Louisiana French has been spoken in Louisiana for over two centuries. Louisiana French consists of Cajun French and Creole French. These terms are used synonymously, but they are actually very different languages and cultures. Cajun French originated from Acadian French spoken by immigrants from France’s Canadian territories. Cajun speakers were white. Speakers of Creole French were almost exclusively African slaves and their descendants (Carlisle, 2010). This paper will focus on the Creole French language of Louisiana. As of now, it’s in a state of attrition. The language is only spoken by seven percent of Louisiana’s population. Most speakers are 60 years of age and older. It’s rare to find a fluent speaker under that age because Creole is …show more content…
no longer being taught to children. Back in the day, Creole was frowned upon outside of the household because it was highly associated with slavery (Carlisle, 2010). In school, native Creole speakers were taught to speak English only, which is why their children grew up mostly monolingual. The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) reintroduced International French into the school system. This slowed, but didn’t stop, the decline of Creole. The variety taught at school was different from the varieties spoken at home. This was problematic at the community level because local community members learned that their native language is incorrect and inappropriate (Brown, 1993). This also didn’t help the children communicate with their grandparents. Even though International French and Creole are mutually intelligible, they still have their differences. In this paper, I will discuss the decline of Louisiana Creole French and propose a solution based on previous research. The sources used all state that Louisiana Creole French is in a current state of attrition.
Language shift, or language attrition, was a feature to a Darwinian evolution in which less complex and adaptable languages, like Creole, died and the more advanced and fittest languages, like English, survived (Carlisle, 2010). Modern linguistics challenges that it is not accurate to focus on the attrition of a language based on its structure, without looking at the social factors involved. There is very little to no development of Louisiana Creole and the reason for this is because of the restricted access to the language, through education and/or everyday interactions (Carlisle, 2010). As of today, there is no evidence of children growing up that speak Louisiana Creole French as their first language. It’s unlikely to find a fluent speaker below the age of 60. The 60-year-old-and-over generation learned the language when they were young, but after having to renounce the language in school, they only taught their children English. They came to appreciate the cultural impact of their abandonment of Louisiana Creole French in the 1960s. They then began to speak the language to their grandchildren (Audisio and Burke, 1988). For those few speakers below the age of 60, “they would be called ‘near-passive bilinguals.’ They may know many words and expressions but cannot construct or manipulate full sentences” (Brown, 1993). Current speakers speak English as well as or even better than …show more content…
Louisiana French Creole. Researchers and others would agree that Louisiana French Creole is a dying language as most of its speakers today have lost some degree of proficiency in it (Ferreira and Holbrook, 2001). In order to preserve Louisiana Creole French, I propose that primary schools, secondary schools, and tertiary institutions offer immersion programs that teach in International French while also incorporating Louisiana Creole French into the program, as well as community activities that bring recognition to Creole culture and promote the use of these languages outside the classroom and within the community. Although education is by far the best way to secure the role of the Creole language in Louisiana, community activities are open to anyone and everyone. Festivals and concerts are great examples of activities that unite communities. Festivals Acadiens et Créoles (originally named Festivals Acadiens) is a three-day festival celebrating the music, crafts, and food of South Louisiana. It’s a great opportunity for the people of Louisiana to share and express their language. This festival originally celebrated Cajun music, but in the recent years they’ve welcomed Creole music (called Zydeco) as well. Zydeco music is sung in both English and Creole, with English being the preferred language for most modern bands. To further the revival of Creole, I would propose that some of these bands write songs that are entirely, if not mostly, in Creole because of the fact that this music is very popular in Louisiana. Even though Creole was recognized by CODOFIL, there currently aren’t any projects sponsored by them that promote Creole. CODOFIL sponsored the ABC 2000 project, which are literacy classes toward Cajun and Creole speaking adults. These classes strictly promoted Cajun and Creole French. “CODOFIL’s objective is to influence Cajuns and Creoles to read to their children and grandchildren in their native languages” (Ferreira and Holbrook, 2001). Even though this seemed promising, the courses were actually all based on Cajun French. There had not been any Creole literacy courses in connection with ABC 2000. If CODOFIL supported Creole French as much as they supported Cajun French, the program would’ve been more successful. I feel that this program should be reconsidered since there are many people who would like to learn Creole but don’t have the resources. There are several Creole speakers involved with C.R.E.O.L.E. Inc. This is an organization whose mission statement is to “Develop and perpetuate the Creole language and culture as it exists in the state of Louisiana through identifying its rich resources and encourage its appreciation” (Ferreira and Holbrook, 2001). Unfortunately, not much is known about this organization’s actual work to revive the Creole language. It is preferable that International French is taught in schools because it can be used worldwide, but that doesn’t mean that Creole should be completely ignored.
