DCHP-3

bilingualism

DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)
n. — French relations

the ability to communicate in both English and French fluently.

Type: 4. Culturally Significant — While the general definition of bilingual is 'the ability to speak or write fluently in two languages', in Canada the term is generally applied to the ability to communicate in both English and French (see the 1944 and 1984 quotations). See also bilingualize and bilingual. It is noteworthy that the concept is not always viewed positively in Canada, either historically (see the 1889, 1906 and 1910 quotations) or culturally. For instance, in the context of the perceived threat against French in an English-dominant country and continent (see, e.g. the 1976 quotation), bilingualism is considered as a first step towards the loss of French. Conversely, bilingualism is a feature of Canadianness of long-standing and viewed positively in official government discourse and by many Canadians (see, e.g. the 2008 quotation).
See also COD-2, which is described as "esp. (in Canada) English and French", Gage-1, s.v. "bilingualism" (2), which is marked "Cdn.", ITP Nelson, s.v. "bilingualism" (2 & 3), which is described as "in Canada".

Quotations

1889
The ambition of French nationalism is extended to the Canadian North-West, where there is a population of French Half-breeds under clerical rule, the political power of which during the infancy of the settlement has been sufficient to force bilingualism on the Legislature of Manitoba.
1906
The Saturday Review in an article on the Transvaal constitution referring to the dual language, says: "With the example of French Canada before us could anything be more famous than to allow the provincial patois to compete in parliament and in law courts with English. The one corner of the Dominion of Canada which remains unprogressive and sullenly exclusive and poor is Quebec, and that is mainly due to bilingualism."
1910
Dr. Sproule opposed bilingualism in Ontario schools, saying it might end in the English-speaking people being unable to maintain schools, churches, or societies of their own.
1933
A serious difficulty in the way of adequate representation of the views of the people of Canada in discussions in the House of Commons is that some of the members of that House are literally not speaking the same language as the rest of them. We have no reference whatever to bilingualism; we refer rather to two distinct kinds of English, with two distinct kinds of meanings.
1944
The French-Canadian is convinced that his persistence is justifiable on natural, historical and constitutional grounds; he firmly holds that French-English bilingualism, practised with mutual respect and fidelity, can be one of the glories of Canada in the eyes of a strife-torn world. He regards this bilingualism as an assurance that Canadian political unity will be confined to the broader governmental functions without dictatorial or bureaucratic intervention into regional and personal matters.
1967
Official bilingualism in Ontario and New Brunswick as well as Quebec and bilingual districts for all but two of the provinces were recommended yesterday for the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism.
1976
[Guy Rocher, a sociology professor at the University of Montreal] "Montreal is already familiar with the sort of bilingualism that multicultural policy threatens to produce," he said. "Among New Canadians bilingualism means English and Greek, English and Italian or English and German, while English-French bilingualism is practically non-existent."
1984
What can the CRTC be thinking of? If there were ever a recipe to reduce the polarization between English-speaking and French-speaking Canadians, it is a radio station which uses both languages in an informal and comfortable setting. If an agency of the federal Government refuses to give leeway to one of the few media outlets in this country attempting to be bilingual, where does the Government expect bilingualism to spring from? Dead air? The regulatory body made a wrong decision in 1975. Its latest behavior suggests it is still light-years away from recognizing the fact.
1994
Masse dismissed arguments that francophone officer cadets won't get the same quality of French-language instruction in Kingston. "It will force (the college at) Kingston to become totally bilingual and, in my view, that's what we should have in our armed forces. "There is no doubt that with 1,000 francophone cadets there, there will be an effect of more French being spoken in the city and more people seeing that bilingualism works for Canada. So I'm not worried."
2008
Bilingualism in Canada sounds like a good idea -- and it would be if we didn't run into silly situations. The recent occurrence of a bilingual person (Justin Bell) stopped by an RCMP officer for a traffic violation is such a case. The motorist asked to be addressed in French.
2014
"We are hoping that a program like this will contribute to the promotion and the understanding of bilingualism, both at the university level and in the Canadian society at large," said Sima Paribakht, the institute's director of graduate studies. Professors from various departments are to teach courses ranging from "issues in bilingualism studies" and "assessment of second language competence," to "language planning and policy in Canada" and "the politics of language, power and identity: Canada and the world."

References

  • Gage-1
  • ITP Nelson
  • COD-2