Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Hello!

I joined this brilliant site during the weekend and I love it! I'm just adding this post to see if there are any other Brits on here who are in the Montreal area! I'm in Montreal and it would be nice to know there are more of you out there too!! :thumbsup:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Hi

Yes I am!

Me, hubby and now 3 kids have been here 4 years. We live in Pointe Claire, West Island. How long have you been here?

Welcome to the site :)

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Thanks for responding, tallperson! :thumbsup:

I have been here for 4 years also! My boyfriend and I live in Chateauguay right now, but are looking for a house in Pointe Claire! Weird! :blink:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Why would you want to live in a place you think is weird? :rofl:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Because anywhere would be an improvement over Chateauguay.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Hi!!

Can I jump on the bandwagon? Although not in Montreal at the moment, we are seriously looking at this place. Is Pointe Clair a 'nice' area to live in. Obviously we want to move to a decent area of Montreal, but are unsure where these are? Any info, would be greatly be received. :thumbsup:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I think that area is quite nice although I'm not 100% sure. We only even go through it on the highway. It's in the anglophone area. My main concern about the area would be its proximity to Montreal airport and its alignment with the runways.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Ha ha ha. :rofl: Your posts always make me laugh.

I am a little disappointed that it is an anglophone area. I think we want to move to a predominantly francophone place, so we get ample time to practice our French. All other things considered like jobs, housing etc.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I'm not saying it's wholly anglophone but in that part of the world probably more than half the people have English as their first language. You'll still be able to speak French.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Actually now you say that, it might be a good compromise. Thanks! :thumbsup:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Hi, i live on the border of NDG (Notre Dame de Grace ) and CSL ( Côte St Luc) . I love it here. if you want more info just ask.

SARAH

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Funny that, didn't realise Pointe Claire was such a popular pick with Brit expats! Lived there for upwards of 16 years before I moved to the UK to be with my Brit OH 3 years ago... we're planning on moving back next year if all goes well.

Pointe Claire neighbours Dorval (East of Pte Claire where the International airport is), Beaconsfield (West of Pte Claire) which is generally considered the more expensive/posh area of Montreal's West Island, and DDO (Dollard Des Ormeaux) to the north. It's South part borders the waterside, Lac St Louis (Lake St Louis in English)...

Although there is a high proportion of predominantly English speaking families in the West Island of Montreal (suburbs area), it is not expected in day to day life and usually we try to communicate in French first, if its not understood then we may switch to English. Montreal prides itself on being the largest bilingual speaking city in Quebec so it's kind of expected that locals will atleast attempt to learn to speak/get by in both languages.

A few other similar municipalities to look at that are similar to Pointe Claire and the above listed are Kirkland, Lachine, St Anne De Bellevue (western most part of Montreal island), Pierrefonds, St Genevieve (sp!) Roxboro... as far as English Vs French population, it changes from street to street but generally more English influence in Beaconsfield, Pointe Claire, Dorval and Kirkland.

Hope that helps you house hunters out some! :D

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Although there is a high proportion of predominantly English speaking families in the West Island of Montreal (suburbs area), it is not expected in day to day life and usually we try to communicate in French first, if its not understood then we may switch to English. Montreal prides itself on being the largest bilingual speaking city in Quebec so it's kind of expected that locals will atleast attempt to learn to speak/get by in both languages.



yes you are right about that in theory but if you get on the bus in the East End you say `bonjour ``to the driver and as you get off in CSL you say `Have a nice day`.

the employees at my local IGA automatically speak English. It really does depend where you live in the City. Thank God I am perfectly bilingual but I have frends who have lived in CSL all their lives and cant speak the language. If you go to English schools all your life and live in NDG/CSL chances are you will only speak English.

My kids in High School ( french) came back the other day with a contract that they need to sign and be seconded by parents stating that they will speak French only in the school. This included lunch and break times., good luck! not sure how the language police will be able to monitor 2,0000 kids at lunch! :unsure:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

No chance. They'll be talking about music, computer games, skateboards, films etc. It's almost inevitable that they'll speak in English (assuming they can). I listen to my stepson chatting to his mates in French and whenever one of the above subjects comes up the vocab is English. I suspect he doesn't even know the French equivalent of many of the English words he uses.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Agreed.I understand the principle but to enforce it is next to impossible.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Come on now, souvenir!! Chateauguay isn't THAT bad! lol Especially where we live, it's right on the river and it's beautiful there!

