Originally Posted by
Kee /img/forum/go_quote.gif haha! sans blague!!
I'm from western Newfoundland . . . almost everyone here can trace their ancestors back to France. My grandfather came here from St Malo.
Irish priests made everyone stop speaking french years ago though, and changed place names and surnames. My hometown was called "La Grand' Terre" , now it's 'Mainland", my grandfathers name was changed from 'Olivier" to 'Oliver". Pretty sad.
In the 80's parents got together to fight for a french school though, That's how I learned french. I went there from kindergarden until I quit at 16.
I haven't spoken french since I left school though
I think I'm losing it, even though I can still spell/read/understand it very well. I just feel nervous speaking it
héhé, je vais te faire travailler dur !
it reminds me of what happened in Brittany during the last century. since the 19th century, the government has always wanted to eradicate all the languages spoken in France, and declared french as the only official language.
Bretons used to be very despised by the rest of french people, considered as idiots, rude and weird people living on what seemed to be a very hard and unfertile land. parents had to change their children's names and make them sound more "french" just so they could fit more in the society, and because to tell the whole truth, being despised all your life you finally come to feel ashamed of yourself and your kids are ashamed of you. everyone thought it would be the death of breton.
now parents are fighting to have schools were breton can be taught alongside french, and i'd say many french are now very attracted by all the legends, if not the beautiful land in itself. there's even special courses at the university of Rennes, including history on the celtic peoples, or the "celtic" languages.
i've never been to Saint Malo, but i will one day visit the pirates' city.