The French language has been part of Canada since the beginning. Today it is an official language along with English. When I was in school the courses were taught in English except they offered a French language course as an option. I took French in grade 7 but that was as far as I went.
Today there are schools here in Alberta that teach all the classes in French.
This school is one of them. This is Ecole Grandin Roman Catholic Seperate School. Today as I look back I do wish I had pursued my studies in the French language. I took this shot on my way home from work
Nice trip down memory lane. I suspect we all have things we wish were different. I imagine that you go to work in the dark and return also in the dark. Such a different life so far from the equator. Nice shot of the school.
We were taught french for one year in high school.Have never been able to work out why we needed it in Australia.Japanese or some Asian language would have been more useful.Nice shot,
I feel the same way about Spanish, although I do know many words and can pronounce them. I find French very confusing to pronounce, but my friend from New Orleans can do it easily.
Living in Quebec French is the official language. Having lived here since 1967, and schooling did not teach French the way they do now, I unfortunately do not speak French either. I understand and when I attempt to speak it somehow they manage to find the English words or we do sign language lol. Besides politics love Quebec and its multiculturalism.
It's a beautiful language. I had to learn it (at least a little) about 20 years ago when we moved to Geneva for a year for my husband's job. SO difficult to learn as an adult! And now I've forgotten it all since there is no French in the US
I've tried to learn French as an adult using the free Duolingo program. We have several French speaking neighbors and I wanted to be able to talk with them in French. I can muddle by in reading but the spoken French is beyond me I'm aftraid.
It is a lovely language. I did five years of French at high school (many moons ago) and unfortunately have forgotten most of it. Like all things you have to use a language in order to retain it :)
Interesting, Brian. The only exam I ever failed was French - and now I have a house in France but can't converse with our neighbours! (I did pass the exam on the second attempt but still can#t speak the language).
I like the bright light at the entrance. Took 4 years of French at high school and hated it all those years. Never used it. Still using English and German.
@bkbinthecity yes, just a small section of Switzerland speaks French & Geneva is in the middle of it. Actually, it's pretty interesting--Switzerland is such a tiny country but they have 4 different languages in 4 sections: French, Italian, Swiss-German, and some weird old language based in Latin.
And one other FYI tidbit: The French people in France look down on the the Swiss French accent as kind of unsophisticated or hick. Maybe like a New Yorker and a Southerner in the US.
And one other FYI tidbit: The French people in France look down on the the Swiss French accent as kind of unsophisticated or hick. Maybe like a New Yorker and a Southerner in the US.