Do you know anyone who speaks fluent Cajun and/or Louisianan-French? Or is it pretty much a dead language now? (New Orleans: elementary school, rated)

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by rcp11889

Actually, french in louisiana wasn't just looked down upon it was made completely illegal to use in louisiana schools in the 20s. Kids would be paddled if they spoke it so it naturally died out.

I also want to say again to everyone that Cajun french is not the only french spoken in Louisiana. New Orleans has a rich heritage with both parisian cajun and creole french. Many schools in New Orleans taught entirely in French until it was outlawed in the 20s.

I did not know that.
There's a good chance that law is still part of state legislature, correct?

[Innotech]

Lafayette does have french immersion.
At least it did while I was attending school a decade ago.

[xpxexaxcxex]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Lafayette does have french immersion.
At least it did while I was attending school a decade ago.

and they teach basic Parisian French, right?

Kind of like they teach Spaniard Spanish is American schools even though that is not what is spoken in this Hemisphere for the most part.

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by xpxexaxcxex

and they teach basic Parisian French, right?

Kind of like they teach Spaniard Spanish is American schools even though that is not what is spoken in this Hemisphere for the most part.

Yeah its proper french unfortunately.
It does help though.

[Gig'em12]

This is pretty cool. I knew people spoke French in Louisiana but never really paid attention to it. How many people actually still speak it?

[rcp11889]

Originally Posted by Gig'em12

This is pretty cool. I knew people spoke French in Louisiana but never really paid attention to it. How many people actually still speak it?

I think according to the census there are about 200,000 people who speak French at home in Louisiana. However, that doesn't include people like me who did not grow up speaking it at home but still learned it. There are plenty of people who love French and learn it to foster the Louisiana culture.


Also, yesterday on the Ferry from algiers to canal street, i was talking to my brother about french immersion and this random man asked us in french if we spoke french. It's not necessarily uncommon to find people who speak french in louisiana.
one week ago i heard a whole family of locals speaking french walking down magazine at night.
and at a coffee shop uptown another local man asked me if i spoke french because i was speaking it

[Innotech]

Originally Posted by Gig'em12

This is pretty cool. I knew people spoke French in Louisiana but never really paid attention to it. How many people actually still speak it?

Don't be surprised when you are in Lafayette to turn on local stations and hear a french weather report, or go downtown and hear French spoken in a cafe or in a store. Its not as prevalent as it once was, but Cajun people do still converse in French on occasion. Sometimes you will see billboards in French, or hear French spoken on radio stations. Its a fun experience.

[hdwell]

Originally Posted by rcp11889

Actually, french in louisiana wasn't just looked down upon it was made completely illegal to use in louisiana schools in the 20s. Kids would be paddled if they spoke it so it naturally died out.

I also want to say again to everyone that Cajun french is not the only french spoken in Louisiana. New Orleans has a rich heritage with both parisian cajun and creole french. Many schools in New Orleans taught entirely in French until it was outlawed in the 20s.

That was a real shame! Looks like the language nazis were alive and well back then.

[Gig'em12]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Don't be surprised when you are in Lafayette to turn on local stations and hear a french weather report, or go downtown and hear French spoken in a cafe or in a store. Its not as prevalent as it once was, but Cajun people do still converse in French on occasion. Sometimes you will see billboards in French, or hear French spoken on radio stations. Its a fun experience.

That's pretty awesome. So is it a growing or shrinking language, do people still learn it?

[xpxexaxcxex]

Originally Posted by Gig'em12

That's pretty awesome. So is it a growing or shrinking language, do people still learn it?

I think people learn it if they want to learn it.

It is not like Scandinavia where you speak fluent English like you learned how to read.

We obviously weren't born knowing how to read, but it seems like we always knew. That is how speaking English is in Scandinavia (with the possible exception of Iceland, where many don't speak English. It isn't enforced there as it is in Sweden and Norway especially.)