Cajun English, or Cajun Vernacular English, is the dialect of English spoken by Cajuns living in southern Louisiana and, to a lesser degree, in eastern Texas. Cajun English is significantly influenced by Cajun French, the historical language of the Cajun people, who descended from Acadian settlers and others. It is derived from Acadian French and is on the List of dialects of the English language for North America. This differed markedly from Metropolitan or Parisian French in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary, particularly because of the long isolation of Acadians, and even more so of Cajuns, from the Francophone world.

English is now spoken by the vast majority of the Cajun population, but French influence remains strong in terms of inflection and vocabulary. Their accent is considerably distinct from the General American.^[1] Cajun French is considered by many to be an endangered language, mostly used by elderly generations.^[2] However it is now frequently spoken by even the youngest Cajuns, and is seeing something of a cultural renaissance. In recent years, due to influence from tourism and a resurgence of pride in their cultural identity, has started a new era of linguistic innovation for Cajun English. Dramatic differences are developing along both gender and generational lines as for how Cajun English is used and what it means to be Cajun.^[3]

History[edit]

Cajuns and their distinct culture have been around since the late eighteen-century with their unique language is easily identifiable. The French were among the first to settle in what is now in what is now known as Louisiana. After France lost the war with Great Britain, the French gave up rights to their colonies in North American. The exiled Acadians would find themselves resettling in Louisiana. The small group of Acadians would arrive with a Spanish colony in the 1750’s; they would soon release how harsh their new environment would be. The new settlers would try their hands with agriculture and fishing in the Gulf of New Mexico. Not only did the Arcadians reside in this area or now known as the Spanish, but also Native Americans, African slaves, and French Creoles. All these cultures helped create the modern day Cajun culture. After the Louisiana Purchase in the 1800's, many Americans settlers would rush in to pursue opportunities to make money.

Cajun Folklife[edit]

Folklife can be described as the vernacular culture of Acadian refugees who settled in Louisiana. Cajun folklike involves a range of behaviors, food, music, traditions, religion and medicine. Cajuns is rooted in building a community and creating traditions for neighbors, friends and relatives. Especially the aspect of music has played an important role in the cajun lifestyle, the early 1970's was the center the study for Cajun folklife.

Perceptions[edit]

Cajun people of the 20th century were primarily farmers or fishermen. These people had a much different economic stance, culture and were heavily stereotyped as being poor or simple minded. The perception of people who speak cajun english have not always been positive. The state has rated AAE speakers higher than CE speakers, while the poor perfumes of Cajun English be blamed on parental speech habits. Cajun and French speakers are seen to be extremely friendly, honest and desirable. Unfortunately some of the stereotypes will prevail in regards to social and personal attributes but this is how these have become a marker of Cajun identity. People are prone to judge a person based on their dialect or accents.

Phonology[edit]

All vowels of Cajun English
English diaphoneme	Cajun phoneme	Example words
Pure vowels (Monophthongs)
/æ/	[æ]	act, pal, trap, ham, pass
/ɑː/	[ɑ]	blah, bother, father, lot, top, wasp
/ɒ/	[ɑ]	blah, bother, father, lot, top, wasp
/ɒ/	[a]	all, dog, bought, loss, saw, taught
/ɔː/	[a]	all, dog, bought, loss, saw, taught
/ɛ/	[ɛ~æ]	dress, met, bread
	[ɪ]	hem, pen
	[i]	length
/ə/	[ə]	about, syrup, arena
/ə/	[ɪ]	island, gamut, wasted
/ɪ/	[ɪ]	hit, skim, tip
/iː/	[iː]	beam, chic, fleet
(/i/)	[ɪ~i]	happy, very
/ʌ/	[ʌ]	bus, flood, what
/ʊ/	[ʊ]	book, put, should
/uː/	[uː]	food, glue, new
Diphthongs
/aɪ/	[ɑɪ~aː]	ride, shine, try, bright, dice, pike
/aʊ/	[aʊ~aː]	now, ouch, scout
/eɪ/	[eː]	lake, paid, rein
/ɔɪ/	[ɔɪ]	boy, choice, moist
/oʊ/	[oː]	goat, oh, show
R-colored vowels
/ɑːr/	[ɑ~a]	barn, car, park
/ɛər/	[ɛ~æ]	bare, bear, there
/ɜːr/	[ʌə~ʌɹ]	burn, doctor, first
/ər/	[əɹ]	herd, learn, murder
/ɪr/	[i~ɪ]	fear, peer, tier
/ɪər/	[i~ɪ]	fear, peer, tier
/ɔːr/	[ɔə~ɔɹ]	hoarse, horse, war
/ɒr/	[ɑ~ɔ]	orange, tomorrow
/ʊər/	[uə~ʊə]	poor, score, tour
/jʊər/	[uə~ʊə]	cure, Europe, pure

