What's the difference between France's French language and the Canadian French language?

If you speak french canadian, you will be easily understood in France despite of the differences

a very strong dialect is spoken in Quebec.. it's very very different.. ikt's so different that a lot of people in France would not understand the Quebecois although it is based on the European French.. it would sound like for an English person who speaks normal English to have to understand the Celtic language.. the original Celtic.. it's a world of difference.. its' a very rough dialect and very hard to understand whereas the French spoken in the big cities in France is a lot more refined... It's ok in Montreal, Canada.. but in the small villages.. I doubt a French person would understand it.... with a lot of difficulties.. of course some people from Quebec came over from Europe from France or Belgium originally they will speak the European French.. it really sounds like an utterly different language with it's strong dialect the Quebecois. .the writing however is the same as in France, Europe.. so I would have to read in order to understand it.... xxx What this guy said is absolutely wrong.. Europe is older than Canada.. and the USA.. therefore the original French is the European French.. the Quebecois got it from the Europeans... and its a strong dialect....I live near Quebec just at the border in Ottawa so I know what Quebecois sounds like a big difference..

I've heard that Parisian French dialect is much more heavily guarded from outside loanwords than its Canadian counterpart. The French government often prefers having french equivalents of non-french words rather than inserting a loanword directly into their language. Also, as people have mentioned earlier the accents also have some noticeable differences. But not to the point that they would hinder conversation. I have Canadian friends as well as a Swiss friend (the Swiss dialect closely resembles the French one) and they've never had any problems with communication.

Hope this helps!

Not really true. I'm from Montreal (anglophone), and I have no trouble making myself understood in France. (I live in Switzerland now.) Every so often it'll be pointed out to me that a word I use is "Quebecois" and I'm like, ja und? My accent is pretty identifiable (as an anglo-Quebecer) but I don't see that as a problem per se.

What I DO have trouble with is understanding French TV, especially talk shows (which is all they seem to have and I don't know why my husband (mother tongue French) likes them)--but that's as much the cultural references as the vocabulary and accent, I think. Or just that I can't be bothered. I have hardly any trouble with live conversations, French (well usually Swiss) news shows, or Quebec talk shows.

But if you're wondering about the differences themselves, Quebec French is more nasal and has a different rhythm. French French uses more English words as standard words (Quebec French possibly uses more as slang), although not always how we use them in English. (Les baskets are running shoes (basketball shoes); le parking is a parking lot.)

Language is a living thing. It sprouts new words and old words die off. Pronunciation and phraseology changes with culture as do definitions and usage.

Canadian French primarily is the language used in France around the early 1700's which has evolved with influences from the USA and English speaking Canada as well as the world at large. The language in France has evolved with influences form Germany, Spain, England, Italy, etc as well as from around the world.

In the USA ithere is a Cajun French still used around Louisina which came from a branch of Huegenots that settled Canada. The difference in Cajun French and Canadian French is noticable just as the difference in Candian French and "French French" is noticable.

So it's like noticing the difference in English spoken in England around the early 1700's and English spoken in the USA today.

Its a pronunciation difference. Canadians speak french with a strong accent. French people often laugh at the way Canadians speak French because is sounds like French with an Irish accent.

If you learn French in a formal classroom setting, you'll be studying standard French. The problem is with people who have a strong accent and use non-standard lexicon.

They should understand you in France just fine. If that doesn't work, lots of people speak English in Paris.

Canadian French is a less modern, late 1700s/early 1800 dialect with older slang and anacronisms. It's basically just an un-upgraded version of modern French due to the relative isolation of Canadian French settlers from that time period and the present.