In Paroles de la Louisiane, language scholar Amanda LaFleur and French immersion teacher Ryan Langley explore the vernacular French of Louisiana through captivating scenes, archival interviews, and songs. A 7-episode series produced in partnership with Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Paroles de la Louisiane celebrates the cultural and linguistic richness of Louisiana’s heritage while providing practical insights for teaching and learning.
Paroles de la Louisiane Episodes
Ms. Bergeron and the Flu of 1918
In the first episode of Paroles de la Louisiane, Amanda LaFleur and Ryan Langley listen to a first-hand account of the 1918 flu epidemic and then discuss the pronunciation of “un/une” in Louisiana, the use of “beaucoup” to modify an adjective, and the presence of anglicisms in Louisiana French.
Classroom Takeaway: It’s understandable (and a common linguistic phenomenon) to borrow from other languages when there is a new technology or idea, but the diversity of the Francophone world can give us opportunities to borrow from other French speakers rather than switching to English to name something new.
Give Me Another Chance by Belton Richard
This episode of Paroles de la Louisiane features Belton Richard’s famous song, “Donne-moi une autre chance.” The hosts use the song to discuss the futur proche conjugation je vas, the optional dropping of the conjunction que, and the present progressive tense, après faire quelque chose.
Classroom Takeaway: We can say “piasse” and write “piastre.” (Or we can write “piasse” if we want to write in dialect – for example, for the dialogue of a play.) People can choose to write in a standardized way without it being a judgment on spoken language.
The Widows’ Table by Le Théâtre Cadien
This episode of Paroles de la Louisiane involves the hosts watching a scene from an LPB recording of a 1982 stage production by Le Théâtre Cadien and then discuss the faux amis verbs like “espérer” and “attendre,” common salutations in Louisiana, and the subject pronoun “vous-autres.”
Classroom Takeaway: Even when confronted with forms that are far from the “standard,” let’s not be too quick to think of differences as inherently good or bad. Also, global languages can show a lot of variation. Take the example of “vosotros/vos” used in Spanish: just because a Spaniard says “vosotros” doesn’t mean that every American learning Spanish needs to know that conjugation. On the other hand, there’s also nothing wrong with that form: it may not be universal, but it’s legitimate in its context.
The LPB Series En Français - Guidry Family
The hosts watch an interview clip from a 1982 episode of LPB’s En Français and then discuss Louisiana towns with multiple names, the passé composé, and agricultural vocabulary.
Classroom Takeaway: Every language and language variety has its own grammar, and its own set of rules for what works and doesn’t work. When looking at a language variety – for example, discussing the language used by a native speaker of Louisiana French – it isn’t really a question of grammatical or not, but rather a question of a different set of rules that might be less suited to certain contexts. But it would be inaccurate to say that it doesn’t have a grammar or doesn’t follow the rules.
Le Chausson Show with Hilda Gisclair
This episode of Paroles de la Louisiane involves the hosts examining a clip from the Youtube series Le Chausson Show and then discussing interrogative pronouns, clothes vocabulary, and the regional pronunciation of /h/ where one might otherwise hear /ʒ/ (“H’aime ça,” “H’ai été”… etc).
Classroom Takeaway: If someone is interested in integrating more local language into their classroom, vocabulary is a great place to start as it can take a lot of time and exposure to understand more complex regionalisms like “Qui t’aimes cuire?” or “H’ai déménahé.” For more information on Louisiana-specific vocabulary, check out CODOFIL’s flashcard series Gombo de Mots.
Acadia: North & South series – Josh Pitre
The hosts watch a video clip from the series Acadia: North & South and then discuss the verbs “connaître” and “savoir,” the healing traditions of the “traiteur,” and the unique situation of heritage language learners in Louisiana.
Classroom Takeaway: It can be tricky for heritage learners of Louisiana French to navigate the differences between language varieties. But if someone is interested in their family’s way of speaking, they shouldn’t let that complexity deter them. Exposure to different forms of French and varying conversational partners should be seen as enriching rather than problematic.
Mrs. Hazelton and Wedding Traditions from the Past
In the final episode of Paroles de la Louisiane, the hosts listen to a first-hand account of Louisiana wedding traditions from the past and then discuss the regional and historical use of the verb ending -ont, the phonological phenomenon of assibilation, and the influence of nautical terms on Louisiana vocabulary and place names.
Classroom takeaway: This clip is an excellent example of social studies content that is only accessible through the medium of Louisiana French. If we don’t include material in Louisiana French because we perceive the language differences as being too far from the international standard, then we may miss out on fascinating stories and important cultural knowledge.