Le français au Québec et en Amérique du Nord par France Martineau, Wim Remysen, et André Thibault (review)

Reviewed by: Le français au Québec et en Amérique du Nord par France Martineau, Wim Remysen, et André Thibault Kayla Burrell Martineau, France, Wim Remysen, et André Thibault. Le français au Québec et en Amérique du Nord. Ophrys, 2022. ISBN 978-2-7080-1634-7. Pp. 376. This book provides readers with both an external and internal perspective of the linguistic and sociolinguistic situation of the francophone space in Quebec and elsewhere in North America. Though it mainly focuses on Quebec French, the volume also includes other Canadian varieties, such as Franco-Ontarian French and Acadian French. Additionally, less visible varieties of French spoken elsewhere on the continent, such as those present in Louisiana, are also discussed. The volume is divided into two relatively even sections. The first sets up the historical, social, and political context in which French emerged and evolved during the colonial period in Nouvelle France. Then, the second dives into practical language use through specific linguistic analyses, using not only a synchronic approach, but also covering diachronic, diastratic, and diatopic axes. This organizational choice is significant because, as the authors explain in the introduction, the way people speak cannot be separated from their history, and the francophone space in North America is rather complex: "Bien qu'il existe donc trois grandes variétés de français nord-américain, celles-ci ont en commun une partie de leurs traits, ce qui fait en sorte que les frontières territoriales et géopolitiques ne coïncident pas avec les frontières linguistiques de ces variétés" (25). Thus, in prefacing their description of the characteristics of Quebec French with an examination of key historical events affecting language use in the North American context, Martineau, Remysen, and Thibault promote a tour d'horizon through the study of these varieties of French in context. As an epilogue, the final chapter, titled Vivre en français au Québec et au Canada offers a synthesis of the content and draws conclusions from both sections. The first half of the book, divided into four chapters, covers relevant historical events from the foundation of the colony of New France in 1604 to contemporary times. This context primes the reader to fully appreciate the next half of the volume. The three chapters that follow offer linguistic analyses focusing on the varieties of French spoken in Quebec and elsewhere in North America through studies in lexicology, pronunciation, and morphosyntax. The volume progresses smoothly, with each chapter building upon (and referencing) the topics examined in the preceding chapters. While some prior knowledge of linguistics is helpful for understanding the material, the glossary included at the end serves as a useful reference for many of the technical terms. Similarly, it is important to note that a general knowledge of the IPA is necessary for comprehending some parts of the volume. As it provides descriptions of contemporary usages of French in Quebec and North America in concert with the necessary historical frame, this book can serve as an effective resource for educators in French linguistics interested in providing their students [End Page 195] with a comprehensive overview of the situation of French in Quebec and elsewhere on the continent. Overall, the material covered is an ideal resource and a valuable roadmap for an undergraduate or graduate level linguistics course in French focusing on Francophonie in North America. [End Page 196] Kayla Burrell Furman University (SC) Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of French

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