An influential figure in Quebec society in the first half of the twentieth century, Adjutor Rivard made distinguished contributions to the fields of linguistics, literature, and law. His scientific studies of the French-Canadian language, together with his fictional evocation of traditional French-Canadian values, helped foster pride in Quebec's distinctive culture. Born on 22 January 1868 at Saint-Grégoire de Nicolet, Quebec, to Louis and Pamela Harper Rivard, he moved with his family while an infant to Quebec City, where he was educated. He eventually obtained a law degree at Laval University and was called to the bar in 1891. As a young lawyer practicing in Chicoutimi, Quebec, he began to pursue in earnest his study of language. He taught elocution at the local seminary, a course he continued in Quebec City; in 1896 he joined the faculty of arts at Laval, married a widow named Josephine Hamel, and started a family...