Visit Quebec - 5 Things You Will Love & Hate about Quebec City, Canada - Wolters World
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Date: 2022-02-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
paranoidrodent
Quebeckers have different cultural norms regarding social distance compared to the rest of Canada. The social norm is to be more reserved with strangers but, once someone is no longer a stranger, we warm up dramatically. Politeness rather than warmth, is what is expected towards a stranger. Warmth would be inappropriate because it would be overly familiar. Being overly familiar, in a culture where the language has both a polite/formal you and an warm/informal you can be a social faux pas (although some younger folks use tu with everyone, the norm is still generally vous with strangers. You act polite to and respect boundaries with people you address with vous and you act warm and casual with people you address with tu. Doing otherwise sends weird mixed messages. Intimacy is inherent with someone you tutoie and inappropriate with someone you vouvoie (unless it's a much older relative or friend who you vouvoie in deference to their age. When we switch to casual interaction after getting to know someone (moving from vous to tu, we can be some of the most overbearingly friendly Canadians. That binary approach to social interaction is kind of a social norm that is built into the French language and thus the culture.
That tendency to be reserved and simply polite with rather than warm towards strangers tends to get misunderstood as rudeness or coldness by people who are used to considering warm greetings as friendly and polite. It's actually done out of courtesy and politeness. It's just different cultural norms. We're generally happy to help someone with a question or in need of assistance, but as you noted, we generally won't approach a stranger a start a conversation because we'd view that as kind of intrusive (of course, if the person is in visible distress or something like that, then social niceties give way to pragmatic assistance.
All that said, we only seem remote and non-chatty in comparison to other Canadians. Drop us in with most Europeans and it is very obvious that we're definitely North Americans. The French tend to stereotype us as super friendly, informal and gregarious. (chuckling) In other words, the exact opposite of how other Canadians stereotype us. So, we're a little like the French and a lot like our fellow Canadians at the end of the day. We just express our Canadian politeness a little differently.
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Quebeckers have different cultural norms regarding social distance compared to the rest of Canada. The social norm is to be more reserved with strangers but, once someone is no longer a stranger, we warm up dramatically. Politeness rather than warmth, is what is expected towards a stranger. Warmth would be inappropriate because it would be overly familiar. Being overly familiar, in a culture where the language has both a polite/formal you and an warm/informal you can be a social faux pas (although some younger folks use tu with everyone, the norm is still generally vous with strangers. You act polite to and respect boundaries with people you address with vous and you act warm and casual with people you address with tu. Doing otherwise sends weird mixed messages. Intimacy is inherent with someone you tutoie and inappropriate with someone you vouvoie (unless it's a much older relative or friend who you vouvoie in deference to their age. When we switch to casual interaction after getting to know someone (moving from vous to tu, we can be some of the most overbearingly friendly Canadians. That binary approach to social interaction is kind of a social norm that is built into the French language and thus the culture.
That tendency to be reserved and simply polite with rather than warm towards strangers tends to get misunderstood as rudeness or coldness by people who are used to considering warm greetings as friendly and polite. It's actually done out of courtesy and politeness. It's just different cultural norms. We're generally happy to help someone with a question or in need of assistance, but as you noted, we generally won't approach a stranger a start a conversation because we'd view that as kind of intrusive (of course, if the person is in visible distress or something like that, then social niceties give way to pragmatic assistance.
All that said, we only seem remote and non-chatty in comparison to other Canadians. Drop us in with most Europeans and it is very obvious that we're definitely North Americans. The French tend to stereotype us as super friendly, informal and gregarious. (chuckling) In other words, the exact opposite of how other Canadians stereotype us. So, we're a little like the French and a lot like our fellow Canadians at the end of the day. We just express our Canadian politeness a little differently.
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ProfessorxVile
As an Anglo Canadian I've always found that if I start off speaking French they will appreciate the effort and either keep speaking to you in French or switch to English, but the important thing is that they see you are making an attempt. Montreal may be a different story, but you can't just go into the heart of Quebec where their official language is French and expect a positive response from everybody if you insist on speaking English first. It's possible they make more allowance for tourists, but my fellow English Canadians really have no excuse at this point
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As an Anglo Canadian I've always found that if I start off speaking French they will appreciate the effort and either keep speaking to you in French or switch to English, but the important thing is that they see you are making an attempt. Montreal may be a different story, but you can't just go into the heart of Quebec where their official language is French and expect a positive response from everybody if you insist on speaking English first. It's possible they make more allowance for tourists, but my fellow English Canadians really have no excuse at this point
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Maks
An english speaking individual reviewing Quebec without being racist against Quebekers! And talking about actually important things!
