Montreal: Remarkable City

[August1991]

In the past, such European cities existed. Now, they don't.

In Asia, such cities still exist.

Yet in North America, such a city still exists.

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A city where unilingual people live side by side.

 

[Michael Hardner]

It's a great place. ?

[Benz]

Where I do live in Laval, several english and french are living in the same area. Despite they do not go to the same schools, anything else is done together. I am the head coach of the hockey team of my son, and half of the kids, plus my main assistant that follows me for several years now, are english. Although I always use the french language at first, I allow the kids to talk to me in english and I can repeat in english if they did not understand the first time. I do not need to do it because the english kids have a good level of french and they understand well. The french kids are starting to learn english, they can understand when I or my assistant is speaking english.

I have been coaching hockey and sometimes soccer for several years now and I never witness any kind of animosity between the two cultures. No conflict of what-so-ever, not even once. Hatred to each others is something they learn when they get older and hang out with other adults entertaining hatred. Or from medias. Kids see other kids and it does not cross their mind to build a mindset of hatred based on the language.

Kids, trainers, parents... although they are all stronger in one language more than the other, they all feel 100% of the same group, same team. I can brag that we are a good example of what the relation between the two cultures should be throughout Canada.

I know in Montreal there are areas where you can see unilinguals english and french but, I wonder what are the proportions of that, vs bilinguals. Our case in Laval is not unique at all.

[impartialobserver]

Unilingual... means nothing to me. I do intend to visit Montreal one day. However, first up on the Canadian itinerary is Edmonton

 

[August1991]

On 3/13/2023 at 11:15 AM, Benz said:

Where I do live in Laval, several english and french are living in the same area. Despite they do not go to the same schools, anything else is done together. I am the head coach of the hockey team of my son, and half of the kids, plus my main assistant that follows me for several years now, are english. Although I always use the french language at first, I allow the kids to talk to me in english....

 

Such was Europe - Austria-Hungaria - before 1914.

Lemberg, Breslau, Czernowitz.

A world of cities where some people speak one language very well, and other people speak another language well - and still others translate, often badly.

A city of New Yorkers, and Parisians, living side-by-side. Woody Allen beside François Truffaut. 

[August1991]

Montreal is a city where some people - in their daily life - speak French with a Paris accent.

And some women use the twang of Los Angeles.

And yet neither can speak the other's language.

[August1991]

Since Ukraine is in the news, I want to relate a story, well two stories.

Lvov (Lemberg, Lviv) is now in Ukraine, but it was once part of Austria-Hungary.

Many years ago, I was in Lvov and there was a large group of older tourists. Intrigued, I later asked the tour guide. She explained, "These are older Poles who want to see where their parents lived."

Several years after this, while riding a train from Kiev to Lvov, I shared this first anecdote with my train partner. He was emphatic: "Lviv is a Ukrainian city." 

[August1991]

As much as I admire René Lévesque, it is true that Pierre Trudeau kept us out of this European nonsense.

As Trudeau said, "They would make a Danzig of the West Island." 

[myata]

Right, with the pinnacle wisdom utterly non European obviously, double invocation of State Emergency Rule, first for a minor terrorist incident and second, a flu-like epidemics. A great progress of democracy there. The Master always knows best!

[myata]

6 hours ago, August1991 said:

Lvov (Lemberg, Lviv) is now in Ukraine, but it was once part of Austria-Hungary.

How much of Mama Russia was once lands of other people, taken brutally, often with what we call today "genocidal" practices? Ever occurred to find out?

[August1991]

On 3/16/2023 at 9:26 AM, myata said:

How much of Mama Russia was once lands of other people, taken brutally, often with what we call today "genocidal" practices? Ever occurred to find out?

I have no desire to defend Putin - he is a thug, like Zelenski.

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But Putin is doing what all other Russian leaders have done.

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I think Kubrick said that big countries act as gangsters and small countries as prostitutes.

In this, guess who is which.

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by August1991

[August1991]

Sorry for thread drift.

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Montreal is a remnant of cities like Lemberg - civilised cities that existed before 1914.

A city where unilingual people - of different languages - thrive, invent, live side-by-side.

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Such cities now only exist in Asia or Africa.

[August1991]

When Trudeau Snr said that the Quebec nationalists would make Danzig of the West Island - it struck me.

I have been to East Prussia - or its remnants in current Poland or Lithuania. (IMHO: West of the Vistula still works.)

Hitler put all his elimination camps east of the Bug.

=====

Understand this late 19th century world.

I am thankful now that Trudeau Snr kept Canada alive.  

[Nationalist]

On 3/11/2023 at 11:57 PM, August1991 said:

In the past, such European cities existed. Now, they don't.

In Asia, such cities still exist.

Yet in North America, such a city still exists.

====

A city where unilingual people live side by side.

 

Ya I met a woman in a conference call in Montreal just the other day. We finished our business and began BSin'.

She said she loved Montreal because it's truly multicultural.

[August1991]

1 minute ago, Nationalist said:

Ya I met a woman in a conference call in Montreal just the other day. We finished our business and began BSin'.

She said she loved Montreal because it's truly multicultural.

Nationalist, you're clueless.

I am describing a city where people walk down the street, using different languages.

And you don't know what they're saying.

=====

You know, like the Internet - but for real. Officially.

[myata]

7 hours ago, August1991 said:

he is a thug, like Zelenski.

Mama Russia talking? A thug and his innocent victim are both "thugs". Who else could come up with such wisdom?

7 hours ago, August1991 said:

I think Kubrick said that big countries

Hiding responsibility under general quotations. Nope. Germany had Nuremberg and Putin will be getting his Hague. Good luck with abstract philosophy trivializing thugs, criminals and mass murderers.

[Nationalist]

10 hours ago, August1991 said:

Nationalist, you're clueless.

I am describing a city where people walk down the street, using different languages.

And you don't know what they're saying.

=====

You know, like the Internet - but for real. Officially.

Thanks Augusy1991. I'll remember this.