FrenchLesson 3 of 3 in the course French varieties

Louisiana French: History, Varieties, Structure, and Revitalization

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Louisiana French is a regional variety of French shaped by the history and communities of southern Louisiana. This lesson introduces its identity, geography, linguistic influences, and relationship to other French varieties.

Louisiana French (français louisianais) is the traditional French variety of French Louisianians in the former colonial territory of Lower Louisiana. Today, its dialects are used mainly in Louisiana’s southern parishes, especially in the region known as Acadiana. It is also found in communities beyond Louisiana, including parts of Texas and the Gulf South.

All flashcards

Louisiana French
A regional variety of French shaped by Louisiana’s history and multilingual communities.
Louisiana Creole
A distinct French-based creole language indigenous to Louisiana, not another name for Louisiana French.
Code-switching
Alternating between languages within a conversation or utterance.
Informal and formal Louisiana French
Broad registers that differ in setting, style, and some language features.
Language revitalization
Efforts to support a language’s learning, use, and transmission across generations.

Quiz questions

  1. When did many French-speaking Acadians begin arriving in Louisiana after the Great Upheaval?Answer: Beginning in 1755.
  2. What did Louisiana’s 1921 constitution do regarding French in public schools?Answer: It banned the teaching of French in public schools.
  3. Which pronoun is often favored over *nous* in informal Louisiana French?Answer: *On*.
  4. How can the progressive meaning of Standard French *en train de* be expressed in Louisiana French?Answer: With *après* or *apé*.
  5. What is the relationship between Acadian French and the development of Louisiana French?Answer: Acadian French contributed to its development, but the extent of its influence is disputed.

Based on the Wikipedia article Louisiana French, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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