On and nous used for we/us close together (Specific Languages) Language Learning Forum

On and nous used for we/us close together
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11 messages over 2 pages: 1 2

Spinchäeb Ape
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Message 9 of 11

23 January 2013 at 6:50pm | IP Logged

Arekkusu wrote:

Ogrim wrote:

In everyday spoken French, people will use "on" instead of "nous" as a subject meaning "we" 90 percent of the time. This tendency has been so strong that it is now also quite normal to see it in written texts like in Bao's example. So you can say that "on" has simply become the unstressed first person plural pronoun (in parallel to moi/je, toi/tu). However, "on" will take 3rd person singular formm of the verb. You can hear and see sentences like: "Nous, on ne vas pas au cinéma ce soir." - We, we are not going to the cinema tonight.

My guess is that in the example "on est même si pauvres...", the plural form of the adjective is chosen precisely to show that it is "on" in the meaning of "nous", and not in the meaning of "one, someone". However, gramatically I agree that it looks strange.

Exactly.

Subject "nous" will only be used in very formal situations (the required level of formality being even higher in Québec, but it's unclear whether the sentence you are quoting was uttered by a Québécois or a European speaker (or even a Maghreb French speaker?) since this is an international film).

Nous is however used as a direct/indirect pronoun (il nous parle, il nous voit), or a strong pronoun (either alone [Nous, on le sait] or after a preposition [il parle de nous]). On is strictly used as the direct subject of a verb (on travaille).

However, in the case of reflexive or reciprocal phrases, we use se:

on se regarde - we are looking at each other
on se brosse les dents - we are brushing our teeth

If you use nous, then on gets the meaning of "one" or "people":
on nous regarde - people are looking at us

According to the credits, it's made by a Quebec film company. Whether the characters are speaking in Quebec French, I can't tell you. I'm still very much a beginner and can't hear the difference between Quebec and European French. Here's the movie's trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqueRPdENFM

The young woman with black hair who talks on the cell phone, saying, "Simon, I'm in Mom's village" grew up in Canada, as did her brother, Simon. Simon is the one who spoke the line I quoted. I think they're probably speaking in Quebec French, but I'm not sure. Other French speakers in the middle east sound (to me at least) as if they have middle eastern accents and speak French as a second language. The mother (Nawal Marwan) is a middle easterner and speaks Arabic in all the scenes in the middle east. Her country is never specified, but Palestine or possibly Lebanon are implied.
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stelingo
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Message 10 of 11

23 January 2013 at 6:57pm | IP Logged

Yes, they are speaking Canadian French, and a part of the film is set in Canada, probably Quebec, although I don't remember. An excellent film, by the way, although some scenes are rather harrowing.
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Arekkusu
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Message 11 of 11

23 January 2013 at 6:58pm | IP Logged

There are as many accents as there are people in that movie, so I can't answer the question. The girl with the long hair is indeed Québécois, though.

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