The ineffable Bouchard has put together an identity as junk only intellectuals lack of political correctness (and moral warmth) may lay: we would be "Quebecers of French-Canadian origin." Such an expression is as sterile and depressing at the limit of absurdity. So we are, to paraphrase, the inhabitants of a geographic territory with civic-linguistic origins! Quite a detour to avoid naming a cat, a cat.
Here is a text written in response to blog Grand Inquisitor Language Paris, Paul Roux, who made quite candidly " an overview of the various terms used to describe Quebec " to stimulate discussion around the proposal of Mr. Bouchard.
a semantic problem
If we break the expression, "Quebecers of French-Canadian origin", we understand that this is a person who was born in Canada (outside Quebec?) And whose mother tongue is French (but necessarily), which was then established (geographically) in Quebec. If one takes the trouble to stress the original "Canadian" of a "Québécois" is that the origin is not in Quebec, is not it? Otherwise there is redundancy.
It is obvious that this poses for small semantic problems, I was born in Quebec, I am from Quebec and some of my ancestors came from France, Switzerland and Belgium. Will there be identified with his pedigree, so to please Mr. Bouchard and his detours semantics?
THE MYTH OF LINGUISTIC IDENTITY
Canada has built its foundation myth from two linguistic identities, which were mutated in ethnic identities. As if language was a people! As if Saskatchewanians, Acadians and Quebecers of the St Lawrence shared a coherent story and a common identity! The Canadian identity model is wrong. There are indeed a nation of Quebec, which is conscious of its own existence and which also includes groups that participated in the march of Quebec francophones in the St. Lawrence Valley, but also those of the Saguenay and Beauce, have their peculiarities, Métis and Aboriginal groups, the Irish, they are melted in our set or whether they have retained their traditions, and immigrants latest, if they chose to live "with us" and not "our side".
TWO HALF-IDENTITIES
"French Canadian" is a term that designates two half-identities. The sum does not at all, but rather because an identity crisis that prevents us from defining ourselves by ourselves and for ourselves.
Finally, Quebecers are as a people, identity as a nation (and not ethnic, linguistic or civic). But since Quebec is not a country, it is possible to live without feeling Quebecers. In this case, in good conscience refuse to participate development and evolution of this common identity, inclusive and well defined.
The proposal of Mr. Bouchard will have at least had the merit of demonstrating, with unexpected force, that the complex of Elvis Gratton is still alive in our beautiful "nation within a nation's civic symbolism."
Here is a text written in response to blog Grand Inquisitor Language Paris, Paul Roux, who made quite candidly " an overview of the various terms used to describe Quebec " to stimulate discussion around the proposal of Mr. Bouchard.
a semantic problem
If we break the expression, "Quebecers of French-Canadian origin", we understand that this is a person who was born in Canada (outside Quebec?) And whose mother tongue is French (but necessarily), which was then established (geographically) in Quebec. If one takes the trouble to stress the original "Canadian" of a "Québécois" is that the origin is not in Quebec, is not it? Otherwise there is redundancy.
It is obvious that this poses for small semantic problems, I was born in Quebec, I am from Quebec and some of my ancestors came from France, Switzerland and Belgium. Will there be identified with his pedigree, so to please Mr. Bouchard and his detours semantics?
THE MYTH OF LINGUISTIC IDENTITY
Canada has built its foundation myth from two linguistic identities, which were mutated in ethnic identities. As if language was a people! As if Saskatchewanians, Acadians and Quebecers of the St Lawrence shared a coherent story and a common identity! The Canadian identity model is wrong. There are indeed a nation of Quebec, which is conscious of its own existence and which also includes groups that participated in the march of Quebec francophones in the St. Lawrence Valley, but also those of the Saguenay and Beauce, have their peculiarities, Métis and Aboriginal groups, the Irish, they are melted in our set or whether they have retained their traditions, and immigrants latest, if they chose to live "with us" and not "our side".
TWO HALF-IDENTITIES
"French Canadian" is a term that designates two half-identities. The sum does not at all, but rather because an identity crisis that prevents us from defining ourselves by ourselves and for ourselves.
Finally, Quebecers are as a people, identity as a nation (and not ethnic, linguistic or civic). But since Quebec is not a country, it is possible to live without feeling Quebecers. In this case, in good conscience refuse to participate development and evolution of this common identity, inclusive and well defined.
The proposal of Mr. Bouchard will have at least had the merit of demonstrating, with unexpected force, that the complex of Elvis Gratton is still alive in our beautiful "nation within a nation's civic symbolism."
