Louisiana French (LF) (French: français de la Louisiane, Louisiana Creole: Françé La Lwizyann) refers to the group of French dialects spoken in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and formerly elsewhere in colonial Lower Louisiana. It comprises several distinct varieties. Figures from the United States Census report that roughly 3.5% of Louisianans over the age of 5 were claimed to speak French or a French-based creole in their homes.
The most widely spoken form of Louisiana French is Cajun French, sometimes known as Louisiana Regional French. It developed after the arrival of Acadian migrants during the Great Upheaval of the 18th century. A prestige dialect known as Colonial or Plantation Society French was formerly prominent, but has now largely been subsumed into the Cajun dialect. Additionally, Louisiana Creole French is a related creole language.
Speakers of Louisiana French identify ethno-racially as Creole, French Creole, Spanish Creole, Mississippi Creole, Alabama Creole, Texas Creole, California Creole, African-American, Black, Chitimacha, Houma, Biloxi, Tunica, Choctaw, White, Cajun, Acadian, French, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Syrian, Lebanese, Irish and others. Individuals and groups of individuals, through innovation, adaptation and contact, continually enrich the French language spoken in Louisiana, seasoning it with linguistic features sometimes only found in Louisiana.
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