Cajun English is distinguished by some of the following phonological features:

The deletion of any word's final consonant (or consonant cluster), and nasal vowels, are common, both features being found in French. Therefore, hand becomes [hæ̃], food becomes [fuː], rent becomes [ɹɪ̃], New York becomes [nuˈjɔə], and so on.^[4]
The typical American gliding vowels [oʊ] (as in boat), [eɪ] (as in bait), [ʊu] (as in boot), [aʊ~æʊ] (as in bout), [äɪ] (as in bite), and [ɔɪ] (as in boy) have reduced glides or none at all: respectively, [oː], [eː], [uː], [aː~æː], [äː], and [ɔː]. ^[4]
Many vowels which are distinct in General American English are pronounced the same way due to a merger; for example, the words hill and heel are homophones, both being pronounced /hɪɹl/^{[citation needed]}.
Stress is generally placed on the second or last syllable of a word, a feature inherited directly from French.
The voiceless and voiced alveolar stops /t/ and /d/ often replace dental fricatives, a feature used by both Cajun English speakers and speakers of Louisiana Creole French (Standard French speakers generally produce alveolar fricatives in the place of dental fricatives). Examples include "bath" being pronounced as "bat" and "they" as "day."
Cajun English speakers generally do not aspirate the consonants /p/, /t/, or /k/. As a result, the words "par" and "bar" can sound very similar to speakers of other English varieties.
The inclusion of many loanwords, calques, and phrases from French, such as "nonc" (uncle, from the French oncle), "chèr" (dear, pronounced /ʃæ/, from the French chèr), and "making groceries" (to shop for groceries, a calque of the Cajun French faire des groceries (épicerie)).

These are a few other examples.

English	Cajun English (pronounced)
Ask	Ax
They	Dey
Them	Dem
Those	Dose
Something	Sometin
Think	Fink or Tink
Enough	Nuff
Respect	Respek
Except	Sept
Three	Tree
Louisiana	Looosiana

French-influenced Cajun vocabulary[edit]

Allons! : Let's go!
Alors pas : Of course not
cahbin : bathroom
co faire? : Why?
Fais do-do : Refers to a dance party, a Cajun version of a square dance.
Dis-moi la vérité ! : Tell me the truth!
Quoi faire ? : Why?
Un magasin : A store
Être en colère : To be angry
Mo chagren : I’m sorry
magazin : store
Une sucette : A pacifier
Une piastre : A dollar
Un caleçon : Boxers
Sha/chèr (a is pronounced like a in apple) : Dear or darling - also used as "buddy" or "pal"
Mais non, chèr ! : Of course not, dear!

Most confusing phrases[edit]

There are several phrases used by Cajuns that are completely unknown to non-Cajun speakers. When outside of Acadiana, Cajuns tend to be made fun of for using these phrases. Young Cajuns are often jokingly discouraged from marrying non-Cajuns for this simple fact. Some common phrases are listed below:

Come See[edit]

"Come see" is the equivalent of saying "come here" regardless of whether or not there is something to "see." The French "viens voir," or "venez voir," meaning "come" or "please come," is often used in Cajun French to ask people to come.^[5]. This phrasing may have its roots in "viens voir ici" (IPA: [isi]), the French word for "here."^{[citation needed]}

Save the dishes[edit]

To "save the dishes" means to "put away the dishes into cupboards where they belong after being washed". While dishes are the most common subject, it is not uncommon to save other things. For example: Save up the clothes, saving the tools, save your toys.

Get/Run down at the store[edit]

"Getting/Running down at the store" involves stepping out of a car to enter the store. Most commonly, the driver will ask the passenger, "Do you want to run/get down with me?" One can get down at any place, not just the store. The phrase "get down" may come from the act of "getting down from a horse" as many areas of Acadiana were only accessible by horse (or boat) well into the 20th century. It also may originate from the French language descendre meaning to get down, much as some English-Spanish bilingual speakers say "get down," from the Spanish bajar.

