Language is an indispensible element in the realisation of the verbal act, it is a necessary precondition for communication. Translation is a dual act of communication: it presupposes the existence of two distinct codes: the source language and the target language. The fact that the two codes are not isomorphic creates obstacles for the translative operation. This explains why linguistic questions are the starting point for all thinking about translation. Translation is a unidirectional operation between two given languages. The target language is thus, every bit as much as the source language, a sine qua non of the translative operation. If the target language remains elusive, the act of translation becomes impossible. In this article special attention goes to the cultural identity of the Québecois.