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V.—The Acadians of Louisiana and Their Dialect

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2020

Alcee Fortier
Alcee Fortier*
Affiliation:
Tulane University of Louisiana
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Extract

Everything concerning French Louisiana seems at this time to possess an interest for the public; and it has been my purpose in some measure, to give an account of its language, its literature, its dialects, its folklore and its inhabitants. My papers published in the Transactions of our Modern Language Association have been so kindly received that I feel encouraged to continue my labors in a field vast and fertile but difficult to explore. The work to be done is, to a great extent, one of original research and of patient investigation, and it will require several years to present a tolerably complete tableau of picturesque French Louisiana. I now desire to present another feature of the picture by giving a brief sketch of the Acadians and their dialect. It may not be amiss to begin this study by taking a bird's-eye view of the history of Acadia, from the settlement of the colony to the dispersion of the inhabitants. We shall then accompany Evangeline to the beautiful banks of the Teche and follow her canoe and that of Gabriel as they glide along its placid waters, leaving scarcely a ripple on the gentle stream which, the names of the unhappy lovers have rendered immortal.

Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , 1891 , pp. 64 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1891

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References

1 For this sketch of the history of Acadia I have taken as my chief guide Parkman's admirable “Narratives,” although I do not always share his opinions and arrive at the same conclusions. For a complete bibliography of the subject see ‘Critical and Narrative History of America,’ edited by Justin Winsor.

∗ The Phonetic signs are from Passy's ‘Les Sons du Fransais.’

1 Mni

2 Puis.

3 The first person plural of the verb used with pronouns of first person sing. and third pers. pl.

4 Entendu.

5 Ceux.

6 Ils.

7 Défriché.

8 Champ; a curious expression. The word désert must have designated the prairies.

9 Teints.

10 Vareuses.

11 Pa ‘t.

12 Virer de bord, one of the nautical expressions so common among the Acadians.

13 Ginisse.

14 Elle.

15 Tu peux guetter va: You may say what you please.

16 Quand le Mardi Gras tomhait un samedi: In carnival time.

17 I avait pas de Catherine: It had to be done.

18 La tête.

19 Charrer, to converse.

20 Marraine.

21 A dish made with corn meal.

22 La moustiquaire.

23 On fumait un vilain coton, for on filait: We were in an embarrassing situation.

24 Procher côté le curé peu garder ses poules: I shall soon die; I shall be in the cemetery to take care of the curate's chickens.

25 Very long ago: D'Artaguette and Vincennes were burned by the Indians.

26 Le mors dux dents: stampede.

27 A curious rendering of “petit à petit l'oiseau fait son nid.”

28 Surprendre.

29 A pretty expression: “des déserts bien cultivés.”

30 Garder un P'tit chien de leur chienne: avoir une dent contre quelqu'un.

31 Après avoir du.

32 Remplir.

33 Invitait.

34 Grands diners.

35 The song is naive and graceful, although the metre is not always correct.

36 Un baiser.

37 During the Spanish domination.

38 A verb formed from tenir bon.

39 On ne reculait pas.

40 Cousaient.

41 Couturi res.

42 Railroad.

43 Steamboat.

44 Fatigué.

45 Charivari.

46 Du bruit.

47 Se Promener.

49 This incident is true, as well as the marriage that followed.

48 Demander.

50 On for nous, or je, is very common.

51 Oul'on est né.

52 Another nautical term for attache.