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re: What Institute of Higher Ed in Louisiana is doing the best job of preserving Cajun French
Posted on 8/10/25 at 6:44 am to SaintsTiger
Posted on 8/10/25 at 6:44 am to SaintsTiger
quote:
How long did people actually speak Cajun French in Louisiana before English took over?
My grandmother was born in the early 1900’s in Grand Prairie La just outside of Washington. She said when she started school they had books printed in French and then at some point they took them out and the language was forbidden. She and a lot of others just quit going to school because they couldn’t understand and didn’t want to learn English.
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 6:47 am
2
Posted on 8/10/25 at 8:44 am to OWLFAN86
Not directly run by a university, but several prominent scholars meet every 4 years for Congres' Mondial Acadien
Posted on 8/10/25 at 8:51 am to jrobic4
All of my grandparents spoke it along with my parents and older aunts and uncles. Sadly, it was not passed down to my generation (48 years old). I can pick up bits and pieces of a conversation but by no means I am fluent in it. Growing up in the 80s and 90s I heard French conversations on a day to day basis, but it is rare to hear someone speak it today, and this is Avoyelles Parish in a rural area. It breaks my heart when I do hear it because it reminds me of my lost loved ones and the fact that the language is dying rapidly.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 8:55 am to The Torch
You’re thinking of a different language
Posted on 8/10/25 at 9:45 am to Junky
quote:
They beat it out of the population about 100 years ago.
Closer to 80 years ago. That happened to my mom.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 9:49 am to OWLFAN86
I think USL offers a class on cajun history and culture.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 9:58 am to SaintsTiger
quote:
Sounds like something just spoken buy a few academics and a handful of students.
Lafayette still has a pretty decent scene.
Google Jourdan Thibodaux (sp?) and watch a little on his efforts to revive. Has sort of made it the cool thing to do.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 11:20 am to fightin tigers
quote:
Google Jourdan Thibodaux (sp?) and watch a little on his efforts to revive. Has sort of made it the cool thing to do.
Think I might have seen that before.
What do people want a successful revival to look like ? I learned regular French in school, went to France a few times and did fine day to day getting around and having conversations with people. Now it’s been been over 5 years since I went and I forgot a lot. One of those situations where I lost it because I didn’t use it. Pretty sure I could get it back without having to put in a lot of work. I speak Spanish now and feel like it’s much more practical & beneficial to focus on for travel and even communicating with Spanish speakers in the States.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 11:21 am to Dtbtiger
quote:
Wild that my grandparents think Mexicans should speak English here but they still tell me about how they would get beat for speaking French in schools
It's actually completely logical.
Your grandparents and their parents had their language physically beaten out of them and their families have been here for centuries, but we now bend over backwards to make everything in this country accessible for people who will never learn english.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 11:43 am to OWLFAN86
https://www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Cajun-Language-Jules-Daigle/dp/0961424532
He used to have some cassette tapes for sale, but I can’t find them anymore.
quote:
Biographical / Historical Jules O. Daigle was born 4 December 1900 in Lafayette to Oscar G. and Eliza Landry Daigle. He studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph Seminary in St. Benedict, La., St. Mary’s in Baltimore, Maryland, and the North American College in Rome, where he was ordained in 1925. He served as assistant pastor at St. Michael Parish in Crowley and Immaculate Conception in Lake Charles. From 1930 to 1974, he was pastor of Our Lady of Seven Dolors in Welch. He was made monsignor in 1952. After retiring in 1974, he launched a writing career and wrote several books on the Cajun heritage, receiving international recognition for his work. He was in demand for radio, television and newspaper interviews as an authority on Cajun language and heritage. He is most famous for the book A Dictionary of the Cajun Language. At the time of his death, he was in the process of writing another book about the history of Cajun culture, but left it unfinished. He died 2 January 1998 at the age of 97.
https://archives.louisiana.edu/repositories/2/resources/121
This post was edited on 8/10/25 at 11:46 am
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:07 pm to tigerinexile
Add Martel Ardoin to that list as well he is doing tremendous work at KVPI.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:07 pm to OWLFAN86
There was a big push at UL from the 90's until the late 2000's from what I remember. There was an "institute" that developed around the French Education Major. You could also get a minor in Cajun/Creole studies. I want to say it still exist but has gone through several rounds of cuts. CODOFIL in Lafayette is also in charge of advancing/preserving French in the area. It was a big deal growing up but I haven't lived in that area for a long time except for a short stint during COVID.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:13 pm to loogaroo
M
I’m pretty sure Floyd Soileau can get you some. Check out Floyd’s record shop in ville platte
quote:
e used to have some cassette tapes for sale, but I can’t find them anymore.
I’m pretty sure Floyd Soileau can get you some. Check out Floyd’s record shop in ville platte
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:29 pm to OWLFAN86
We’re going to hate on some languages like pidgin and bastardizations like Ebonics but now you want Cajun French taught in college because….your grandpa done be talkin like dat
Posted on 8/10/25 at 1:52 pm to Defenseiskey
quote:
There was an "institute" that developed around the French Education Major. You could also get a minor in Cajun/Creole studies
What exactly were the employment possibilities for these educational tracks? The Frog Leg museum in Rayne?
Posted on 8/10/25 at 2:40 pm to fightin tigers
Does anyone happen to have the names of any French Creole language groups or gatherings?
I have a friend from out of state who is getting a doctorate in this and is very interested.
Thank you.
I have a friend from out of state who is getting a doctorate in this and is very interested.
Thank you.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 2:44 pm to Junky
What’s the story about this? Genuinely don’t know
Posted on 8/10/25 at 2:53 pm to MidCityTiger
quote:
Does anyone happen to have the names of any French Creole language groups or gatherings?
Subject has come up on the new orleans subreddit a few times. A few people from here were part of that conversation so maybe they chime in or you can try a search
Posted on 8/10/25 at 6:00 pm to tigerinexile
The accounting firm that hs been in the building for years won’t help get the recordings.
Posted on 8/10/25 at 6:01 pm to tigerinexile
Ashley Wilson loves her some Cajun french. Try Facebook.
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