Language barrier for tourists in Quebec?

[james]

Actually, the Scots were probably the largest "english-speaking" population in Montreal during the 19th century.

The Scots english speaking. The last time my wife and I were in Toronto a couple of years ago we were returning by bus from Woodbine Racecourse (and mall they have Zellers). We got chatting to a lady in her 60's. We told her that we would like to go to Montreal but had heard bad reports about the language barrier. She proceeded to tell us that she had lived in Quebec and didn't have a good word to say about the French speakers. This kind of scared us off Quebec or Montreal. However speaking to you folks on this site has changed things and we are now going to go to Montreal. Perhaps we are all a bit guilty of being influenced by gossip and prejudice. Take people as you find them and you will get on fine. How's it going 299 bloor call control?

 

[Bogtrotter]

The trouble is that we have heard so many bad reports from people, many of them Canadians we have spoken to on holiday about Montreal. Is it true that they simply will not speak English to tourists? Sounds crazy but we have heard that this is true.

Total BS- don't believe it. In downtown Montreal you will be greeted and served as anywhere in North America. Indeed from my experience the service in restaurants is better than DT Toronto.

 

[Hydrogen]

The Scots english speaking. [/COLOR]

Hence the quotation marks.

You'll have no difficulty in finding many Scottish names and references in Montreal.

 

[allabootmatt]

If I ever have a family in Canada, I'm raising them in Montreal--possibly the most sophisticated, cultured city in North America where most intelligent people are bi, if not tri-lingual! Montreal rocks so much you may find yourself avoiding Toronto altogether!

Ehhhhh....Montreal's nice, but isn't that a bit rich?

 

[MisterF]

I agree with urbandreamer that a lot of English Canadians have a weird resentment towards Quebec. But I don't find that to be the attitude in Toronto at all. Having lived all over Ontario, I've found Torontonians to be a lot more cultured and open minded than people in the smaller towns. It's the same everywhere I think, more cultured people tend to gravitate towards the cities.

Anyway don't shy away from Montreal because of the language barrier, or even rural Quebec, which is really interesting and has a different feel from Ontario or the western provinces.

 

[afransen]

I agree with urbandreamer that a lot of English Canadians have a weird resentment towards Quebec. But I don't find that to be the attitude in Toronto at all. Having lived all over Ontario, I've found Torontonians to be a lot more cultured and open minded than people in the smaller towns. It's the same everywhere I think, more cultured people tend to gravitate towards the cities.

Anyway don't shy away from Montreal because of the language barrier, or even rural Quebec, which is really interesting and has a different feel from Ontario or the western provinces.

I think the anti-Quebec sentiment is mainly reactionary to some of Quebec's greater excesses, such as discriminating against the English language in a supposedly bilingual state, having a vastly disproportionate level of influence and federal government funding, etc.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Quebec: Hostile to English speakers?

Everyone: I read this topic with interest-I remember my trips to Quebec in the mid 80s and I recall that in Montreal I had almost no problem other then visiting the E end. Does the West Island still have that substantial Anglophone population I recall? I felt a little out of place in Quebec City though-but I enjoyed the walled City-the closest that I have ever been to actually being in Europe I recall.

I noticed that because I was trying-not well mind you-to converse in French but once people realized I was from the US the attitude definitely changed-maybe perhaps my then-strong LI accent was a dead giveaway.
I recall being told that Quebecois are definitely more resentful to English Canadians then people from the US.

I remember when CBS 60 Minutes ran a report on Quebec's "Language Police" and I noticed the effort to drive the English language out of Quebec-I recall that many Anglophones left Quebec as a result. I wonder how it is now today as mentioned by other posters-small towns could be a problem but in places like Montreal English speakers would have little if any problem?
I would like to come back someday...LI MIKE

 

[allabootmatt]

The West Island is still very much Anglophone. The drops in the Anglo population in both Montreal and Quebec as a whole seem to have leveled out; I think in the most recent census there was even a slight increase, which is good news. There's a pretty finite limit to how Franco-centric Montreal can get, since the downtown has two huge English universities--which were, incidentally, probably what kept the city from complete collapse in the rough times of the 80s/early 90s.

I think one could probably do fine in Montreal with only English, however with the Anglo community being the size and coherence that it is it would feel like living in a much smaller city. That said, I wouldn't want to be looking for a job in Montreal as a unilingual Anglo, as I suspect the opportunities would be quite limited.

Sorry to hear that people were nasty to you for being American; that's a rather upsetting trait of many Canadians (and others as well!). Often I think people would probably be glad that someone was at least making the effort to converse in French, even if not very well.

 

[ganjavih]

That said, I wouldn't want to be looking for a job in Montreal as a unilingual Anglo, as I suspect the opportunities would be quite limited.

Yes, quite limited. Things such as dishwasher, furniture mover, etc.

 

[rpgr]

I agree with urbandreamer that a lot of English Canadians have a weird resentment towards Quebec. But I don't find that to be the attitude in Toronto at all. Having lived all over Ontario, I've found Torontonians to be a lot more cultured and open minded than people in the smaller towns. It's the same everywhere I think, more cultured people tend to gravitate towards the cities.

Anyway don't shy away from Montreal because of the language barrier, or even rural Quebec, which is really interesting and has a different feel from Ontario or the western provinces.

Or maybe it's because compared to us, Montrealers are a bit more friendly?

 

[Long Island Mike]

I actually found Quebecois to be more tolerant since I was not English Canadian...

Matt: Let me clarify what I mentioned-I actually found Quebecois to be more tolerant once they realized I was from the US and I was making a feeble(to say the least)attempt to converse in French. Like I mentioned-my LI accent was a dead giveaway-I have lived away from the NY area for most of the 90s in Eastern PA as an example but I will probably never lose it. Montreal is a neat city-where you can easily survive with English-but in Quebec it definitely pays to have some basic knowlege of French. It would make things that much easier...LI MIKE

 

[Mystic Point]

not true at all. Montreal is very bilingual, and unless you venture into the predominantly francophone east end, pretty much everyone you meet will speak english readily. Quebec City is more francophone, but it'll be no different than travelling in France.

I travel to MTL all the time on business. And almost no one will speak English to me. They shake their hands and roll their eyes and invariably storm off in a huff.

Fortunately, my business affairs with MTL are coming to close soon, and I won't ever have to set foot in the place again.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

i can tell you what's a barrier for some tourists in quebec- steps.

 

[syn]

I think the anti-Quebec sentiment is mainly reactionary to some of Quebec's greater excesses, such as discriminating against the English language in a supposedly bilingual state, having a vastly disproportionate level of influence and federal government funding, etc.

I agree.

I don't think I know anyone who doesn't like Montreal/Quebec.

 

[northstar]

I like Montreal, and as an Anglophone, I've never experienced any "major" problem in Montreal. One might run into the odd grumpy shopowner, but that can happen in any city. I think the city is a shining example of cosmopolitan flair and multiculturalism, yet retains much of its original French character.

Unfortunately, my experiences in Quebec City and other parts of rural Quebec left me quite disgusted with the petty, narrow-minded provincialism of much of the people with whom I interacted. It had all the European charm of the Balkan states - complete with some of the most racist, xenophobic and ethnocentric mindsets that I'd ever experienced in this country.

Perhaps I was just unfortunate to meet the most miserable of the lot, but I'm just relating my experiences for what it's worth.

Enjoy Montreal!