Makin' (the) groceries[edit]

"Makin' groceries" refers to the act of buying groceries, rather than that of manufacturing them. The confusion originates from the direct translation of the American French phrase "faire l'épicerie" which is understood by speakers to mean "to do the grocery shopping." "Faire" as used in the French language can mean either "to do" or "to make." This is a term frequently used in New Orleans, but it's not used very much elsewhere in the Acadiana area. ^[6]

Make water[edit]

"Makin water" is using the bathroom. One would say, "I need to go make water." It's mostly used in New Orleans.

"for" instead of "at"[edit]

Cajun English speakers can exhibit a tendency to use "for" instead of "at" when referring to time. For example, "I'll be there for 2 o'clock." means "I'll be there at 2 o'clock." Given the connection between Cajun English and Acadia, this phenomenon can also be seen among Canadian English speakers.

Pronunciation[edit]

=A       sounds like the “a” in “fat.”==

AH sounds like the “o” in “pot.”=[edit]

An sounds like the nasal vowel in "taunt" and “want.”=[edit]

AW sounds something like the “a” in “father.”=[edit]

CH sounds like "ch" in "cheer."=[edit]

E sounds like the “e” in “set”=[edit]

EH sounds like the “a” in baby, only it’s not as long or diphthongized.=[edit]

EE sounds like the vowel sound in “feet.”=[edit]

En sounds like the nasal vowel sound in "can't" and “pant.”=[edit]

EUH sounds something like the vowel sound in "put."=[edit]

J sounds like the initial consonant sound in "just"=[edit]

OH sounds like the vowel sound in "coat."=[edit]

On sounds something like the nasal vowel in "dawn."=[edit]

OO sounds like the vowel sound in “tool.”=[edit]

SH sounds like the initial consonant sound in "sugar."=[edit]

U sounds something like the vowel sound in "purée".=[edit]

UH sounds like the vowel sound in "up." =[edit]

Y sounds like the “y” in “yes”=[edit]

Writing[edit]

Eaxmple 1[edit]

Le problème se complique du fait de la variation inhérente au français cadien et des variantes dans les systèmes de transcription utilisés par les divers auteurs. Par exemple, on trouve une multiplicité de prononciations dans les diverses régions de l'Acadiana.

Example 2[edit]

Père: Je peux pas faire comme toi. J'sus cadien jusque dans les tripes. J'ai bu l'eau bousillée de Bayou Tèche et je peux pas quitter mon pays pour viv' chez les étrangers. Je peux pas faire comme toi, arrêter d'êt'cadien.

Example 3[edit]

Jolene: Passe-moi la lettre, Grandma. J'vas vous la lire. Chère Grand-mère, Je voudrais vous souhaiter mes meilleurs voeux à l'occasion de votre anniversaire. J'espère venir vous voir pendant les vacances de l'Action de Grâce pour pratiquer mon français. J'aime beaucoup le français. Amitiés et à bientôt, Marcus Daniels

Douce:Mais, chère, équand c'est il dit qu'il va venir nous 'oir?

Jolene:Pour Thanksgiving, Gram.

Douce:Boy, ça c'est un graçon qui connaît du bon français. (332)

Linguistic Differences[edit]

Louisiana Creole French = mixture of French (& to a smaller extent, Spanish) Superstrates/West African languages & Muskogean languages* Substrates Louisiana Creole French is NOT French. Cajun = DIALECT OF STANDARD FRENCH. Cajun is NOT a Creole (no language mixing).

V-Shaped Pattern[edit]

Variables are used by the older generation and are rejected by the middle generation while embraced by the younger generation. Examples: Heavy nasalization, monophthongization of "ay" and substitution of dental stops for interdental fricatives.

=International Dialects of English Archive[edit]

http://www.dialectsarchive.com/louisiana

Stereotypical Portrayals of Cajuns[edit]

Representation of Cajun[edit]

Cajun" was viewed as a derogatory label for the lower social class of the rural Acadians.

1. "from the arrival of exiles to the emergence of Cajuns as a discrete group."

"[...] small farmers raising crops and animals for subsistence supplemented with hunting and fishing bounties, poverty, a French Acadian origin, competent but not overzealous workers, enjoying life and good Christians. This yields the ideal typical portrait of Acadians as Catholic, poor but happy farmers of Canadian origin [...] " (1028).

