Date of Defense

12-5-2014

Date of Graduation

12-2014

Department

World Languages and Literatures

First Advisor

Vincent Desroches

Second Advisor

Viviane Ruellot

Third Advisor

Molly Lynde-Recchia

Abstract

Quebec‟s historic Law 101, or the Charter of French Language, has been the subject of controversy in Quebec and the entirety of Canada since its inception in 1977. Whether this law has had its intended effect on the province of Quebec, or had any effect at all, is what the people of Canada should be truly debating. Has the Charter of French Language had its intended effect of asserting the French language as the primary language in Quebec, or has English continued to dominate throughout the province? While the Charter of French Language is applicable only in the province of Quebec, it is hotly contested throughout Canada and the world. Its reception in Quebec was largely popular with the Francophone majority, the large population of English speakers in Montreal being vehemently against it as are many of the less significant populations of Anglophones throughout the rest of Quebec. The aims of the law were simply to preserve the French language in the province of Quebec but its aim has reached further than its intended purpose by influencing other language minorities in Quebec. Law 101 has had aftershocks not only in the province of Quebec but also throughout Canada, where language policy is ever evolving. Not only have the relations between Francophone and Anglophones within Quebec been affected greatly by the Charter of French Language, relations with Quebec‟s immigrant population has been affected. In addition to relations with immigrant populations within Quebec changing, Law 101 has also affected the situation of immigration, including the amount of people immigrating to Quebec and the places from where those people are immigrating. Law 101 has also had an impact on the conservation languages of First Nations people‟s, both within Quebec and the rest of Canada. It has also served as an example of how to preserve minority languages which are in danger of disappearing, such as Native languages. Since being passed, the Charter of French Language has been a tidal wave of change passing over the entirety of Quebec, Canada and her people in a way that hasn't brought significant attention to itself, while still impacting the minority populations in Canada.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Open Access

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