The Representation of a French Speaking Country in European Textbooks of French as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This study analyzes stereotypes and generalizations about Canada obtained from a sample of European textbooks of French as foreign language. These stereotypes and generalizations have been classified according to the issues and social groups of Canada society they seem to refer to, as well as to the cultural approaches implied in them. The users of this type of textbooks will mainly find a twofold representation of Canada in these stereotypes and generalizations: on the one hand, representations of issues and social groups from Quebec, and then representations of the rest of Canada as a whole. As regards the cultural approach in these representations, the foreign one prevails, followed secondarily by the intercultural one. However, the latter centers on the relations between France and Canada. This study indicates that there is a tendency to reduce and limit the range of social issues and groups of Canadian society into the stereotypes and generalizations of these textbooks.