Cajun French
Cajun French is a dialect of the French language, spoken primarily in the American state of Louisiana. It is derived from another French dialect, Acadian, which is spoken in the state of Maine and in Canada's Maritime Provinces.The deportation of about 75% of Acadian population linving in the province of Nova Scotia in 1755, during the French and Indian War, caused many of them to resettle in Louisiana, thereby establishing the language there. Through Acadian, Cajun is ultimately descended from the dialects of Anjou and Poitou.
The term Cajun is derived from the English pronunciation of the French word Acadian. The primary region where Cajun French is spoken is called Acadiana (not to be confused with Acadia, which refers to the region where Acadian French is spoken). Cajun areas of Louisiana sometimes form partnerships with Acadians in Canada who send French teachers to teach the language in schools.
Many residents of Acadiana are bilingual, having learned French at home and English in school. In recent years the number of speakers of Cajun French has diminished considerably, but efforts are being made to reintroduce the language in schools. The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) was established during the late 1960s to promote the preservation of French language and culture in Louisiana.
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Differences from standard French
Cajun differs in some areas of pronunciation and vocabulary from the accepted standard of Parisian French.
Over the years, Cajun French speakers have incorporated a lot of English vocabulary (such as truck) directly into the language instead of adopting the neologisms of the AcadÃÂémie franÃÂçaise. This can be disconcerting to non-natives.