Surveying policy impact on language in Quebec
Quebec's language policies have fervently supported fundamental language rights aimed at better integration into French society, often sparking controversy among the English-speaking population. The EU-funded LPAQ(opens in new window) (Language policies and attitudes in Quebec) project looked at various top-down language policies and language planning in existing legislation and how these are implemented. It also analysed speaker attitudes towards language use and language varieties. To achieve its aims, the project conducted field research in the city of Montreal due to its strong Anglophone community. More than 1 100 photographs were taken of public demonstrations relating to language from a large representative sample of neighbourhoods, primarily in Montreal. A survey gathered evidence on language demographics and attitudes toward policies and language combinations. The English and French language selections and switches of customers and staff at six coffee shops throughout the city were also observed. Results show that young Anglophones are more content with the status quo than their older counterparts. Similarly, young Francophones are more accepting of English. Both languages are used much more in the core business district and in the eastern and western parts of the city. The project also involved establishing a database of current language legislation in Quebec and published it online. It shed light on how the French- and English-speaking people of Quebec feel about the two vastly different languages and related policies. Policymakers in the EU stand to benefit from a coherent research approach on the linguistic landscape of Canada's most distinct society.
