It is difficult to describe the Acadian French language without mentioning the colorful and diverse language that is present in each region. Acadian French is so rich in accents that you can even detect subtle differences between two villages in the same region.
Here you will discover a few different types of languages from the Acadian historical regions of Nova Scotia. With these excerpts, you will also discover a little nugget of Acadian culture.
- The Pomquet area
This village was founded around 1774 by five families from Saint-Malo (Bretagne, France). It is located on the south shore of Pomquet’s harbor, which links the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the north side. The excerpt that you will listen to tells a story of the settlement of Pomquet by the Acadians.
(May Bouchard)
- The Chéticamp area
The village of Chéticamp was founded in 1785. Isolated, its inhabitants lived and still live for the most part on the fishing industry. Today an outstanding tourist destination in Nova Scotia, this small Acadian village of Cape Breton has succeeded in preserving its culture and ancestral values. The following excerpt recounts the history of Chéticamp while combining the particularity of the language.
(Charlie Dan Roach)
- St. Mary’s Bay area
St. Mary’s Bay is one of the strongholds of Acadia in Nova Scotia. Many Acadians live on these lands and many villages have French names: Petit-Ruisseau, Anse-des-Belliveau, Rivière-aux-Saumons… The Université Sainte-Anne, located in Church Point, offers diverse programs to the Francophones of the province. In this excerpt, a gentleman from Saulnierville will explain the wide range of accents in Acadia.
(Jean-Louis Robichaud)
- Par-en-Bas area
The Par-en-Bas area is unique as it cannot be attributed with one particular accent. Have a discussion with the Acadians of Wedgeport, Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau or Pubnico and you will quickly discover the many colorful accents of the language. The following excerpt tells the history of Pubnico and of Nova Scotia’s Acadia.
(Father Maurice LeBlanc)
Here is also an excerpt of a conversation with a resident of Pubnico, who explains the garden of the first Acadians.
(Jean-Louis Robichaud)
- Par-en-Bas area
The Par-en-Bas area is unique as it cannot be attributed with one particular accent. Have a discussion with the Acadians of Wedgeport, Sainte-Anne-du-Ruisseau or Pubnico and you will quickly discover the many colorful accents of the language. The following excerpt tells the history of Pubnico and of Nova Scotia’s Acadia.
(Father Maurice LeBlanc)
Here is also an excerpt of a conversation with a resident of Pubnico, who explains the garden of the first Acadians.
(Bernice d'Entremont)
- Isle Madame area
(excerpt not yet available)
These excerpts are the exclusive property of the Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse.