Teachers should try to incorporate Creole language and culture in the class as much as possible. The imposition of International French can also serve as a gateway to the Creole community. Students of CODOFIL that have studied abroad now hold positions as French speaking members of the community. “Many are able to adapt their grammars to that of their own speech community” (Brown, 1993). Brown stated that since the languages are intelligible, near-passive speakers of Louisiana Creole French (individuals that heard Creole being spoken at home but never became active speakers themselves) can often “activate” their Creole competence through being exposed to International French. The biggest issue with my proposed solution would be lack of funding and lack of participation. Perhaps the reason that CODOFIL hasn’t sponsored any projects associated with the revival of Creole is because of the fact that not enough interest has been shown. It’s not a surprise that most people don’t care to learn a new language, even if that language is deeply rooted in their culture. Maybe their parents don’t want them to learn, or they just see the point. As a person of Creole descent, I feel that it’s important to learn about your culture because language is a deep association to identity. By promoting interest in learning and speaking
Louisiana Creole French to people even outside the community, the attitude and hope for the language can greatly benefit. Creating a high demand for the language will also create development with the language in aspects such as media and learning materials.
What does Bethell mean when he writes, "If the Creoles had one eye on their masters, they kept the other on their servants"? conscious social position, not friendly w/ peninsulares but worried from lower class revolution
Lisa Delpit’s book, “The Skin We Speak”, talked about language and culture, and how it relates to the classroom. How we speak gives people hits as to where we are from and what culture we are a part of. Unfortunately there are also negative stereotypes that come with certain language variations. There is an “unfounded belief that the language of low income groups in rural or urban industrial areas is somehow structurally “impoverished” or “simpler” than Standard English” (Delpit 71). The United States is made of people from various cultures and speak many different variations of languages. As teachers we must be aware of some of the prejudices we may have about language and culture.
There are two forms of languages; public and private. The "private" language only spoken with family and close intimate relationships. The "public" language used in society, work, and school. Both of these help form two identities, that help us connect and communicate with one another. In the essay “Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan and also in the article “Speech Communities” by Paul Roberts ,we will see how both private and public language demonstrate how we view, and grow from each language.
“By 2050, it is [predicted] that half of the world will be more or less proficient in [English].” (Gerdes 37). Being an Asian-American, specifically Hmong in the United States, there has been a rise in the usage of English rather than our native language Hmong among the new generation; those who were born in the United States. Many are not fluent in Hmong, without keeping the language, elders are unable to pass down their knowledge of the Hmong culture to their children.
Language is an important part of who we are. It influences the way we think and behave on a great scale. However, sometimes it is forced upon us to go in different directions just so we can physically and mentally feel as if we belong to the society in which we live in. Just as we see in Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” and Richard Rodriguez’s “A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood”, both authors faced some challenges along the way by coping with two different languages, while still trying to achieve the social position which they desired.
No matter what side of the spectrum a person may fall on, the history of the French language in Louisiana runs deep. It was introduced to this land in the eighteenth century as Europeans emigrated from France and the Acadian refugees ventured from Canada. French was Louisiana’s language. As mentioned earlier, efforts are being made to preserve the general French language and background of Louisiana ("Parlez-Vous? Some Louisiana Pupils Being Immersed in French Instruction", 2011). Louisiana currently has thirty schools that offer the French immersion program. CODOFIL is working diligently to increase the amount of schools that offer French immersion programs. It is crucial that these programs be implemented in order to maintain a unique and special characteristic of Louisiana ("Parlez-Vous? Some Louisiana Pupils Being Immersed in French Instruction").
Most people who grow up with a foreign language spoken in there house grow up with an advantage in society. This advantage can only occur once the individual learning that foreign language also learns the dominant language spoken in that country. Once both of these languages are learned and mastered, the individual has now placed them se...
