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We\u2019ve sifted through our thousands of past tweets to compile this Essential Guide to Quebec for Translators<\/em>. We will be posting it gradually over the next weeks by subject theme. Part\u00a0I is about Quebec\u2019s Charter of the French Language<\/a>, also commonly referred to as Bill\u00a0101. Read our tips to learn about the Charter\u2019s impact on translators.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]1: The law covers Quebec government communications. If translating for anybody else, you can do what you want.<\/p>\n 2: Think of it as a style guide for the Quebec government. It applies to that one client only.<\/p>\n 3: All names of government departments, agencies, ministries, etc. always remain in French, even in English texts.<\/p>\n 4: \u201cGouvernement du Qu\u00e9bec\u201d does not count as a government department, ministry, or agency name. It can be translated.<\/p>\n 5: Quebec\u2019s National Assembly and all the laws and regulations it passes have official English translations. Look them up here.<\/a><\/p>\n 6: International Affairs is another exception. It may use other languages than French with foreign correspondents.<\/p>\n 7: All professional orders must use their French names only when communicating with the public or their members.<\/p>\n 8: Contracts signed in English require a clause saying the parties have agreed to use English. Suggest adding such a clause.<\/p>\n 9: Place names chosen or approved by the Quebec Toponymy Commission must remain in French (but remember point #1).<\/p>\n Re 9: Notice we said Quebec Toponymy Commission, in English. This Twitter feed does not belong to the Quebec government so we can use English however we want.<\/p>\n 10: Nothing in the law says you cannot translate the name of a Quebec government program into English.<\/p>\n 11: Nothing in the law says you cannot translate a Quebec civil servant\u2019s job title into English.<\/p>\n 12: The law does not apply outside Quebec. For instance, all ministries in France have official English names.<\/p>\n 13: Nothing in the law says you cannot translate the names of white papers, strategy documents, etc.<\/p>\n 14: The only parts of Quebec addresses you must keep in French for the Quebec government are place names (street, city, province).<\/p>\n 15: Other parts of Quebec addresses you may translate IF YOU WISH (Floor\/Suite\/P.O. Box\/etc.).<\/p>\n 16: Nothing in the law says you must punctuate addresses as in French. You may remove the comma after the street number and the parentheses around the province.<\/p>\n 17: Nothing in the law says you cannot provide a courtesy translation of an official name that stays in French.<\/p>\n 18: Nothing in the law says you cannot use italics to visually signal that a name is in French.<\/p>\n 19: Nothing in the law requires you to follow French capitalization rules. Capitalize however you want.<\/p>\n 20: It is completely permissible to invert an organization name and acronym to make your sentence more reader-friendly. We\u2019ve sifted through our thousands of past tweets to compile this\u00a0Essential Guide to Quebec for Translators<\/em>. Part II is about the French spoken in Quebec and some of the common anglicisms that can cause translators grief.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 1. Be very careful when you see national,<\/em> pays,<\/em> or d\u2019ici<\/em> in Canadian French. It can mean Quebec or Canada, depending on context.<\/p>\n 2. Gilet <\/em>is a \u201cvest\u201d in English, but some people (particularly in Quebec) use it to mean \u201csweater.\u201d Always check.<\/p>\n 3. Quebec\u2019s biggest financial institution, Mouvement Desjardins<\/em>, goes by the English name of Desjardins Group. Don\u2019t make the mistake of calling it a \u201cmovement.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Plusieurs<\/em> ALMOST ALWAYS means \u201cmany\u201d in Quebec French, yet I keep seeing translators use \u201cseveral,\u201d even when it\u2019s illogical in the context.