Next October, a new publishing house will open in Quebec: Le Robert Québec. The publishing house, whose “backbone” is the French language in Quebec, aims to promote and make the local language known through the works of local authors. Interforum Canada, distribution partner of more than 250 French-speaking publishers, is leading this new project.
“Even if the French and the Quebecers speak the same language, the language spoken in Quebec is not quite the same, or perhaps even very different. Both in its structure and in its lexicon, but above all in its sociological, cultural and political aspects,” says Charles Bimbenet, General Director of the French publishing house Le Robert, explaining the purpose of this new publishing house.
“Our hypothesis is that the language is so different that it requires its own editorial treatment,” he adds. A hypothesis that seems to be bearing fruit. “The initial contacts we had with the authors and the ones we continue to maintain with them have been very good. The reception of this idea has been very positive,” says Mr Bimbenet.
As Charles Bimbenet is French himself, it is crucial for him to surround himself with Quebecers in order to create works that highlight the language here. Robert Québec’s works are all written and edited by Quebecers and printed in the province.
Although Le Robert and Le Robert Québec share the same name, the new addition is actually “an independent house dedicated to the French language spoken in Quebec”. “It’s a Quebec house, not a French one,” assures Charles Bimbenet. The reference “Robert” was retained because “the brand is very well known and very respected. It embodies Frenchness, it embodies seriousness and it is very established in Quebec,” he notes.
Your language! Happy and festive manifesto is the publisher’s first production and will be available from October next year. Directed by David Goudreault, the collective brings together various authors such as Michel Tremblay and Edith Butler. With the voices of “ten lovers of the Quebec language”, the work will celebrate the French of the province.
On 25 October follows The Chiller Dictionary by Jérôme Charette-Pépin, better known by his stage name Jérôme 50. The dictionary is intended to be a reference work for understanding the language of young people in Quebec. Words such as ” wesh ” And ” stiff » will be honored there.
For Charles Bimbenet, it is important to make it clear that the trends in non-fiction since the creation of Le Robert Québec are not indicative of the future of the publishing house. “We are in the process of signing a children’s author, a singer and a very beautiful essay by a women’s group,” he says, giving examples. “There will be many things. The idea is to show the diversity that is specific to Quebec,” explains the general director of Le Robert.