Oh, oh! Talking about Pointe Claire - maybe this is old news to most of you, but I was over joyed when my boyfriend's mum told me about this place called Bramble House...you guys know what it is?! It's a shop that sells all british stuff!! If you miss british junk food, then this will be heaven to you!! I LOVE this place!! :eek:

Maison Bramble House
19 Valois Bay Avenue
Pointe Claire, QC H9R 3Z2
Tel: 514.630.6363
Fax: 514.344.2994
www.bramblehouse.net

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I think you'll find that 'angolsizing' french canadians language has been around since before most of us were born. My mum is a born & bred (can trace her french heritage back to the first french settlers/pilgrims in canada) line of french canadians and if you compare french canadian to french spoken in France or in any other 'french' colony, there are loads of local adaptations to the language depending on their surroundings.

It's not relegated to just the French language either, you'll find examples the world over in English, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Chinese and Russian etc etc... (eg; Australian/American/English/Scotish as examples, how many expressions do each regional area have that may or may not be shared by the others?)

Language is a constantly evolving entity that changes over time & location, the mistake that we have made in the past is to assume that there is only 'one way' of using it. One or the other isn't more correct, just adaptised to the local enviroment & circumstance.

The Frenglish (my family calls it) some Quebecers have evolved to is perfectly understandable by locals but can seem completely foreign/alien to people from different regions. The French 'language police' are sadly just trying to retain their hold on historic & outdated language to preserve the French language and try to avoid the aclimisitation of young French people adding English words/terms to their vocabulary. I just think of them as old fashioned romantics kicking and screaming at evolution and must sympathise atleast a little with them as it is exactly the same situation that English colonies underwent after colonisation.

God that was a long boring post, kudos to any of you who could actually bear to sit and read through it all *lol* :p

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Just wanted to throw in that although your daily experience may be different, it may also have to do with your approach. I for one started off speaking English only to the bus drivers, store clerks etc when I was 11 years old with very basic only French skills... by the time I was 18 and had started living (and working) on my own, that quickly changed.... when living in Quebec you *can* get by speaking only one language but the truth of the matter is, if you only speak 1 language in Montreal you will find it far more difficult to find work and it is generally taken as an insult (both ways) if the people serving you are incapable of speaking both languages hence the demand for bilingualism.

Yes it is almost impossible to enforce, but after my teenage rebllion years I saw no need in insulting the heritage of the province I chose to live in and hence, always tried to get by first in French and if I had trouble, THEN resorting to explain in English.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

OMG!!! One of my high school friends lived there (Valois Bay), how cool!!! :thumbsup: :lol:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I would like to live there just to be close to all the british goodies they have in store there! ha!

I got my boyfriend addicted to Irn Bru...hehehe He LOVES the stuff!! While I get my fix of D & B!!!! :eek:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

WTF???????????????????????? i have been a Quebecer since 1987. I speak and write both languages fluently. What approach?? I was trying to say that depending on where you are in the City you speak what is spoken to you first. If the person at the IGA says good morning to me at the check out then I will reply in English. If they ask me in French( which they dont) i will reply in French. I am insulting no one.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

At work I answer the phone in French. I do so because most employees and clients are french canadian or immigrants, so I go along with the the flow.

However when I go shopping or speak to someone I do not know then I use English. I don't care where I am, east, west, north, south. If they respond in French I assume they are more comfortable in French or they simply can't, or won't, speak English.

Conversely when someone speaks to me in French I of course continue in French.

But I certainly do not worry about which area of the city I happen to be in to determine which language to use.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

That is sad and pathetic and stupid.

A contract to speak only French on the premises? What is the world coming to? This is exactly the same close minded idealogy which has set the province back a generation. Kids shoud be allowed to speak whatever language pleases them. They will still grow up at ease in both languages. Placing such restrictions on them will only breed resentment. Thank God my kids are now adults and I, as parent, don't have to go along with such utter nonsense!

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Put your toys back in the pram zalaben *lol* ;) All I was saying is that people who dont know both languages fluently or arent comfortable in both languages tend to start of communication in the language theyre most comfortable in.

I realise it does happen that people live in Quebec and get by only knowing or speaking 1 language of the 2, my French Canadian cousin is a prime example, she knows basic English but will only answer in French when spoken to... personally think its a bit of a cop out as how will she ever gain the confidence to speak English if she never uses it? :thumbdown:
Same thing happens the other way round, one of my ex boyfriends parents were Danish immigrants that knew how to speak Danish & English but had no idea when it came to French. Needless to say, their work opportunities were very limited in Montreal (not impossible, just much less out there) and the periods of unemployment stretched far longer then most trying to find jobs that didnt require both languages.

It can and does happen, but my opinion (and yes I am still allowed one whether or not your toys stay in the pram *lol*) is that it's ignorant to live in a country with 2 official languages and not bother to even make an attempt to learn them. Some are better then others at picking up a second language but its the ones out there that dont even try to learn atleast the basics that get me annoyed.