<\/p>\n 5. If you can\u2019t decide whether plusieurs<\/em> means \u201cseveral\u201d (France) or \u201cmany\u201d (Quebec), say \u201ca number of\u201d in English to remain vague.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0We pointed out in a recent tweet that plusieurs<\/em> almost always means \u201cmany\u201d in Quebec French, yet many translators persist in saying \u201cseveral.\u201d Keep in mind, however, that sometimes it does indeed mean \u201cseveral.\u201d<\/p>\n 7.\u00a0<\/b>J\u2019ai plusieurs autos<\/em> = I have several cars. Plusieurs \u00e9lecteurs ont vot\u00e9 pour Macron<\/em> = Many people voted for Macron<\/p>\n 8.\u00a0<\/b>If you don\u2019t know for sure, say \u201ca number of\u201d: Il a plusieurs autos<\/em> = He has a number of cars.<\/p>\n 9.\u00a0The takeaway? Please pay attention to context! If you know that plusieurs<\/em> refers to 4 or 5 things at best, \u201cseveral\u201d is fine.<\/p>\n 10. Before translating 1er \u00e9tage<\/em>, check whether it is used in the European way (2nd floor) or the North American\/Quebec way (ground floor).<\/p>\n 11. Ever had to translate the Quebec verb patiner<\/em> in the sense of \u201cnot answer a question\u201d? How about \u201cto fudge\u201d?<\/p>\n 12. A quirk of Canadian French: trente sous<\/em> means 25\u00a2 (a quarter). Remember this if you come across it in dialogue.<\/p>\n 13. Despite impressions to the contrary, the Quebec expression c\u2019est de valeur<\/em> means \u201cthat\u2019s too bad,\u201d not \u201cthat\u2019s valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n 14. The standard translation of choqu\u00e9<\/em> is \u201coffended\/appalled\/shocked\/shaken,\u201d but in Quebec French it often means \u201cangry.\u201d<\/p>\n 15. Oh l\u00e0 l\u00e0! \ud83d\ude09 RT @benoitmelancon: @offqc Everything you ever wanted to know about the Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois use of L\u00c0 http:\/\/wp.me\/p1glYg-5KK<\/a><\/p>\n 16. Quebec French trap: faire du temps suppl\u00e9mentaire les fins de semaine<\/em> = work overtime on weekends NOT work extra hours at the end of the week<\/p>\n 17. 5 \u00e0 7:<\/em> This is not literally from 5 to 7 p.m., but rather Quebec French for happy hour or any form of late-afternoon drinks in a bar. Not to be mistaken for a European French 5 \u00e0 7, which designates a little bit of after-work philandering.<\/p>\n 18. Quebec French alert: You may encounter temp\u00e9rature<\/em> used in the sense of \u201cweather\u201d (la belle temp\u00e9rature<\/em>). Don\u2019t let it fool you.<\/p>\n 19. Don\u2019t be fooled by d\u00e9jeuner:<\/em> It means \u201clunch\u201d in France, but \u201cbreakfast\u201d in Quebec.<\/p>\n 20. Don\u2019t be fooled by d\u00eener:<\/em> It means \u201cdinner\/supper\u201d in France, but \u201clunch\u201d in Quebec. Supper in Quebec is souper<\/em>!<\/p>\n 21. Don\u2019t be fooled by lunch<\/em> (and its counterpart luncher<\/em>) in Quebec French: It can mean a midnight snack\/late-night meal.<\/p>\n 22. In Quebec: table d\u2019h\u00f4te<\/em>. In France: formule<\/em> or menu.<\/em> In English (surprisingly enough): prix fixe. Or simply say \u201cfull-course meal.\u201d<\/p>\n 23. Careful\u2014some Quebecers use d\u00e9lai<\/em> incorrectly to mean \u201cdelay\u201d instead of its true meaning of deadline\/turnaround\/lead time\/delivery time.<\/p>\n 24. D\u00e9finitivement:<\/em> Very often an anglicism meaning definitely\/absolutely, so be on your guard for when it actually means \u201cpermanently.\u201d<\/p>\n 25. In Quebec, courrier<\/em> is sometimes an anglicism meaning \u201ccourier.\u201d Let the context guide you so you don\u2019t mistranslate as \u201cmail\/post.\u201d<\/p>\n 26. Veste<\/em> is a \u201cjacket\u201d in English, but some people (particularly in Quebec) use it to mean \u201cvest\u201d (a sleeveless garment). Always check. We\u2019ve sifted through our thousands of past tweets to compile this\u00a0Essential Guide to Quebec for Translators<\/em>. Part III is about Quebec geography and place names. It also provides advice on how to translate the actual words Qu\u00e9bec<\/em> and Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois<\/em>. We hope you\u2019ll find it instructive.