Acadian Dialect
Zia Padilla

The Acadian French dialect originated from Acadia, and is spoken in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Quebec. The dialect came to Canada from Acadian settlers, who have already considered themselves separate from France
It’s fairly similar to French as they mostly use the same words, but it’s different from French in a sense that they have significantly different accents than those who speak Quebecois and they have very defined grammatical rules, which are unspoken.
They have a strong pronunciation of I, E, A, for example: Vert = Varre, and their ‘ain/ien’ is pronounced ‘onne’ ex. Chien = Chionne.
The difference with accents in French and the Acadian dialect can be so significant that it can sound like an entirely different language, it can be comparable to Western English and Welsh English. Acadians can usually understand Quebecois and French fairly easily although the same can’t be said about the other party, Acadian’s tend to speak both a mix of English and French to other French speakers in order to communicate well.

Languedoc French dialect
Parteek Gill

For this assignment I decided to choose the languedoc french dialect because it’s been here since the medicinal times and I’ve never heard of it. It is located on the southern part of the French region close to Monaco and is in a area of major wine production. Unlike regular French and Spanish there is no single written standard language called “languedoc” but it’s similar to French in a way of pronunciation in words like “hello” and “yes” and the people who speak it or mostly from areas of France. This is a very rare dialect to come across even though oddly enough it’s been here for many years. This dialect also has bits of Spanish and Dutch as-well so it is very diverse. This language was also spoken in the early 21 century by a estimate of 1,500,000 people in southern France but now that number had dropped tremendously. This dialect has another name called Occitan as-well.

LE DIALECTE QUÉBÉCQOIS par Mahirah Afsheen

Le français québécois est parlé à travers la province de Québec et il est aussi répandu dans l’est de la province de l’Ontario, et dans l’ouest du Nouveau-Brunswick. Le français (québécois) est la seule langue officielle au Québec.

La langue parlée actuellement au Québec est proche de la langue parlée en France notamment au nord du pays aux 17ème et 18ème siècles. La plupart des colons de la Nouvelle France (le vieux nom de la province de Québec) provenaient du nord de la France. Les nouveaux arrivants s’appelaient ‘’des colons’’ et ils se sont établis en Amérique du Nord à la fin du 17ème siècle et durant le 18ème siècle.

L’accent québécois est beaucoup plus nasal que l’accent français. La caractéristique définitoire du québécois est certainement l’intégration des mots anglais dans le vocabulaire, avec – bien sûr – changement de tonalité et de prononciation. Ceci s’applique beaucoup aux verbes anglais qui suivent la déclination française. Exemple : switcher, deleter, etc (conjugués comme des verbes français du 1 er groupe). La lettre ‘R’ est prononcée comme un mélange entre le ‘R’ anglais et le ‘R’ de l’alphabet français.

Les lois qui protègent la langue française au Québec sont très restrictives, et elles obligent l’affichage des publications, des signes de trafic, des affiches, etc que ça soit en français. On dirait que le français québécois est plus “français’’ que le français de France. Par exemple, le signe ‘STOP’ est traduit par “ARRÊT’’ au Québec, tandis qu’ailleurs dans le monde incluant la France il est utilisé tel quel. C’est pareil pour le mot “PARKING’’ qui est utilisé en France, mais n’est pas en usage au Québec. Le mot utilisé au Québec est “STATIONNEMENT’’.

Contrièrement aux autres dialectes français, le québécois est protégé “vigoureusement’’ par des lois officielles de la province de Québec et du Canada.

(nombre de mots environ 300)

Chinook Jargon
Kushleen Dhaliwal

For this project, I have chosen to research Chinook Jargon. This dialect was spoken in Cascadia long before the first European settlers arrived. During the fur trade in the early 19th century, Chinook Jargon spread from lower Columbia River to modern Oregon and Washington then British Columbia and as far as Alaska and the Yukon Territory. The only difference Chinook Jargon has from regular French is that there were some changes made in the pronunciation of the words. A similar part is that the vocabulary and grammar were mostly the same to normal French. Some interesting facts about Chinook Jargon is that this dialect was established in 1860. Chinook Jargon is still surprisingly spoken today by some residents of Oregon. Chinook Jargon is also addressed as Tsinuk Wawa. I chose this dialect because I didn't obtain much knowledge about this dialect and I wanted to learn about it since it stood out to me.

