Definately if you want to work in museums in either Ottawa, Ontario or
Montreal, Quebec, French would be an asset!! The Alliance Française is one
route, another route is a local college. Most colleges in Ontario offer
courses in french language skills (you will need reading, writing and
speaking to work in Ottawa or Quebec) and the great thing about the colleges
is that the courses are often geared to the official languages requirements
set by the government. If you can pass the college course chances are good
you will pass your official bilingualism test if working for a National
Museum! If you are thinking of coming to Ottawa try the Algonquin College
(www.algonquincollege.com), they offer both language courses and programs in
archival and museum studies.
And unless you are a wizz at languages, short of full emersion there is no
fast way to learn french.
Good Luck
Carol Reid
[log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2001 13:26:29 +1000
From: Alistair Kwan <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: French Help!
The Alliance Française isn't really a government programme, but it does act
as
if a literary, linguistic and cultural ambassador of the French nation. In
most
major centres the Alliance offers language and literature courses that are
open
to all, and at all levels (taking you as far as French government
certifications: DALF and DELF). Their standards are high - the French
genuinely
treasure their linguistic heritage in a way that anglophones (usually) do
not.
But if you want to learn French quickly, why not just move to a
French-speaking
region and learn it by immersion?
If you have an Alliance Française nearby, it'll almost certainly be in your
local telephone directory.
Or try here:
http://www.af.ca/ (Alliances in all of Canada)
http://www.alliancefrancaise.com/ (Toronto Alliance)
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Any chance that UWO would provide intro French courses? They might even let
you
audit them, free, if you don't want to be assessed.
Listening to French radio helps a lot, even if it's just in the background.
One
difficult task for anglophones is re-learning to recognise the sounds (as
infants, we can recognise them all, but as we grow up, we lose the capacity
for
all languages except those around us). Keeping the radio in the background
helps to make those sounds familiar again.
I don't see how to learn French quickly, however. Unless you have a
background
in Romance languages, expect a long time before you master the subtleties
that
would otherwise betray your anglophonic origins.
----------------------------------------------------ô¿ô-
Alistair Kwan -
[log in to unmask] / [log in to unmask]
--------------------------------------------------------
Belinda Chun wrote:
>
> Hello Everyone::
>
> I am currently living in Toronto,Ontario in Canada and was wondering if
> anyone could give me information/advice as to how I may learn to pick up
> French (to speak) quickly. The reason why I am asking is because I wish
to
> move to Montreal, Quebec or Ottawa, and many if not all of the commercial,
> private, government galleries/museums require that I speak french. I have
> been advised by a Professor to find Alliance Francaise, which is a
> government program does anyone have information to this or know if it is
> open to everyone (i.e post undergrad, post master...)??
> I am again, interested in any advice or suggestions that I may be able to
> access to aid in learning french quickly!
> Thank you in advance to all of those that reply:D
> ~Belinda
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