This article examines the sociolinguistic competence of French immersion students. We first present an overview of the range of variation found in L1 speech and make a distinction between vernacular, informal, formal, and hyper-formal variants. We then compare the use of these forms in the speech of Canadian francophones and Grade 9 and 12…

Investigates a case of linguistic variation observable in the spoken French of students from French-immersion programs in Ontario, namely alternation between negative constructions with and without the negative particle "ne." (Author/VWL)

An analysis of the social, educational and political factors in bilingual education and French language maintenance in Ontario. After the fourth grade, most Francophone children tend to speak English. Encouragement to use French must come from the social domain, beyond the school and the home. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

A synthesis of research on the Franco-Ontarian school environment focuses on the maintenance of French by Franco-Ontarian students, their French language proficiency, and their native language instruction. The relevance of these issues in other French language minority settings is discussed. (MSE)

Patterns of French acquisition, use, and proficiency among Ontario anglophones are examined, and their implications for changes in both French native language instruction and French second language instruction to support the maintenance and use of French are examined. (MSE)