Chinook Jargon Dialect
Leela Bolton Ghosh

Chinook Jargon is a pidgin language that was once widely spoken in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It was used as a lingua franca between indigenous people, European explorers, and traders from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. The language originated in the Chinookan-speaking communities of the Columbia River basin and was later adopted and adapted by other tribes, including the Nootka, Tlingit, and Salishan peoples. Chinook Jargon has many similarities to French, including its use of nasal vowels, definite and indefinite articles, and word order. However, unlike French, which is a highly developed and complex language, Chinook Jargon is relatively simple and has a limited vocabulary. It also incorporates many loanwords from English, Spanish, and other Indigenous languages, making it a unique and dynamic language. One interesting fact about Chinook Jargon is that it was used as a secret code by the indigenous people to communicate with each other during negotiations with traders and settlers. The language was also used extensively in the shipping industry as a way for crew members from different backgrounds to communicate. Today, Chinook Jargon is considered an endangered language, with very few native speakers remaining. However, efforts are being made to preserve and revitalize the language through language classes and cultural events.

Michif: mixed French-Cree language
By: Amira Balagan

Michif is a mixed language spoken in Canada, primarily used in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It is spoken by the Métis people, who are of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry. Michif is a unique language because it combines elements of both French and Cree. It is believed to have originated in the late 18th or early 19th century when Canadian fur traders started marrying Indigenous women and adopting their language (and culture.) The grammar of Michif is based on Cree, however, the vocabulary is primarily based on French, although it also includes words from Cree and other Indigenous languages. Michif is known for its complex verb system, which includes both French and Cree verb forms. Michif has the same noun gender, verb tenses, pronunciation, and most vocabulary as french. Making it fairly easy for French speakers to learn. Michif is a highly endangered language since there are only a few thousand speakers left. There are language classes and immersion programs to help preserve and promote the language. Another interesting fact is that Michif is not standardized and has several dialects. These dialects can differ in terms of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, depending on the region and the speakers. In conclusion, I have learned that Michif is a very unique language as it is a complex language with many elements. The history behind it is very interesting and I would love to learn more about it.

Michif Mixed Language
Dilshaan Dhaliwal

Michif is a unique and endangered dialect of French spoken in certain regions of Canada, primarily in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with smaller pockets in Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories. Michif is considered a mixed language, as it combines elements of French and Cree, a First Nations language. It is primarily spoken by the Métis people. One of the main differences between Michif and standard French is its vocabulary, which includes a significant amount of Cree phrases. Michif also has a unique grammar structure, combining French verb conjugations with Cree noun inflections. Despite its differences from standard French, Michif is considered mutually unintelligible with other French dialects and is typically only spoken by a few fluent speakers. Michif is considered endangered, with efforts being made to revitalize and preserve the language through language revitalization programs, cultural initiatives, and educational efforts. An Interesting fact about Michif is its unique history and cultural significance, as it represents the language and culture of the Métis people, who are of mixed Indigenous and French Canadian heritage. Michif has a rich oral tradition, with traditional stories, songs, and cultural practices passed down through generations in the Michif language. Michif is considered an essential part of the cultural heritage of the Métis people. Personally, I find the mixing of languages unique as it creates diversity and another way of speaking the French language

Here is My dialect Project, I chose to research the dialect Michif and a variation of it called French Michif.

For this project, I did research on Metis French, which is a French spoken dialect in Canada. Métis French is a dialect of French spoken by the Métis people, who come from French and Indigenous people. It is spoken in parts of Western Canada such as Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Some examples of similarities between Métis French and standard French include using the same alphabet and many of the same grammatical structures. However, Métis French also has some differences compared to standard French. One major difference is Metis French words and phrases from Indigenous languages, and using distinct vocabulary and pronunciation. Along with that, Métis French is sometimes written using a unique orthography that is different from standard French spelling. An example of that is the word where. pwâ is Métis French for where and où is standard French. Both of these words mean "where", but Métis French uses the letter "w" to represent the w /sound, while standard French uses the letter "o". An interesting fact about Métis French is it has been recognized by the Canadian government as an official language, alongside English and French.

