joual
The working-class Quebecois French dialect, characterised by non-standard pronunciation, anglicisms, and features divergent from standard French.
Definitions
The working-class Quebecois French dialect, characterised by non-standard pronunciation, anglicisms, and features divergent from standard French. The name itself is a dialectal pronunciation of 'cheval' (horse). Joual has complex cultural politics in Quebec — historically stigmatised, it was reclaimed in the 1960s as an expression of authentic Quebecois identity and appeared prominently in Quebec literature and theatre.
The playwright wrote entirely in joual, insisting that his characters speak the way real Montrealers actually talked.
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(Canada) The dialect of working-class Quebecers.
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