joual

American

[zhoo-al, -ahl] / ʒuˈæl, -ˈɑl /

noun

any of the nonstandard dialects of Canadian French, characterized by deviations from the standard phonology, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary, and often containing many borrowings from English.

joual British

/ ʒwɑːl /

noun

nonstandard Canadian French dialect, esp as associated with ill-educated speakers

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of joual

1960–65; representing a non-standard pronunciation of French cheval horse

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023