<p>hey i was just wondering if living in montreal for four years will make you fluent by graduation time? i haven't taken any french in my life (spanish for many years, though) and i would hope to take a french class. thoughts?</p>
<p>i hope so, its part of the reason i want to go. i'm sure one could, its definaty enough exposure, its about how you do it, and how you expose yourself. make some friends who or quebeqoi, itl make it easier. i learned german myself with the help of a book, a friend who was fluent, and tons of movies and music, its all possible</p>
<p>um, no. I know many kids in Montreal who's lived there all their lives and speak crappy french.</p>
<p>U have to take classes every year and practice using it whereever u can.</p>
<p>Don't worry, no one will laugh at you.</p>
<p>thats not true, its all about how one goes about learning it, lets say you learn a new word, try using it in a variety of different sentinces where you might have to change, im sure that will help memorize it better, i had no formal education and im conversationally fluent in german, its all about how much effort man, i know i sound like a parent, but its true</p>
<p>exactly, I was mainly telling heybulldog that just by living in McGill won't turn you into a fluent french speaker.</p>
<p>oh definatly, i agree with you totally</p>
<p>mmmm....living in montreal willl not turn you into a fluent french speaker. especially going to McGill, where you can live in a little english microcosm for four years if you so choose. However, living in montreal gives you the amazing opportunity to become fluent, but you have to be proactive about it---get involved in the french music scene, shop in the french stores, hang out with francophones, and practice, practice, practice. Fluency in a language is not something that happens magically just by living in a place where that language is spoken. Rather, you have to put in a lot of effort into making it happen. Granted, it's easier to make it happen at McGill than many other universities, because you're surrounded by it, but still in montreal, almost guaranteed everyone speaks excellent english, so there really isn't a need for you to use french in the city. </p>
<p>If you take a course and practice what you learn, you definitely increase your chances. but I second what the others have said--it's all about the effort you put in. I went to McGill with the goal of improving my french. I took 4 years in high school. My french is exponentially better, but I still would not consider myself fluent. and It will probably take another couple years of hard work and courses before I could claim fluency.</p>
<p>harpgirl's advice is excellent here. Living in Montreal and attending McGill will in NO way make you fluent in French. Many people who are born and raised in Montreal do NOT speak French. McGill is and English university so simple attendance will not do it. Now, if you take French language courses and use your French when you're out in the city, you're likely to improve but just living and attending school there for four years will not make you fluent.</p>
<p>Everyone here at home is saying "so, I bet you're fluent in french, now, right?". It's getting annoying to explain that just because I speak it pretty well, I am not fluent and it will be at least another year before I can claim that.</p>
<p>how long did you take it in high school</p>
<p>4 years. I did AP french my senior year.</p>
<p>there are plenty of people who have lived in the US for years and are not fluent in English. It depends on whether or not you study the language or are forced to use it at a high level.</p>