Businesses ask OQLF to cool its jets
A St-Léonard bakery owner and the owner of a restaurant in RDP are pleading with Quebec not to continue an OQLF crackdown through the pandemic. If true, a demand to translate “espresso” and “granita” is pretty extreme, even in OQLF terms, reminiscent of the Pastagate incident in 2013.
But these business owners simply need to comply. The OQLF is not going away, and in fact has recently been strengthened.
dhomas 06:28 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
Looks like Sugar Sammy was right…
John B 08:05 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
“Espresso” is a “terme priviligé” by the OQLF. Not sure what there is to translate there. They don’t seem to like granita much, though, suggesting granité or barbotine.
From the article, I doubt the St-Léonard one would have had a complaint if the rest of her signs were in French. The RDP one seems frivolous: He’s got a trademarked name, (that includes an English word), with appropriate french descriptors. If the government didn’t want the English trademarked name on a sign they shouldn’t have granted the trademark. When naming a business in Quebec you have to get the name approved. If this made it through the approval it should be ok.
Douglas 10:26 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
It is important to make the lives of OQLF as difficult as possible.
Contest. Take the fines to the newspapers to make a story. Contest the fines. Get public support. Do it all.
Kate 10:53 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
Douglas, Douglas. I thought you despised people who protested things they don’t like.
Jack 16:37 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
I know this sounds awful but as the pandemic’s second wave takes off. people are going to start asking some pretty hard questions about the CAQ’s lack of consistent responses to the pandemic. i.e Karaoke. This issue is the perfect way to distract the population. So I think we all know that “strengthening” the french language in 2020 isn’t about strengthening the language it’s about demonstrating dominance, “espresso” in Saint Leonard case in point.
The idea that a city which was once a majority english speaking city has a few pockets of english speakers doesn’t seem very odd to me but is treated as something that needs correction by conservative nationalist’s, which is the CAQ brand. I hope I am wrong.
Blork 17:18 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
Giggling over the OQLF’s page linked to by John B, where it’s listed as “expresso” (although they do list “espresso” as a variant). In Italian, that’s a flat-out mistake, as it is in English, which uses the Italian word. It’s like spelling “perscription” instead of “prescription” or “nukuler” instead of “nuclear.” 🙂
John B 18:27 on 2020-10-25 Permalink
That was my reaction too Blork. “Expresso” in English = you’re probably from a really small town.
dhomas 04:21 on 2020-10-26 Permalink
Most Italians I know will see the word “expresso” and walk out the door, knowing that this establishment doesn’t know what they’re doing and probably serves terrible coffee.
Meezly 08:47 on 2020-10-26 Permalink
Defund the OQLF!