“That's a Very Montreal Thing That I Would Usually Say”: A Perception-Based Sociolinguistic Analysis of Semantic Shifts in Quebec English

Abstract

This article investigates the perception of contact-induced semantic shifts in Quebec English, that is, preexisting English words whose meaning is influenced by formally or semantically similar French words (e.g., circulation ‘traffic’, cf. Fr circulation). Sociolinguistic interviews were conducted with 15 Montrealers, who were asked to assess the acceptability of 40 semantic shifts. Item-level explanatory factors point to four variation profiles, ranging from a strong association with geographic origin and bilingualism to near-universal acceptance. Participant-level trends suggest that semantic shifts are driven by younger, actively bilingual speakers who are well-integrated into the local community. This is mirrored by spontaneous remarks indicating that semantic shifts may index both a local and a bilingual identity. Overall, this study provides greater clarity on the factors behind contact-induced semantic shifts in Quebec English as well as a methodological blueprint for further sociolinguistic work on lexical semantic phenomena.