,and she was in france 1 month ago.she said me to go to canada,it will be a good trip,but i do not like very much the cold weather,and in december,there is snow and wind.i do not still know,but maybe i 'll go to your country.and usa is not so far,minnesota etc.....it will be great,because i' ll have where to sleep:2_thumbs_up_-_anima
You get snow down to Northern Florida and even New Mexico and Northern California. If you currently live near the Ocean or a humid, warm part of Southern France, you need to be extra careful about breathing cold air through your mouth. I was in Florida once, years ago, reading news stories about people dying from ice formed in their lungs during a really cold storm in Orlando, Florida. They couldn't breathe the cold air. I'm not kidding. Here in Manitoba, everyone knows that you walk slow and breathe through your nose, especially in temperatures below -20C. Other than that, you get a warm, down-filled coat (duck or goose feathers) and a toque (12 percent of your body heat is released from a bare head), and warm boots, gloves and a wool scarf. Most people wear wool sweaters at home too, to save energy. Quebec doesn't have our extreme western cold, but they do get lots of snow. Driving in snow is a learned skill, here. If you come to North America, in winter, you will likely get into snow. If you rent a car in the USA during the winter, make sure it has snow tires. Its the law in Quebec, but not everywhere.
Bonjour Philou, enjoy your ride and this community ! Et: Vive la France ! Je ne parle bien le francais, mais ca marche ...
hi your french is good.i learned the deutsch at school,but i was a bad student,and i remember nothing.
oupsi think i shall go to quebec in summer,brrrrr.i just called my cousin at phone,and,he hopes that i shall go to north carolina next month.i never saw him since 35 years......it is the time now,he's 82 old,but in very good condition
Here Philou, this is a pretty respected weather information source. It is setup for my city, Winnipeg, in Fahrenheit, but you can change it to Centigrade. You just type in the Zip Code in North Carolina or Quebec and it shows by the Hour, or up to 10 days in the future: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/local/CAXX0547 I think it also gives longer seasonal prognoses also.
Here's the Canadian Government's weather site in French: I set it for Quebec City, in Quebec. http://www.meteo.gc.ca/city/pages/qc-133_metric_f.html
