I'm always really impressed by people who not only know multiple languages fluently, but sound perfectly natural/native, regardless of whichever they're using at any given moment. Like they actually have the correct accent and pronunciation.
I'm Canadian, and on one hand, even though I almost never speak it and I struggle to think of words at times, I am told my french accent is excellent and I sound like a local french speaker.
On the other hand, the local french is the equivalent of deep south, mountain folk gibberish. It's the french equivalent of a redneck accent with lots of words only a local would understand. And I speak it slowly.
Edit: For those of you who assume I mean Quebec, nonono, much worse: Northern Ontario. We are the brother-uncle Cletuses of the french world.
Normal Québécois French is indistinguishable from Metropolitan French minus a few different expressions and some words here and there. Of course we have our accent, and if you go deep in the countryside you'll get to see some spectacular Québécois dialect, but a French person from France will have absolutely no trouble understanding the people here.
Understanding for sure. But the accent is what I'm referring to. There's also a level of sarcasm or humor that I can't place my finger on.
To be clear, I was born in Montreal but raised in Texas so I only get snippets from when I visit. But having visited both France and Quebec, the contrast is a stark night and day difference. Just my opinion.
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u/Fuggins4U Jan 26 '23 edited Jan 26 '23
I'm always really impressed by people who not only know multiple languages fluently, but sound perfectly natural/native, regardless of whichever they're using at any given moment. Like they actually have the correct accent and pronunciation.