Cajun French, also known as Louisiana French, is the term used to describe the variety of French spoken in South Louisiana. It originates in the language spoken by the French and Acadian people who settled in Louisiana 400 years ago.
Is Cajun an actual language?
The word Cajun popped up in the 19th century to describe the Acadian people of Louisiana. The Acadians were descendants of the French Canadians who were settling in southern Louisiana and the Lafayette region of the state. They spoke a form of the French language and today, the Cajun language is still prevalent.
What is the difference between French and Cajun French?
Language evolution
In some cases, Cajun French has maintained words, structures and pronunciations which the French have long ago abandoned. For example, Cajuns have maintained the original chevrette to refer to shrimp, while the French adopted the Norman regional variant crevette as their standard word.
Is Cajun a separate language?
It is derived from Louisiana French and is on the list of dialects of the English language for North America.
Is Cajun considered French?
Cajuns are the French colonists who settled the Canadian maritime provinces (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) in the 1600s. The settlers named their region “Acadia,” and were known as “Acadians.”
How do Cajuns say hello?
It’s not going well.
Basic Vocabulary.
| Cajun French | English |
|---|---|
| Bonjour | Hello |
| Comment ça va? | How’s it going? |
| Comment les affaires? | How are things? |
| Comment c’est? | How is it? |
Is Cajun French a dying language?
Currently, Louisiana French is considered an endangered language.
Is French an official language in Louisiana?
While Louisiana has no official language, French enjoys a special status in Louisiana. This is due to a recognition by the State legislature in 1968 (reaffirmed in 1972) of the French heritage of Louisiana and its importance in our present culture and touristic appeal.
What race is Cajun?
Ethnic mixing and non-Acadian origins
Cajuns include people with Irish and Spanish ancestry, and to a lesser extent of Germans and Italians; Cajuns may also have Native American and Afro-Latin Creole admixture.
Why do Cajuns say Sha?
Sha: Louisiana Cajun and Creole slang, derived from the French cher. Term of affection meaning darling, dear, or sweetheart. It could also be a reference to something that is cute.
How do you say thank you in Cajun?
Cajun French is different from the language spoke in France.
Sugie Bee’s Cajun French Language Dictionary.
| A bon couer | To do something wholeheartedly. |
|---|---|
| Maw Maw | Grandma |
| Merci Beaucoup | Thank you very much. |
What language is spoken in New Orleans?
Language. American English, with significant variations, is the dominant language in New Orleans. Despite the city’s French colonial history, French is rarely used in daily life.
What is difference between Cajun and Creole?
As to the difference in the cuisines, Creole can be defined as “city cooking” with influences from Spain, Africa, Germany, Italy and the West Indies combined with native ingredients. Cajun cooking is more of a home cooked style that is rich with the ingredients at hand in the new world the Acadians settled into.
Is a Creole a language?
Wikipedia gives the following definition online: “A creole language, or simply creole, is a stable natural language that has developed from a pidgin (i.e., a simplified language or simplified mixture of languages used by non-native speakers), becoming nativized by children as their first language, with the accompanying
Why does Louisiana speak French?
Louisiana French is the legacy of early settlers and later arrivals, among them the Acadians, 18th-century exiles from eastern Canada who became known as Cajuns. But the language was nearly smothered in the 20th century by laws and customs that encouraged assimilation with the Anglophone world.
Why did Cajuns leave France?
Once the Acadians refused to sign an oath of allegiance to Britain, which would make them loyal to the crown, the British Lieutenant Governor, Charles Lawrence, as well as the Nova Scotia Council on July 28, 1755 made the decision to deport the Acadians. The British deportation campaigns began on August 11, 1755.
How do you greet a Cajun?
Cher (share or sha) is a term of endearment used when greeting another person. It’s similar to “love” or “dear,” and is traditionally used by Cajuns.
What are some Cajun sayings?
Joie de vivre (Jhwa da veev): Joy of living. Lache pas la patate (Losh pa la pa tot): Don’t let go of the potato or don’t give up (a testament to the enduring spirit of the Cajun people). Lagniappe (Lahn yop): Something extra. Laissez les bons temps rouler (Lay say lay bohn tohn roo lay): Let the good times roll.
Does New Orleans smell?
Depending on where you are (or “where y’at,” rather) and what time of year it is, New Orleans might smell like horse manure, cigarettes, urine, dead fish, marijuana, vomit, diesel fumes, fried chicken, Confederate jasmine, old wood, coffee, Angel’s Trumpet flowers, mown grass, mossy trees, and sweet olive.
Is French the second most taught language in the world?
French as a foreign language is the second most frequently taught language in the world after English. The International Organization of Francophonie has 51 member states and governments. Of these, 28 countries have French as an official language.
Is French dying in Louisiana?
The percent of French-speakers in Louisiana has dropped from 30% in the 1960s to less than 3% in 2010. Are Louisiana French dialects dying? What could be done to save them? From what I understand, across the 20th century Louisiana society has become increasingly striated on racial rather than linguistic lines.
