I was standing in line for a pizza slice in Little Italy last week behind two guys in their 30s who were gabbing to each other enthusiastically.

One of them was speaking only in English, the other only in French.

But as I stood there eavesdropping, it suddenly hit me that the guy speaking French had a strong anglophone accent, while the guy speaking English had a noticeable francophone one.

So they’d been chatting away seamlessly for almost 10 minutes, each speaking the other person’s language.

Curious about why, I broke in and asked them.

“Why? ... Because we’re friends and I want to practise my French,” said Jason, the English-speaking guy who had been speaking French.

“And I want to practise my English,” added David, the francophone who had been speaking English. “We both like to practise with our buddy.”

It turned out they’re office colleagues and that’s pretty much how they talk all the time, because they’re both eager to improve their second language.

Together, they’re a lovely symbol of Montreal, practically a language love story.

How did it start?

Jason Zemanovich, 38, spent many years in Ottawa and Toronto, but nine years ago he moved back to Montreal where he had grown up.

“This is where my best friends are, so I missed Montreal,” he said. “It’s comfortable and less overwhelming than Toronto. It’s where I want to spend my life.”

On returning, he decided to........

© Montreal Gazette