In the book the Cajuns: Americanization of a people by Shane k. Bernard talks about how they were not allowed to speak to the teachers in French. If French words were spoken, “they were turned over to the principal’s office, where the principal had a set of rubber tubes tied together and we were whipped. The girls caught were punished different, as they were forced to walk around the flagpole with bricks in their hands”(Bernard, p.19). In my last interview Mrs.Winola comments that “school was fun at first but the teachers didn’t want us speaking French while on the school grounds so if we were caught speaking the language we would be punished.” She also says how her and her brother were caught speaking French and were forced to write lines “we will not speak Cajun French while on the school grounds.” Because of the very fact of the children being disciplined for speaking the only language they really knew this had caused them to not pass down the language to the different generations and teaching making the language die out little by little. In another one of my resent interviews Mrs. Debbie Johnson says one of her grandfathers barely spoke any English because of this and her not being taught Cajun French she rarely communicated with her grandfather making her not have a close relationship with him. Mrs. Debbie Johnson also stated in the interview “I
American Tongues Response EssayThe documentary American Tongues (1987) examines an array of American dialects and accents in all regions of the United States, as well as the perceptions tied to specific ways of speaking. The film does this by interviewing people of multiple ethnicities, geographical locations, education-levels, and socio-economic classes. The information presented in American Tongues makes the audience consider its distinct way of speaking and the insight it may provide to those around them. The film clearly shows that the way individuals speak, as well as the diction they choose to use or eradicate from their vocabulary, is intricately tied
Since 1541, Louisiana has been ruled under ten different flags, starting with Hernando de Soto’s flag, a man who claimed the region for Spain (“About Louisiana”). For six weeks after the Civil War had first started, Louisiana had become an independent commonwealth before finally joining the Confederacy. The Louisiana Purchase was negotiated by President Thomas Jefferson, in 1803, in order to get a part of Louisiana in American hands, which was considered essential (“About Louisiana”). Louisiana was a center for trading and finances during most of its early history and it was one of the most prosperous regions in America due to the act that its land was very abundant. On April 30, 1812, after being admitted into the union, Louisiana became the eighteenth state of the United States (“About Louisiana”). Later on, after sulphur and oil were unearthed in 1869 and 1901, Louisiana became a part of the major industry of America that produces oil and natural gas which is what Louisiana is still a part of to this day. Many people assume that the capital of Louisiana is New Orleans because it is the most populated and one of the most popular cities, but the capital is actually Baton Rouge. Louisiana also has a motto that states “Union, Justice, Confidence.” (“About Louisiana”).
Crawford, James. Effective Language Education Practices and Native Language Survival. Reyhner, Jon. Montana:8m (NALI) Institute, 1990. Print.
A different language is a different vision of life. In Sista Tongue Lisa Kanae discusses the social history of creole languages, specifically “Pidgin”. She intertwines a personal story about her younger brother Harold, who was a later talker and stigmatized for not speaking Standard English. Within Sista Tongue is the excerpt “Some Light on the Problem of Bilingualism As Found from a Study of the Progress in Mastery of English Among Preschool Children of Non-American Ancestry in Hawaii” written by Madorah E. Smith in 1939. Smith claimed children of Non-American ancestry in Hawaii are “retarded” in language development. According to Smith, none of the racial groups studied attained the use of sentences at the age of six years old compared to Caucasian children. Kanae utilizes Smith’s excerpt to connect the social history of creole languages and Harold’s story. Although the excerpt clashes with Kanae’s argument of unfair stereotypes forced upon “Pidgin” speakers, she challenges Smith’s research and proves her claims are ignorant assumptions.
Clark, Virginia P., Paul A. Eschholz, and Alfred F. Rosa. Language: Introductory Readings. 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2008. Print.
Cristophe is a linguistic historian that has used technology to create a newer way of preserving languages. As opposed to the previous notion that the younger generation is not actively trying to save the language, the dictionary was kickstarted by younger Louisiana natives that don’t want to see the language die with the older generation. Christophe explains, “Lots of young people are really quite afraid that this very important aspect of their culture will die along with the older people. So now there’s a vibrant movement, that really emerged out of Facebook, of young people who want to learn” (Hakner). The story behind Christophe’s emergence into the Creole language was due to him living with his grandparents and being exposed to the language firsthand. It was this passing of not only language but culture, that is an example of how most languages survive. It is imperative for an adult to speak with their children in order for the language to be learned. For instance, a child whose parents speaks and teaches the language allows that child to interpret language readily versus an isolated child who begins to learn speech at a later age will have a higher difficulty understanding ideas and so on. By Christophe being exposed as a child to the language daily meant that
Language has pioneered many interracial relationships and historical milestones. Language is a necessity for basic communication and cultural diversity. Being multilingual is a skill proven influential to a successful future. Due to rapid globalization, countries all over the world are stressing the importance of learning a second, or even third, language. With the exception of time and lack of resources, adults have very few widely applicable disadvantages to learning multiple languages. However, language learning as a child presents more complications. Some of those include not having enough funding at the elementary school level to introduce a program for secondary language, academic overload for the youth, stress for both the parent and student parties, and the mixing of languages. Not all of these complications are true in any or all situations, however, and the absence of them provides multitudes of opportunity for future career and academic success. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the parents or the education legislation to decide whether they encourage the learning of a secondary language at the young age necessary for retention. “The general consensus is that it takes between five to seven years for an individual to achieve advanced fluency,” therefore the younger a child begins to learn, the more likely they are to benefit to the maximum potential (Robertson). Keeping the language learning in high school or beginning the process earlier is a greatly controversial discussion that is important to address because of the topic’s already lengthy suspension.