Canadian French

Canadian French is an umbrella term for the varieties of the French language used in Canada. French is the mother tongue of about 7 million Canadians (21% of the Canadian population, compared to 58% for English).

The name "Canadian French" does not refer to a single dialect, but is primarily an umbrella term for several distinct dialects.

• Quebec French is spoken in Quebec. Closely related varieties are spoken by francophone communities in Ontario, Western Canada, Labrador and even in the New England region of the United States, and differ primarily by their greater conservatism. The term Laurentian French has limited application as an umbrella term for these varieties, and Quebec French, somewhat confusingly, is also used. The name Canadian French may also be used in some cases as essentially synonymous with this dialect when spoken outside of Quebec, but does not represent a distinct dialect. The overwhelming majority of francophone Canadians use this dialect.
• Métis French spoken in Manitoba, North Dakota and adjacent areas, alongside with the related but distinct mixed language Michif.
• Acadian French is spoken by the Acadians in some parts of the Canadian Maritimes. It is the reputed ancestor of Cajun French although this is disputed since Cajun is closer to Quebec French and Métis French than it is to Acadian.
• Brayon French, spoken by Brayons in the Bonaventure and Beauce-Appalaches regions of Quebec, the Madawaska region of New Brunswick and small pockets in the American state of Maine, seems phonologically close to Acadian French but is morphosyntactically identical with Quebec and Métis French.
• Newfoundland French is spoken by a limited population in Newfoundland. It is an endangered dialect — both Quebec French and Acadian French are now more widely spoken among francophones in Newfoundland and Labrador than the distinctively Newfoundland dialect is.

The term Canadian French was formerly used to refer specifically to Quebec French and the closely related varieties of Ontario and Western Canada descended from it. This is presumably because Canada and Acadia were distinct parts of New France, and even British North America until 1867. However, the term Canadian French is now not usually felt to exclude Acadian French.

Phylogenetically, Québec French, Métis French and Brayon French are representatives of koiné French in the Americas whereas Acadian French and Newfoundland French are derivatives of non-koinesized local dialects in France.

Notes

See also

• French language in Canada
• Bilingualism in Canada
• Spoken languages of Canada