INCREDIBLE!
AM I DREAMING?
Everyone is welcome in Quebec, just learn french please or at least try!
We love everyone from everywhere.
Certainly, like everywhere, we have some people that are extremist, but the big majority is against them,
The big majority of Quebekers are VERY welcoming people that love everyone!
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An english speaking individual reviewing Quebec without being racist against Quebekers! And talking about actually important things!
INCREDIBLE!
AM I DREAMING?
Everyone is welcome in Quebec, just learn french please or at least try!
We love everyone from everywhere.
Certainly, like everywhere, we have some people that are extremist, but the big majority is against them,
The big majority of Quebekers are VERY welcoming people that love everyone!
reply
GFK
We watched your vids for our trip to Scotland and I'd like to give you a great big thank you. I'm from Toronto and am planning a 50 th wedding anniversary trip for my parents. Looks like Quesbec city is def on our list now. Your vids are really appreciated. Drop me a message if your ever planing a trip to see Ontario's cottage country. Would love to help. Safe travels.
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We watched your vids for our trip to Scotland and I'd like to give you a great big thank you. I'm from Toronto and am planning a 50 th wedding anniversary trip for my parents. Looks like Quesbec city is def on our list now. Your vids are really appreciated. Drop me a message if your ever planing a trip to see Ontario's cottage country. Would love to help. Safe travels.
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Donald
If you come to Canada, you WILL have change in your pocket. I gaurantee it, because anything below $ 5 is going to be coins. Sometimes it can be very annoying. To much coin wieghing you down.
So, dont believe what he tells you about needing change, he is from USA and thinks our currency system is equal to USA. It is not.
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If you come to Canada, you WILL have change in your pocket. I gaurantee it, because anything below $ 5 is going to be coins. Sometimes it can be very annoying. To much coin wieghing you down.
So, dont believe what he tells you about needing change, he is from USA and thinks our currency system is equal to USA. It is not.
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Brian
Hi Mark, Quebec City is on my must-visit list for Christmas markets with the family (hopefully 2021. Flying into YUL. Car rental and make the drive, or take the train from YUL? I know the train might take twice as long, but thinking it might add to the experience. Thoughts?
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Hi Mark, Quebec City is on my must-visit list for Christmas markets with the family (hopefully 2021. Flying into YUL. Car rental and make the drive, or take the train from YUL? I know the train might take twice as long, but thinking it might add to the experience. Thoughts?
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Greg
Not like Im a millionaire but how bout dropping a dime extra to make your stay easier? Kiosks? Tourists suck dude - buy a gun - not a reason to not go there. No shit on french - Just try and they like you. Your biggest problem sounds like - you are cheap - have a burger
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Not like Im a millionaire but how bout dropping a dime extra to make your stay easier? Kiosks? Tourists suck dude - buy a gun - not a reason to not go there. No shit on french - Just try and they like you. Your biggest problem sounds like - you are cheap - have a burger
reply
Paul
Funny thing is, Tanzanians and several other Africans also need to be greeted before they are willing to offer help! Cant just them for help and go, you have to wish them blessing then ask for simple directions! Why is this the case for Quebec and Africans?
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Funny thing is, Tanzanians and several other Africans also need to be greeted before they are willing to offer help! Cant just them for help and go, you have to wish them blessing then ask for simple directions! Why is this the case for Quebec and Africans?
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Jude
I was originally from Ontario, Canada and wondered about the other cities. Great video. The city looks beautiful. My Mom used to say that people in the French speaking areas were kind of rude. Now Im curious.
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I was originally from Ontario, Canada and wondered about the other cities. Great video. The city looks beautiful. My Mom used to say that people in the French speaking areas were kind of rude. Now Im curious.
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Lori
I love and adore Quebec City. It was very interesting to hear the perspective of a non Canadian. I am so used to Quebec, it was good to see through fresh eyes! Your family is lovely.
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I love and adore Quebec City. It was very interesting to hear the perspective of a non Canadian. I am so used to Quebec, it was good to see through fresh eyes! Your family is lovely.
reply
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