Cajun France And The French Culture

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French explorers first put their steaks into the ground more than a quarter of a century ago. The area that the French chose to build their lives on eventually became Louisiana. Although time has passed, the French influence continues to serve as a significant part of the unique culture of Louisiana ("How The French Influence Is Still Felt In Louisiana Today"). Noticeable areas of French influence include, but are not limited to: cuisine, music, and architecture. However, the continuation of the French language and dialects over the years appears to be the most noteworthy influence that French has had on Louisiana ("How The French Influence Is Still Felt In Louisiana Today").
The unique type of language found exclusively in Louisiana is referred to as Louisiana French. This language is found mainly in southern parts of Louisiana. Louisiana French breaks off into two other subcategories: Cajun French, and Louisiana Creole ("French", 2012). These two subgroups may share the French language, but it is important to recognize and understand the differences between the two. Along with their origins, Cajun French and Louisiana Creole also take diverse aspects of the French language, in order to form their own exclusive version ("French").
The larger of the two subgroups, Cajun French, is more properly known in today’s society as Louisiana French. Cajuns are an ethic group that is comprised of the Acadian exiles. The Acadians are a group of French speaking people who travelled from Canada to Louisiana in the late eighteenth century. The reason they wore forced to leave Acadia is because of the British Conquest. The language of the Acadians originated from the French of seventeenth century France. Once they arrived and settl...

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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").

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