You don’t have to be a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu or a fan of Julia Child to know that French dominates the language of cooking. Words as familiar to English speakers as restaurant, gourmet, and cuisine all came to us from French. And if you are a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, or any other cooking school, you may have noticed that almost the entire culinary vocabulary is French, no matter what country you’re in or what language the instructor speaks. From au gratin to zest(e), French is the lingua franca of the kitchen. So how is it that French became so inextricably linked with the culinary professions?
The French and English may have been the first wave of immigrants to arrive on Canada’s shores but they certainly weren’t the last. Throughout its history, immigrants have come from the four corners of the world to live in North America's vast north, weaving a rich cultural and linguistic tapestry that cannot be described as merely bilingual. When you think about your customers north of the 49th parallel, you may want to consider that other languages in addition to the official ones, English and French.
Although small, the vibrant and vocal market for film and television in Quebec has made the studios stand up and take notice. After years of screening entertainment dubbed in France, the film industry in Quebec began to call for market-appropriate products.
Today, more and more studios are double-dubbing films and TV series, creating one version for France and the international francophone market, and another for the Quebec market. If the trend continues, the dubbing and subtitling industry in La Belle Province may well become a serious contender against competition from France and Belgium.
Let’s talk weather — a topic that is neutral and relevant to everyone. In many parts of Africa, the weather dictates people’s livelihoods and determines how much food will be for dinner. So it makes sense that many African languages place additional emphasis on words and expressions related to Mother Nature and all her whims.
This is true for Fulbe, the language of the nomadic Fulani people of Central and West Africa. The 27 million Fulani live in the arid, sparsely populated countryside spanning from Mauritania in the west to Sudan in the east.
In northern Cameroon, Fulfulde is actually the lingua franca; non-Fulani also speak it on a daily basis. With over 200 tribal languages in Cameroon, a unifying, local language emerged along with the official languages of English and French. Fulfulde became the dominant language in the north, just as pidgin English became the dominant language in the country’s western areas.
Smart, fun and useful. Acclaro shares news and tips on translation, localization, language, global business and culture.