Chinook Jargon
Harleen Mann

Chinook Jargon, also called Tsinuk Wawa, pidgin, is a formerly used trade language in the Pacific Northwest region of North America which is presently extinct. It originated from Northwest Coast Indians, Chinook, and Nootka people. During the early fur trade era, the Métis voyageurs were the main contact the companies had with their native suppliers and customers, and many key words of the jargon were adapted from the patois spoken by these intrepid travelers and woodsmenChinook jargon became s a means of communication between natives of different speech, as well as between them and the whites. It was even used as such between Americans and Canadians. Numerous aspects of Chinook Jargon are related to French, such as the word order, usage of nasal vowels, and definite and indefinite articles. However, Chinook Jargon is very simple and has a small vocabulary, unlike French, which is a highly developed and intricate language. It is a distinctive and dynamic language because it also borrows vocabulary from English, Spanish, and other Indigenous languages. Chinook jargon was used as a secret code by the indigenous people to communicate during trade negotiations. It was also used as a base language for the crew members to communicate during trades so that people from different cultural backgrounds are still able to communicate with others. I think this was a really efficient way to be inclusive during trade and to allow everyone to have the opportunity to talk in one main language. Today, this language is extinct; however, it is still spoken by a small amount of native speakers.

Acadian Dialect
Preet Brar

Acadian French is a distinct dialect of French, originating from Acadia but spoken primarily in the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and parts of Quebec. It came from the Acadian settlers who migrated from France to the Atlantic provinces of Canada in the 17th century. Acadian French exhibits several differences from standard French while still maintaining many similarities. For example, in Acadian French, there is a tendency to preserve the pronunciation of the letter "r" at the end of words, whereas in Canadian French, it is often silent. Phonetically, the dialect features unique vowel sounds and intonation patterns, often characterized by a nasal twang. Additionally, there are variations in vocabulary, grammar, and syntax, influenced by the English and indigenous languages spoken in the region. English loanwords are also prevalent in Acadian French due to the historical and ongoing contact between English and French speakers. Interesting facts about Acadian French include its strong ties to Acadian culture and history. Despite facing significant historical challenges, such as the Great Expulsion in 1755 when Acadians were forcefully displaced, the dialect has managed to survive and thrive. Acadian French is known for its vibrant oral traditions, including storytelling, music, and folklore.

Chiac Dialect
Emma Millward
The Chiac dialect is a regional variety of French most commonly spoken in New Brunswick. Chiac is most common in cities such as Moncton, Shediac, Dieppe and Memramcook, where it is many people's native tongue. However, outside of Canada, no other prominent groups speak Chiac.
Chiac is a distinct variety of French that blends Acadian French, traditional French and English. Many people consider Chiac a distinct dialect, but others consider it an accent on traditional French spoken in New Brunswick. Chiac has three essential similarities to French: vocabulary, grammatical structure and cultural influence. Like French, Chiac shares many of the same expressions, words, sounds, sentence structures, verb conjugation rules, noun-adjective agreements and homages to Acadian culture.
Conversely, Chiac differs from French for the following reasons: use and acceptance of English words, pronunciation, grammar and informality. Unlike French, Chiac often incorporates English words into phrases and conjugates them using adapted grammar and phonological rules. For example, to say, "last night I went to the mall with my friends to buy some stuff," in Chiac, it would be written as "Hier soir, j'ai gone au mall avec mes friends pour acheter du stuff." In French, it would be written as "Hier soir, je suis allé(e) au centre commercial avec mes amis pour acheter des affaires." As shown above, Chiac incorporates many English words cognates that are not used in traditional French. Furthermore, Chiac is grammatically less formal than French and conjugates some words with English vocabulary.
An interesting fact about Chiac is that it is typically only used in informal settings. As a result, formal settings such as education, work or media take place in traditional French. Using both traditional French and Chiac to communicate creates a vast number of bilingual speakers in areas such as New Brunswick. In my opinion, learning Chiac is extremely beneficial because speakers are well versed in two languages.

Chinook Jargon
Erika Ingbritson-Hunt


In the early 1800s to late 1900s the Chinook Jargon was a small but growing dialect in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest Territories. The language was a mixture of lower chinook French English with some added slang from the Salesian peoples. It was a simple and not complex way for tribes to communicate when making trades. As the dialect evolved more English words were moved in and the dialect slowly died. Fort Vancouver was the Hub for this dialect in 1825 during the Hudsons Bay company headquarters start up, since it was the major trading system at the time.in 1838 a dictionary was created for this dialect to have written form to be pass along through generations. the language started as mostly lower chinook words, until later in its development when French was a vase majority of it words. this language consisting of about 700 words was dependant on context to make sense of what peoples were talking about, because there was such little exchange in words. this language interests me because of the use of context and not a lot of grammar. like sign language they believed there was no use of using word like: is, because, was, for, it. instead they relied on creating the context for themselves. For us a sentence might look like, this jacket is twenty dollars. In the Chinook Jargon the sentence would look for like, jacket twenty. Which I think was a vey smart was to create more of universal language between tribes.