Do you Guys, think the french will speak english in a few years?

Paul V   Monday, June 21, 2004, 15:02 GMT
In Belgium, a smaller and less politically important minority.

Question. You didn't mention Italy.
I thought France and Italy had close cultural ties. So how come no one mentions Italian as one of the main 2d languages learned in France?

Montreal is a very neat place. Very European. Very Moderne. Very Big. And it is on a Big Island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. Especially compared to Ville du Quebec, where they have made a strong attempt to hold onto the French Canadian History and Heritage. In Canda, the 3 Big Cities are very different that the rest of the country.

People get along pretty good nowadays after the French took Political control of Montreal back in the 1970's. It took awhile but things are OK now.
Live and let live.

Like Belgium and Brussels, Montreal is much more Bilingual than the rest of the province. Lots of Anglos (Maybe 30%), although most of them speak pretty good french. You can get by and live in English in the Centre and West End of Montreal, but it is almost impossible to find a Job unless you are fluent in French. Lots of competition for work. People are very concerned about the quality of their Francais.

Like the other Big Cities in Canda, there is a big ethnic and immigrant population. In Montreal, it is mostly, Italian, Greek and Jewish. They tend to be fluent in English and French as well as their native language.
The tend to get along with everyone and moderate some of the political extremism of the French and the Anglos.

I used to visit Montreal every year.

Regards, Paul V.
nic   Tuesday, June 22, 2004, 11:40 GMT
Italian is not mentionned because the problem with italian is the fact a part italians and a few swiss in Europe, you do not need to speak it for a job. Not the case for english and spanish can be helpful too of course.
Paul   Wednesday, June 23, 2004, 14:52 GMT
Thanks, Just Curious.
P.S.
It is better practise to say "apart from" rather than "a part"