Date of Award

5-5-2023

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Language

French

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

French

Advisor

Frédéric Rondeau

Second Committee Member

Kathryn Slott

Third Committee Member

Susan Pinette

Abstract

Ce mémoire étudie la dynamique sociolinguistique de la langue française pour les minorités francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick et de l’Ontario, et comment celle-ci influence l’appartenance culturelle par rapport au Québec et au reste du Canada. Se concentrant sur certains ouvrages des auteurs acadiens Antonine Maillet et Herménégilde Chiasson, et des auteurs franco-ontariens Jean-Marc Dalpé et Patrice Desbiens, trois thèmes importants liés à l’appartenance culturelle telle que définie par ces communautés francophones marginalisées seront examinés soit: la mémoire, l’espace et l’exil. Si la question de l’appartenance linguistique des communautés acadiennes et franco-ontariennes est au cœur de ce projet, des concepts tels que la mémoire, l’espace et l'exil illustreront comment s’est créé une identité culturelle complexe et cohésive.

This thesis studies the sociolinguistic dynamic of the French language used in francophone minority groups in New Brunswick and Ontario, and how this dynamic influences cultural belonging in relation to Quebec and the rest of Canada. Focusing on various literatures from Acadian authors Antonine Maillet and Hérménigilde Chiasson, and from Franco-Ontarian authors Jean-Marc Dalpé and Patrice Desbiens, three themes were examined that accurately represent cultural belonging as defined by these marginalized francophone communities: memory, space and exile. While linguistic belonging within Acadian and Franco-Ontarien communities is the main purpose of this thesis, concepts such as memory, space and exile will illustrate how the personal narrative of francophone minorities outside Quebec generates a complex and cohesive cultural identity. The objective of this study is to demonstrate how understanding and developing cultural belonging within marginalized groups can lead to a more rounded perspective of one’s own cultural identity.

Share