Miramichi is a city in New Brunswick, Canada. It has a population of 18,000 and is the fifth largest city in the province. But do you know what language Miramichi speaks?
Read on to find out!
Miramichi has two languages which it mainly speaks: French and English. Over 100 years ago, it was predominantly French-speaking territory. However over time its population shifted demographically until there were more bilingual people than monolingual Francophones left (today 65% are bilingual). The usage of English became more popular because it was easier when younger generations had access to employment opportunities with their knowledge of English rather than the declining opportunities for workers who only knew French. Most of the older generation can only speak French, but their grandparents spoke both languages. Many people who have met and even made friends with one another from different parts of France have met at the Miramichi alone with a lot of fun and good conversation.
Miramichi’s streets are named after local places where both French and English were spoken. For example, there is Rue de l’Ascendant (originally the road to ascend the river) and Rue de la Canoterie (originally a road for boat building). It could be said that the street names chose their own English names, as English is now the main language spoken in the area.
Miramichi’s history can be traced back to 1604, when it was founded by French settlers and a governor of New France (part of the French colony of Canada). It was named after James Murray (1816-1869) who had been granted a large plot of land by Louis XV., King of France. He was an explorer, writer, and politician.
Miramichi is an interesting place to visit if you are looking for a slow paced, down-to-earth life!
