French Canadian voice overs: what you need to know

Canadian French is a French language variety that’s spoken in Canada. Currently, there are around 7 million native French speakers in Canada. Another 2 million in the country speak it as a second language.

Canadian variety of French is the country’s official language alongside English. Most French speakers in Canada reside in the province of Quebec. In fact, the French language is the only official language of Quebec!

However, around 21% of Canada’s population are native French speakers.

Language History

The French language appeared in Canada in the 16th century. More specifically — in 1524 when the French explorer Jacques Cartier accidentally reached the shores of Newfoundland. This was the first time that France tried to claim this yet-unknown land.

However, the French settlement in Canada began only in the 17th century in Quebec. During the 17th-18th centuries, the French language became the primary language spoken in Quebec and surrounding territories.

However, while the Canadian French variety has been spoken for quite a few centuries, only recently it got official recognition. In 1988, The Official Languages Act outlined that both English and French share the same equal and official status.

Close Relations

Canadian French is very similar to the French spoken in Europe. Both language varieties are mutually intelligible, however, share some differences. For example, Canadian French vocabulary has more anglicisms and the language itself sounds more archaic since it’s based on the 17th century French. Naturally, both varieties have differences in pronunciation as well as vocabulary.

Canadian French vocabulary contains loanwords from other languages. However, most of them were inherited from the European French. The biggest part of the vocabulary is comprised of Latin and Greek words.

However, Canadian French has a significant amount of English loanwords due to English being an official language in Canada.

Accents and Voice Over Tips

Canadian French has four regional dialects: Acadian French, Newfoundland French, Quebec French, and Metis French. Quebec French is the most popular spoken variety of French in Canada. In fact, the majority of French speakers in Canada speak Quebec French.

Additionally, Canadian French has two sub-varieties. Joual — an informal spoken variety of French, and Chiac — a variety that blends the Acadian dialect with many English loanwords.

When it comes to recording a voice over in Canadian French, it’s important to know how the Canadian variety differs from European French.

Here’s a breakdown:

European French

• Typically spoken at a faster pace.
• The rhythm is smoother, with syllables flowing more evenly.
• Articulation tends to be more precise, with less variation in vowel sounds.

French Canadian

• Slightly slower overall, though it varies by region.
• The rhythm can feel choppier because of its distinctive intonation and emphasis on certain syllables.
• Vowel sounds are more open and pronounced, and contractions or elisions (like dropping syllables) are more frequent in casual speech.

These differences mean that European French can sound more “melodic,” while French Canadian often has a more pronounced, dynamic rhythm. Depending on the context or speaker, however, these characteristics may blur.

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