Can We Keep Cajun French Alive?
When I was a youngster growing up in Abbeville, Cajun French was spoken in our house daily. Today, one would be hard-pressed to find homes where French is spoken on a regular basis. Can we keep Cajun French alive?
Angel Moore posted to the Lafayette Memories Facebook Page her concern on the subject:
Angel lamented that Spanish is being taught in local schools, but not Cajun French. Several people mentioned the great French Immersion programs available at schools around Acadiana, but those programs teach Parisian French, not Cajun French.
One of the comments mentioned that a Cajun French course is available at nights, but the cost (for the person who mentioned it) was around $400 per course plus admission fees (which some may find prohibitively expensive).
There are "Cajun Tables" at several locations around Acadiana where locals gather to speak in Cajun French (or, as was pointed out, speaking ANY version of French is accepted and encouraged. (Dwyers in Lafayette, McD's in Breaux Bridge, the Musee' in Maurice)
Cecil Doyle made an interesting (but true) comment about the possibility of the Cajun French language never making a comeback because "Times change. They always do."
What are your thoughts? How could we keep the Cajun French language alive in Acadiana, or is it too late?