Use of “Bonjour-Hi” said to be growing
The OQLF says the use of “Bonjour-Hi” as a commercial greeting is growing in Montreal but it doesn’t interfere with receiving service in French. In addition, most young people don’t see why it’s an issue. Gazette gets a bit red-raggy with the headline Politicians have failed to kill Bonjour-Hi.
Ginger Baker 17:46 on 2019-04-12 Permalink
OH MY GAWD!
Merchants are accommodating their clients!?!?!?!?!?!
THIS WILL DESTROY THE FRENCH LANGUAGE!
***
Seriously though, everyone vote for the PQ next election. It’s time to sink all foreign investment in Quebec, once and for all, and drive down property values province-wide.
Let’s do everything we can, together, to make sure no one ever wants to come here again.
Clément 02:41 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
Two solitudes:
Francophones don’t understand why they can’t be greeted in French in a business in Québec.
Anglophones don’t understand why it’s a big deal to francophones.
Ross 08:48 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
Try to find a francophone montrealer that thinks this is a problem. This is just a région made up problem to fill news cycle.
jeather 11:26 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
They *are* being greeted in French. They aren’t being greeted exclusively in French.
Blork 17:47 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
@Clément, as Jeather indicated, “bonjour-hi” is French, just not exclusively French. Anglophones who are not fluently bilingual — in particular ones from the RoC or the US, including tourists and other people who are here only temporarily — really appreciate the “hi” part. It signals “I’m not going to judge you if your French isn’t good.” It lets the Anglo/tourist/etc. Know they are not going to have an awkward and embarrassing interaction with the clerk. Some people don’t care about that kind of awkwardness but others are highly sensitive to it. I fully agree that the greeting should be in French, but the extra little signal is appreciated by some.
Ian 19:41 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
Maybe if the clerks said BONJOUR twice as loud as “hi” that would meet OQLF standards? /s
Chris 19:58 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
‘Bonjour’ is twice as many syllables as ‘hi’, maybe that makes it ok? 🙂
DeWolf 22:49 on 2019-04-13 Permalink
The controversy over Bonjour-hi is nonsense… but I think anglophones tend to wilfully overlook just how many shops are decidedly English-first in their approach to customers. I’ve gone into a number of places downtown, in the west end or in the southwest, and before I even open my mouth, I’m greeted by a “Hello” or a “Hey how’s it going.” And my head isn’t even that square.