Francophone Louisiana

[Dennis R. Preston]

In the forthcoming "Needed Research in American Dialects" (an PADS
volume which should appear late this year or early next), there will
be a lengthy piece by Bob Bayley and Ruth King on non-English
dialects in the US and Canada, and Louisiana French is one of the
highlighted varieties.

By the way, members of ADS get these beautifully hard-bound PADS
volumes free (along with their AS and NADS).

dInIs


A growing number of people have expertise in the French that survives in
Louisiana. Most of them contributed to Albert Valdman's French and
Creole in Louisiana, 1997. I understand that Cajun French is now offered
as a credit course at LSU in Baton Rouge, taught by Amanda LaFleur. The
English dialects of the French region are also getting some attention
and cries out to have several dissertations written about them.
                                         Connie Eble

Richard Goodrow wrote:
>
>  Does the Louisiana French ("Cajun" or Acadian) have a chance of surviving?
>  It seems many make efforts towards saving and preserving this language, but
>  it may not be enough. Does anyone have experience or insight in this region?
>
>  Richard

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics & Germanic, Slavic,
      Asian & African Languages
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
e-mail: preston at msu.edu
phone: (517) 353-9290