@lal-au0 wrote:i gave up on aussies trying to spell or even pronounce my name, even though there is an australian city and university with that name *rolls eyes*
i just give them my husbands name, it's easier.
well, actually when i am with my husband i let him do the talking.
i am tired of blank faces when i say "my name is ******* just like the town/university".
Ahhh, your name is Bond ... Lal Bond
tasfleur
Oui, Québec est une belle provence , comme ce est le Canada . Le français est agréable même si je ne étais pas bon dans ce domaine. (With a little help on a few words 
). Loved France, the culture, most of the food !!! (I learnt French at School)
Latin, yes, many a year learning it, again wasn't good at it but knowing a bit has sometimes helped.
Re Quebec, not so much the French language I was complaining about, more the attitude to the rest of Canada
(independance) that has cost it a lot.
Interesting thought re Imperial, although Colonial attitudes might be a better word.
"they don't just shorten they also distort beyond recognition."
by turning it into rythmic slang.
Sauce, dead horse
They don't have independence as such aps, but rather have unique "legislature" that give the Province a different cultural aspect/respect and acceptance for it's history and so forth, it's very complicated.
Not everyone wants Quebec to secede (including me) because it will create a huge set of problems seen and unseen; besides that, it will cause untold hardship for First Nations people as one example, very very complicated.
I love Quebec, but no matter where you go in the world, there are always trouble makers and those who will do anything to get what they want with no thought to how it affects others long or short term.
Many Quebecois/Canadians (both French and English speaking) do not want Quebec to separate from Canada, especially the young people, so here's hoping it doesn't happen in my lifetime.
We have a lot of Italian families around here and there are still some that dont speak much english even after being here for 50 odd years. They tend to be the older women though, I guess they were stay at home mums and often didnt drive or get out much so there was less opportunity to learn. They also had lots of Italian neighbours so its not like they couldnt converse with anyone at all. The next generation are often bilingual and then generations after that speak only or mostly English.
I do think people should learn English if they want to live here, for their sake more than anyone elses.