2. "negative ascription of Cajun ethnicity (1860s to 1960s)" (1026). "The depiction of Cajuns in the second period, from 1880 to 1960, is more complex and complete and this period can be seen as the formative time of the Cajun stereotype. [...] Although language appears in most accounts with reference to the limited abilities of Cajuns to speak either French or English, occupations, activities and personal traits gather the greatest number of references. Acadian origin, relative poverty and a slow propensity to change also emerge as dominant traits" (1028). "The data yield an ideal typical image of Cajuns as adept agriculturalists of Acadian ancestry, Catholic, speaking a French dialect, living in relative yet poor simplicity enlightened by festive occasions, and slowly adapting to the changing world around them" (1030).

3. "ethnic resurgence (from the late 1960s on)" (1026).

"The portrayal of modern Cajuns is dominated by references to activities, occupation, language, environment and origin" (1030). "Many authors [...] note the evolution from marginal rural settlers to well-integrated productive members of a modern society" (1030). "Linguistic abilities are almost invariably mentioned [...] as peculiar in English and disappearing in French. Finally, references to Acadian origin, environment fitness and likable personal traits round up a portrayal of contemporary Cajuns as residents of Southwest Louisiana of Acadian descent, busy at many occupations and proudly celebrating a threatened heritage and a simple rural way of life"

In popular culture[edit]

Television[edit]

In the television series Treme, Cajun English is often used by most of the characters.
In the television series True Blood, the character René Lernier was introduced with a Cajun accent.
In X-Men : The Animated Series, the character Gambit was introduced as from Louisiana and is known to speak in a thick "Cajun" accent. However, his accent sounds more like the African American vernacular instead of a Cajun accent.
In the television miniseries Band of Brothers, the company's medic Eugene Roe is half-Cajun and speaks with a distinct accent.
- Likewise, Merriell "Snafu" Shelton from a companion miniseries The Pacific.
In the television series Swamp_People, Troy Landry speaks with a strong accent.
Spoken by chef and humorist Justin Wilson on his cooking shows for PBS and his comedy albums.
In the Heat of the Night: Season 2, Episode 12; "A.K.A. Kelly Kay"; Jude Thibodeaux ( Kevin Conway ) comes to Sparta in search of a former prostitute he controlled in New Orleans. Cajun accent is prominent.^[7]
Adam Ruins Everything features a recurring bit-character who speaks in a Cajun dialect, with subtitles.

Film[edit]

In the movie The Big Easy, Cajun English is often used by most of the characters.

Video games[edit]

Several characters of Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers, particularly the narrator, have Cajun accents. Some characters even use Cajun French phrases.

Louisiana Accents[edit]

A native of Louisiana demonstrates her understanding of the different accents in her home state, including the Cajun accent and the New Orleans accent. https://www.youtube.com/embed/eeR7Ljv_tPc?rel=0&autoplay=1&start=

American Tongues: Cajun English[edit]

A clip from the documentary American Tongues featuring two speakers of Cajun English who code-switch between Cajun English and French. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eqfdn8_ftYQ?rel=0&autoplay=1&start=

The Princess and The Frog- Meet Ray scene[edit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2vOEZEYdIs

Resources[edit]

PBS American Accent series - Cajun

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

References[edit]

^ Do You Speak American . Sea to Shining Sea. American Varieties: Cajun | PBS
^ Ramos, Raúl Pérez (2012). "Cajun Vernacular English A Study Over A Reborn Dialect" (PDF). Fòrum de Recerca. 17: 623–632 – via JSTOR.
^ Dubois, Sylvie (2000). "When the music change, you change too: Gender and language change in Cajun English". Language Variation and Change. 11 (3): 287–313. doi:10.1017/S0954394599113036 – via JSTOR.
^ ^a ^b Dubois & Horvath 2004, pp. 409–410.
^ Valdman 2009, p. 655.
^ http://french.about.com/od/grammar/a/faire.htm
^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0610572/?ref_=ttep_ep12

Biblography[edit]

Dubois, Sylvia; Horvath, Barbara (2004). Kortmann, Bernd; Schneider, Edgar W. (eds.). "Cajun Vernacular English: phonology". A Handbook of Varieties of English: A Multimedia Reference Tool. New York: Mouton de Gruyter.
Valdman, Albert (2009). Dictionary of Louisiana French. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604734034.