I'm quite happy with my Frenglish speaking family and my Brit OH is having a field day trying to keep up with the switching back and forth from French to English in our conversations, but he will be assimilated moohahahaha ;) :lol:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

agreed, there's no way they can actually enforce it and quite honestly, things like that only reinforce bitterness between both french & english speaking citizens.... there should be a language police chasing the language police down and finning them for irelevant and unconstructive use of tax payers time & money :thumbdown:

C'est vraiment fou n'est pas?

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I tend to start off in French. If I run into difficulty, I apologise for my crap French and the other person will then usually switch to English or smile sweetly and speak more carefully. There are certain types of people I always talk to in English because it's a racing certainty that their English will be better than my French (taxi drivers, bus drivers and the staff in my local depanneur). I chose my notary and dentisit because they are bilingual.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I was told by a few people who live in Montreal that I would have a VERY difficult time getting by in Montreal by only speaking English. They also said that the French Quebecers were stubborn and would not speak English to me...obviously I panicked about this! They were totally wrong though! I am slowly learning French and I too will speak English first but if they reply in French, I will try my best to speak to them in French, but they usually feel bad for me and realise that I actually suck at French! Ha! They will switch to English!! On more than one occasion I have had a conversation were I speak English and the other person speaks French - we know exactly what each other is saying but reply in our own language, which is quite amusing!!!!! :eek:

My goal is to be perfectly bilingual, I am trying and slowly I will get there! I just have a hard time getting my tongue around some of the words...it will be worth it in the end!

I wonder if sometimes when I speak English to the French, they think me ignorant?! :blink:

Daedra - Frenglish, that's a great one! ha! :eek:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I feel your pain. I have a major problem with the "tr" and will go to great lengths to avoid using "travail" as I end up sounding like Jonathan Woss.

My house number is 33. I think my evil wife bought the place just for that.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

That's just weally tewwible!
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

:lol:


My boyfriend tells me that when I speak French I'm not pronouncing it right, he says my accent messes it up! :huh: He just likes to bug me though! I think I'm having a bit of a hard time with learning it because Quebecers have a "twang" to their voice...and I just find it hard to understand what is being said some times! The whole sentence just blends into one big word - maybe it's just me! :blink:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

They do tend to rant and abreviate like mad in Quebec spoken French, I can find it really hard to follow if they're on a rant and I'm half related to them! *lol* To me, Quebecoise sounds more nasally then European French... for example, Quebecers 'Oui' sounds more like 'wey'

I could barely understand what they call in Quebec 'Parisien' French (eg; European French) when I first moved over here to the UK & dealt with some French companies on the phone... mind you, they tend to have less English interspersed into 'European French' as alot of Quebecers will just Francasize (I know thats my own specialy created word!) English words & terms....

Example of this, I'm pretty sure European French would call hot dogs 'Saucise' something or other (sausage) but in Quebec when ordering a hot dog they say 'Un 'ot dawg sil vous plait' or thats what it sounds like to my ears anyway. I am a fantastic mimic when it comes to sounding Quebec French but sadly, my written French is absolutetly terrible... can't grasp the accents and verbs.

What's worse... my British partner knows French & German and spells/writes French better then I do! But he still sounds bloody hillarious when he speaks French with his accent, like a Frenchman character off Monty Python Holy Grail sketch :lol: Fetchez la vache!!

I think the majority of people are polite enough to make an effort in a conversation... sit on a city bus in Montreal and listen to the teenagers chatting away in 'Frenglish' it's perfectly acceptable to switch back and forth between English & French in a conversation if you can't think of the right word quick enough... heck I do it all the time :eek:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I have been known to tell the Boy to stop stuffing his face with piggery and hit the lit:D

The Ottawa Valley accent is vile.
A while back I was behind a woman at the Couche Tard. She lobbed a 20 on the counter, uttered "vaynedahgaaaaawze" and walked out. It took me a while to figure out what she was paying for.

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

I had to read that out loud to get what you qouted Souv LOL!! Yeah well my cousins living in the boonies (sorry, small town QC to be PC) still have to slow down for me to understand them as it sounds like one long drawn out word every sentance. Atleast the Franglophones in Montreal like my family have small pauses between words or sentances :lol:

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

:lol: me too!!!! Then I got my BF to say it just to make sure I was right! lol

Re: Any Brits in the Montreal area?
 

Well, thank god it's not just me having a hard time with separating the words sometimes!! lol I understand what you mean about the 'oui' and 'wey'. I recently went home to visit my family and on my flight to the UK I was sitting next to a couple who had just been visiting their son in Quebec City. They were telling me that they met their son's in-laws for the first time and could not understand them at all!! They said that they had taken a few basic french lessons so they could communicate a little with the in-laws...the man said it took them days to realise that when they were having conversations with people; when they said "wey" they were really saying "OUI"...haha:eek: It really is different from European French...:blink:

In time I will learn!!!