Cajun endangered language

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The Language - Louisiana French (LF)

The Original Territory

Grammar

Basic grammatical core is similar to standard French but there is no official regulating body.

Biggest difference are in contractions
"I learned from the grandparents."

Louisiana French: "J'ai appris de les grand-parents."

Standard French: "J'ai appris des grand-parents."

Proper Names

Vocabulary - Many unique words

French influences

Native American Influences

English Influences

Phonology

Very similar to standard French, however r [ʀ, ʁ] pronounced more Spanish/Italian like. 

State: Endangered

• Drop from 1.000.000 speakers to 120.000 within 40 years.
• For many young people no longer the home language
• Government tried actively to get rid of the language
•  Status: Language of the Poor and uneducated
• State constitution
• Abolished in schools - including corporal punishment
  
• WW II - positive and negative
• With rising sealevels and floodings of Southern Louisiana the community will be spread out even more, thus endangering it more. 

https://www.lsu.edu/blog/2024/11/08-preserving-louisiana-french.php

Revitalization - School Based Programs

• 1968 - State parliament established a council for redevelopment of LF (till this day)
• LSU at the forefront of saving Louisiana French
• Dictionary creation (Regulation and standardization) 
• Both 'total and well as partial immersion' programs in High Schools and Colleges. Depending on geographical location.
• Many total immersion schools unfortuately teach Standard French due to where teachers are from. 
• Other problem is the late standardization of LF - hard to decide what is Cajun

Revitalization - Outside of Schools

• Primarily community based programs. 
• French Language Events - all over Louisiana; Baton Rouge, Lafayette, New Orleans, and smaller communities
• La table française - Food and Chatting in many restaurants and at home cooks.  - Normalizing use of LF
• LF music: Mainly in Lafayette and New Orleans regions (Zydeco)