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n 1. Quebec City has no \u201cdowntown\u201d in the traditional sense. Try saying city center\/center of town\/heart of the town\/historic center.<\/p>\n 2. If a French text from Canada says fleuve<\/em> without naming the river, it\u2019s probably the St.\u00a0Lawrence. Give the full name in English to avoid confusion.<\/p>\n 3. Even though the St. Lawrence is a river, we talk about its shores, not its banks. So Montreal\u2019s Rive sud<\/em> is the \u201cSouth Shore.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Quebec texts say fleuve majestueux<\/em> and translators write \u201cmajestic St. Lawrence,\u201d but we actually say \u201cmighty St. Lawrence\u201d more in English.<\/p>\n 5. The Quebec government says en r\u00e9gion<\/em> for everywhere except Montreal but it wouldn’t cross the mind of someone in Ontario to say \u201cin the regions\u201d for everywhere except Toronto. Try\u00a0\u201cin rural\/remote areas,\u201d \u201cin outlying regions,\u201d or \u201cin rural Quebec.\u201d<\/p>\n 6. Capitale nationale:<\/em> In Quebec this can mean \u201cQuebec City\u201d (most often) or Ottawa (sometimes). Don\u2019t send readers to the wrong city!<\/p>\n 7. Estrie:<\/em> This Quebec region is referred to as the \u201cEastern Townships\u201d in English. Except in Quebec government texts, it\u2019s usually best not to leave it in French.<\/p>\n 8. Grand Nord: <\/em>\u201cthe North\u201d or \u201cnorthern Canada\/Quebec.\u201d \u201cGreat White North\u201d was a Bob and Doug McKenzie<\/a> invention.<\/p>\n 9. \u00cele-des-S\u0153urs<\/em> near downtown Montreal is generally called Nuns\u2019 Island by English Montrealers, but remains \u00cele-des-S\u0153urs<\/em> in official texts.<\/p>\n 10. M\u00e9tropole:<\/em> Does not mean \u201cmetropolis\u201d or \u201cmetropolitan area,\u201d but a geographic area\u2019s biggest city. In Quebec, la m\u00e9tropole<\/em> is Montreal.<\/p>\n 11. Rivi\u00e8re des Prairies<\/em>, which flows along the north side of the Island of Montreal, is sometimes called \u201cBack River\u201d in English by locals.<\/p>\n 12. Qu\u00e9bec<\/em> in French refers to both the city and the province. Be sensitive to context and add \u201cCity\u201d as needed in English.<\/p>\n 13. In Quebec capitale nationale<\/em> can mean Quebec City. Don\u2019t blindly translate as \u201cnational capital\u201d or people may think you mean Ottawa.<\/p>\n 14. In Quebec if Capitale-Nationale<\/em> has capital letters and is hyphenated, it refers to a Quebec administrative district. Keep in French.<\/p>\n 15. Ville de Qu\u00e9bec:<\/em> \u201cQuebec City\u201d if naming the geographic entity in English, \u201cVille de Qu\u00e9bec\u201d if referring to the municipal apparatus.<\/p>\n 16. 89 geographical names stay French in Quebec but are used in English in neighboring provinces. See them here<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#ffffff” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#e02b20″ height=”3px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”]Interested in this subject? You can also take an online training course by Anglocom president Grant Hamilton, available from OTTIAQ, Quebec\u2019s order of translators, terminologists, and interpreters. For details or to register,\u00a0click here<\/a>\u00a0and open a session on the OTTIAQ portal.
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nPart II: The French of Quebec<\/h2>\n
Special Meanings in Quebec<\/h4>\n
Anglicisms in Quebec<\/h4>\n
\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}” locked=”off”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\nPart III: Quebec Geography and Place Names<\/h2>\n
The Geography of Quebec<\/h4>\n
Place Names in Quebec<\/h4>\n