• Switcher = Québécois verb = pronounced "sweet-tchay" = to switch from French to English in the middle of a conversation, and then refuse to return to French even if the other person is bilingual.
• Bilingual Conversation - Switcher must not be confused with conducting a bilingual conversation.  Many Québécois (Anglophones or Francophones) who are familiar with both English and French will mix up phrases and sentences in both languages.  The transition is fluid and the result is a totally bilingual conversation.  Any sentence may include any combination of both English and French words and phrases.  The result is that both English and French in this province are rather distinct.  See also "Convenience" (below).
• Anglos (Anglophones) do not "switch" to French if the conversation was started in English.  Most Montrealers (i.e. Anglos) are bilingual.  Anglophones will persevere in whichever language the conversation is started by the other person.  Anglophones will not refuse to speak to someone in English just because the other person has a French accent when speaking English.  (At least, I have never personally witnessed an Anglo switch.)
  See also "Situation Reversal" (below).
• Francophones who detect a hint of an accent will switch and refuse to continue the conversation in French.  They will switch to English and continue in English even if the other person never ever utters a single word of English in the whole conversation.  Typically they are quite proud of their switching.
• Why?
  1. Necessity - The Anglophone doesn't understand anything and can't explain anything clearly in French.  The Anglophone obviously doesn't have a clue about the French language.  In this situation the Anglophone will usually appreciate having the conversation in English. 
     Outsiders (foreigners or visitors from the ROC) have the mistaken impression that the Québécois appreciate any effort to speak French.  This is simply not true.  Québécois get impatient very quickly when outsiders fumble with their language.  Outsiders (Anglophones) should just ask at the beginning of the conversation whether the Francophone speaks any English.  It will save time and embarrassment. 
     See also "Situation Reversal" (below).
  2. Convenience - The Anglophone reverts to English.  This is an interesting situation.  Since the conversation started out in French, it means that the Anglophone has a certain understanding of the French language.  French is not an easy language to master, and speaking a language is much more difficult than understanding a language.  In this case the Francophone has the choice of following the lead and switching to English, or continuing in French the conversation that was started in French.  This is a probably a reasonable situation since both parties are speaking in their own mother tongue. 
     See also "Bilingual Conversation" (above).
  3. Insensitivity to a Handicap - Those who are hard of hearing often have more difficulty understanding speech when there are background noises or other distracting sounds.  Hearing loss is a handicap that is invisible.  In my experience, even after being told directly that there is a hearing problem (hard of hearing; hearing loss; deafness), most people will continue to assume that the handicapped person is either stupid or doesn't speak the language.
     Most Québécois will just assume that the disabled person (who didn't hear what was just said) doesn't understand French, so they will immediately switch to English (even if the person is an allophone, with a different mother tongue).
     • There are several possible solutions
     1. Speak louder
     2. Talk directly to the person so that the hearing impaired person can see your lips as you talk
     3. Find a quieter place to have the conversation
     4. etc.
  4. Arrogance - At a certain point in the conversation, the Francophone detects an accent and judges that the Anglophone's pronunciation or vocabulary or use of the French language is not up to his personal high standards.  The Francophone therefore decides to let the Anglophone know that his level of French is inadequate and that he will not tolerate having an Anglophone massacre the French language.  This will happen even if the Francophone's English is not as good as the Anglophone's French.
     See also "Situation Reversal" (below).
  5. Respect - At a certain point in the conversation, the Francophone detects an accent and therefore concludes that he must demonstrate respect by switching to English.  His assumption must be that all Anglophones always want to speak English.
     The Francophone could ask if the Anglophone would prefer to speak English.  If the Anglophone declines the offer, the conversation should continue in French. If the Anglophone clearly states that he would prefer to speak French, the conversation should continue in French. 
     The intentions (of the switcher) may be a simple expression of sympathy or kindness.  While this may be an admirable motivation, it would be more appropriate to consider the wishes and feelings of the other person. The potential switcher should try to be sensitive and understanding.  This reminds me of the Boy Scout who insists on helping the little old lady across the street so he can do his good deed for the day.  If she didn't want to cross the street, then the well-intentioned Boy Scout has failed his mission.
     Switching in this situation shows a distinct lack of respect for the other person.
  6. Practice - The Francophone may declare that he has spent some time in the USA (or in the ROC) and would like to practice his English.  The Francophone typically is totally oblivious to the fact that the conversation was started in French and that the other person is bilingual and that the other person wants to speak French.  The Francophone has detected an accent and therefore assumes that he has the right to switch to English for the rest of the conversation.  Typically the Francophone will persist in the switch even if the Anglophone energetically requests that the conversation be in French.  Switching in this situation shows a distinct lack of respect for the other person.
     This results in the bizarre and oftentimes comical situation where neither person is speaking in his native tongue.  The Anglophone is speaking French and the Francophone is speaking English.
     If the conversation was started in French and the Anglophone is capable of carrying on the conversation in French, the Francophone should accommodate.
     Why not allow the Anglophone the luxury of practising his French? 
  7. La langue du maître - Apparently, in the early twentieth century during the era that the Québec Catholic church discouraged business initiatives, the Anglophones were the only business people.  The Anglophones had a Protestant business work ethic and so they owned most of the businesses in Québec.  Instead of hating the Church for discouraging individual initiatives, many Francophones resented the business and financial success of the Anglophones.  During this period it may have been common for the workers to speak to their managers in the manager's language.  This was not a racial reaction, just a question of respect for one's business managers.
     Québec and la langue française have come a long way (with business and industry and society) in the last half century.  In the distant past, businesses made little or no effort to use French or to hire Francophones.  Today the situation has been reversed in Québec.  For example, the Québec government has a pitiful (illegal?) record of excluding Anglophones and Allophones from government jobs in the last thirty years.  Today there are laws in Québec which require that all business communications and documentation be in French.
     I do not accept this hypothesis (La langue du maître) as an explanation for the "Switcher" phenomenon.  This is ancient history for today's Québec.
  8. Protectionism - A refusal to allow that there are non-Francophones in Québec.  A refusal to accept non-Francophones in Québec.  A refusal to dilute the "fait français" in Québec.  A position that Québec is only for the real Québécois of pure French background.  "Le Québec aux Québécois".  Is this racist?
  9. Principles - Un Québécois pur et dur (e.g. séparatiste/souverainiste/péquiste/bloquiste) may feel that anyone living in Québec should always speak French.  On principle, such a person may feel it appropriate to refuse to speak (or understand) the English language.  He may feel that this is not being rude or disrespectful, but just a matter of principle.  (Note:  This is extremely rare.)  Obviously, this is an extreme case where switching would not occur. 

   

  • Other Reasons for Switching?
  • Why don't Anglophones ever discuss this topic (Switching)?

Situation Reversal - In the case of a Francophone in a situation where the conversation is started in English, any of the above roles could be reversed.  Admittedly, I am writing this from the point of view of an Anglo.  Situation reversal just never happens.  Anglophones do not switch to French when an accent is detected.

Related Article:

• Perceptions fuel language tensions: poll - 2007-11-23
  • Quebec francophones have generally favourable opinions of their anglophone counterparts but continue to adhere to some long-held (false) generalizations that fuel language tensions in the province.