School House
L'école
School House:
Banning of the French Language
L'école is a reproduction of a typical schoolhouse of the late 1800s. In southwest Louisiana, French was the dominant language until the mid-1900s. Native Americans along with Spanish, German, African, and English arrivals and their descendants learned to speak French to conduct business and socialize with neighbors. In the 1910s, new laws banned the French language in schools as an attempt to Americanize the non-English speaking population. The lines "I will not speak French” on the blackboard recall that time period.
CAJUN AND CREOLE FRENCH DIALECTS:
What are the Differences?
In southwest Louisiana, Creole and Cajun French dialects are distinct. Creole French
borrows vocabulary and grammar from West African (especially Senegambian) and
American Indian languages, and is distinct from the Creole languages of the
French-speaking Caribbean islands. As such, the Louisiana Creole dialect represents an
important linguistic legacy of the African diaspora in the Americas. In contrast, Cajun
French incorporates an French dialect from the 1700s and is different from modern
continental French. Both Cajun and Creole French use many expressions unique to
southwest Louisiana.
distinct.
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L'ÉCOLE:
L'Interdiction
de la langue française
C'est une
reproduction d'une école typique de la fin des années 1800. Au sud-ouest de la
Louisiane, le français était la langue dominante jusqu'au milieu des années 1900. Les
Amérindiens, ainsi que les immigrants allemands, africains, espagnols ou anglais et leurs
descendants ont appris à parler le français pour des affaires et socialiser avec les voisins.
Dans les années 1910, de nouvelles lois ont interdit la langue française dans les écoles
dans une tentative d'américaniser la population non anglophone. Les lignes « I will not
speak French » (Je ne parlerai pas français) sur le tableau noir rappelle cette période.
LES DIALECTES DES FRANÇAIS CADIENS ET CRÉOLES:
Quelles sont les différences?
Au sud-ouest de la Louisiane, les dialectes des français créoles et cadiens sont distincts.
Le français créole emprunte le vocabulaire et la grammaire de l'Ouest africain (surtout la
Sénégambie) et des langues amérindiennes et se distingue des langues créoles des îles des
Caraibes d'expression française. De ce fait, le dialecte créole en Louisiane représente un
élément important de l'héritage linguistique de la diaspora africaine dans les Amériques.
En revanche, le français cadien intègre un dialecte français des années 1700 et se
différencie du français moderne continental. Le français cadien et le créole
Many rural pockets of Creole and
Cajun French-speaking communities
continue to exist in southern Louisiana,
and the region remains one
of the
only places in the U.S. where the
native population speaks distinct
French dialects. Both Creole and Cajun
dialects are in danger of becoming
extinct
as younger generations speak
English predominantly. Nonetheless,
there is growing interest for French
among young people. Since 1968, the
Council for the Development of French
in Louisiana (CODOFIL) has promoted
the speaking of French language, and
the preservation of both Creole
and Cajun cultures.
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De nombreuses poches rurales des
communautés cadiennes et créoles de
langue française continuent d'exister
dans le sud de la Louisiane et la
région reste un des seuls endroits aux
États-Unis où la population locale
parle des dialectes de français
distincts. Ces dialectes sont en
danger
de s'éteindre car les jeunes
générations parlent anglais
principalement. Néanmoins, il y a un
intérêt croissant parmi la jeunesse
d'apprendre et de parler français.
Depuis 1968, le Conseil pour le
développement du français en
Louisiane (CODOFIL) a favorisé
l'expression de la langue
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education.
Location. 30° 12.92′ N, 91° 59.696′ W. Marker is in Lafayette, Louisiana, in Lafayette Parish. Marker can be reached from Fisher Road near Surrey Street (State Road 728-8). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette LA 70508, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Mouton House (a few steps from this marker); Mouton Kitchen (within shouting distance of this marker); Beau Bassin House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Forge (within shouting distance of this marker); Acadian House (within shouting distance of this marker); Bayou Vermilion District (within shouting distance of this marker); Buller House (within shouting distance of this marker); Trappers Cabin & Boat Shed (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lafayette.
More about this marker. Located on the grounds of the Vermilionville Heritage Museum, Admission required.
Also see . . . Vermilionville. Museum website homepage (Submitted on June 7, 2019, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 3, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2019, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 325 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 7, 2019.