CPF Magazine Winter 2020 Issue

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field of language policy, tells how her own identity was shaken when she was told, in a conference setting: “Madame, you certainly don't expect us to consider you francophone. Francophile, yes, but you are not francophone.” In her view, in a franco-dominant context, I had no right to call myself francophone. 3 (Lamoureux, 2013, p. 124) This example demonstrates the confusion inherent to these terms. The professor, born and raised in a French environment, is a true defender of her community’s rights. Some people, however, dismiss her roots and identify her as a francophile since her French is not “good enough”. What does this mean to FSL learners? "In-between" Immersion students can be defined as being “in-between” two languages . Roy (2010) and Lamoureux (2016) see them as both anglophone and francophone. However, FSL learners have a hard time seeing themselves as bilingual; it seems to be an inaccessible goal. Clearly they cannot be solely anglophone or francophone, so they are perceived as anglophones learning French (Roy, 2010). They inhabit "an in-between identity to which are attached cultural values specific to that space". (Lamoureux, 2016 p.549). They are at a crossroads. Identity These three terms – francophone, francophile and “in-between” – lead us to the dual nature of identity. Fortunately or not, one’s identity is not fixed. It is formed and reformed along with one’s environment. Identity is constructed at school, through encounters with others, and through learning, collaborating and playing (Lamoureux & Cotnam, 2012). This process continues in university and throughout life. Moreover, the concept of identity is twofold: however we may define ourselves, others may define us differently (Brosseau, 2018). Language proficiency also affects immersion learners’ identity (Séror and Weinberg, 2015). When we speak a second language, native speakers judge us and decide whether or not we are legitimate members of their community, adding to the complexity of the identity problem. The round table At the round table on linguistic identity, all of the concepts discussed in this article surfaced repeatedly in the comments of the four participants. They spoke of their immersive experiences and how their identity had evolved through school, work and social encounters. The question was put to them: How do you define yourself linguistically? The overwhelming response was that they strongly rejected all labelling. Labels carry connotations, and even those given with the best intentions can actually have the adverse effect of creating distance, or worse, exclusion, from the French-speaking community. It appears that the terms francophone and francophile carry different meanings depending on who assigns them or receives them. All participants mentioned tensions surrounding their own linguistic identity and their relationship to French. Through family and school, they took advantage of formal and informal learning opportunities that gave them access to the Frenchspeaking world. Over time, they gained self-confidence. Their experience as immersion students made them aware that their identity had been transformed and that they were ready to engage with francophones. These participants now say that they consider French as part of their identity, in an inextricable way, beyond the labels of francophone or francophile. One of them said: [RIF] gave me the confidence and tenacity to keep trying. I can draw a very straight although wiggly line from the immersion program to my job right now. I had a microcosm of that in the immersion program or through the immersion program, and that has had a big influence on me. I’m now neither francophone nor anglophone; I am me. You might ask how I, as a French professor, would define FSL learners. My answer is that I don’t really know. All of these terms are labels; some have political weight and can ignite fierce reactions. FSL learners should just be proud of the fact that they know another language. It’s a gift. When we learn a language, we take on a new identity. We appropriate its sounds and its culture and learn something of the values and norms it conveys. The round table participants showed how integral French can be to the identity of FSL learners. Whether francophone or francophile, it is up to lovers of the language to adopt all learners of French and to embrace all those who identify with its culture. This is in keeping with the vision of Tahar Ben Jelloun, a French-language Moroccan writer, who speaks eloquently of the richness of knowing multiple languages: C'est mieux qu'un simple mélange ; c'est du métissage, comme deux tissus, deux couleurs qui composent une étreinte d'un amour infini. (It's better than a simple concoction; it's a blending of two fabrics, two colours in a embrace of infinite love). (Le Monde diplomatique, 2003, p. 20). n To see the complete list of references, please visit cpf.ca 1. To read more on the subject: Buchanan, C. E. (2018) (Re)Shaping Identities : The impact of higher education immersion on students’ sense of identity. In Knoerr, H., Weinberg, A. & Buchanan, C. E. Enjeux actuels de l'immersion universitaire / Current Issues in University Immersion. (153-174). Montréal : Marquis 2. French Immersion Stream 3. « Madame, mais vous ne vous attendez certainement pas à ce qu’on vous considère Francophone. Francophile, oui, mais vous n’êtes pas Francophone ». À ses yeux, dans un contexte franco-dominant, je n’avais pas le droit de me dire Francophone. 4 CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2020
CPF TECH & MEDIA >in French! For those winter days when it’s hard to go out or simply when you want to stay cozy at home, many Canadian museums offer virtual tours in both English and French! Not only are these museums fun and interesting, they provide a great resource to experience French outside of the classroom, right at your fingertips. Royal Ontario Museum – Toronto, ON Canada’s largest museum and home to a collection of more than 13 million artworks, cultural objects, and natural history specimens. You can take a virtual tour through ‘Google Art Project’ which lets you explore the different exhibition spaces and also offers online exhibitions. While most of the museum tour is in English, the museum’s website is fully bilingual and provides explanations in French about the current exhibits and galleries. www.rom.on.ca/en/exhibitions-galleries/exhibitions/online-exhibits Canadian Museum of History – Canadian History Hall / Salle de l’histoire canadienne – Gatineau, QC The Canadian Museum of History is Canada’s most visited museum and one of its oldest public institutions. The museum has 25,000 square metres of display space that highlight the country’s history and of mankind. Through their virtual gallery you can explore in both French and English the “Canadian History Hall” which opened in 2017 for Canada’s 150th anniversary. It encompasses 3 galleries dedicated to Canadian history from its early days to our modern era. www.museedelhistoire.ca/salle-de-lhistoire/visite-virtuelle Canadian Museum of War – Ottawa, ON Canada’s museum of military history in the nation’s capital has exhibitions that cover all of Canada’s involvement in historic military past, and the role it has played in the world. Besides having permanent galleries, the museum has special exhibitions throughout the year, many of which are available online! Head over to this virtual tour whether you want to learn about Canada’s role in the First World War, its naval history, or simply the chronology of the country’s military history. Fully bilingual. www.museedelaguerre.ca/expositions/expositions-en-ligne Virtual Museum of Canada The Virtual Museum of Canada is a federally funded program managed by the Canadian Museum of History that is working to build digital capacity in Canadian museums and lets Canadians access different exhibitions across the country. This museum has a great selection of exhibitions ranging from arts, history, nature, science, among many more topics from different cities around the country. Fully bilingual. www.museevirtuel.ca/virtual-exhibits/type/expositions-virtuelles CPF MAGAZINE WINTER 2020 5
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CPF Magazine Winter 2020 Issue

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