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For a while I have thought that the Cajun Language was more like the French spoken in France with a very heavy patois. An email I recieved from Elaine Clément of CODOFIL (Conseil pour le Développement du Français en Louisiane) helped me understand something different. Here is what she had to say:
"If I might make a suggestion regarding your language information. The
truth
is is that Cajun French is not a patois. It is French that has
developed
differently from the French in France or in Africa or in ..... the same
as
English has developed differently in England, Australia and the US. It
is
North American French, sharing many commonalities with Quebec, Haiti and
the
Acadian provinces.
For the past 8 years, I have seen French-speaking people from all over
the
world come to Louisiana and carry on conversations with the people here.
They might need to ask the meaning of a word or 2 or an expression, but
they
completely understand each other."
Thanks Elaine!
For now we will provide a list of exclamations that you will usually hear
among cajuns and explain what they mean. In the future we will highlight resources
that help us keep this language alive, citing tutorials on how to speak cajun
french and hopefully soon a forum where we can trade information with each
other and promote the preservation of this unique heritage! Stay Tuned!
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