New England French
| New England French | |
|---|---|
| français de Nouvelle-Angleterre | |
| Native to | New England (primarily Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) |
Native speakers | 120,000 (2001) |
|
Indo-European
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | None |
New England French (French: français de Nouvelle-Angleterre) is a variety of Canadian French spoken in the New England region of the United States.[1]
New England French is one of the major forms of the French language that developed in what is now the United States, the others being Louisiana French and the nearly extinct Missouri French, Muskrat French and Métis French.
The dialect is the predominant form of French spoken in New England (apart from standard French), except in the Saint John Valley of northern Aroostook County, Maine, where Acadian French predominates.
The dialect is endangered, but its use is supported by bilingual education programs in place since 1987.[1]
Number of French-speakers by state
The figures below include speakers of any French dialect:
| State | Number of speakers | Proportion of population |
|---|---|---|
| Maine[2] | 47,066 | 3.73% |
| New Hampshire[2] | 24,697 | 1.98% |
| Vermont[2] | 9,543 | 1.61% |
| Rhode Island[2] | 11,477 | 1.15% |
| Massachusetts[2] | 65,874 | 1.06% |
| Connecticut[2] | 35,565 | 1.05% |
Francophone communities in New England
French language spoken at home by more than 10% of the population:[3] [4]
| Community | State | Percent French-speaking | Population (2010 census) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewiston | Maine | 14.8% | 36,592 |
| Biddeford | Maine | 13.0% | 21,277 |
| Berlin | New Hampshire | 18.8% | 10,051 |
| Sabattus | Maine | 12.3% | 4,876 |
| Fort Kent | Maine | 53.8% | 4,097 |
| Madawaska | Maine | 66.6% | 4,035 |
| Holden | Maine | 10.4% | 3,076 |
| Colebrook | New Hampshire | 12.8% | 2,301 |
| Van Buren | Maine | 59.8% | 2,171 |
| Milan | New Hampshire | 14.5% | 1,337 |
| Frenchville | Maine | 79.3% | 1,087 |
| Canaan | Vermont | 26.1% | 1,078 |
| Stewartstown | New Hampshire | 11.3% | 1,004 |
| Eagle Lake | Maine | 44.4% | 864 |
| Jackman | Maine | 12.7% | 862 |
| St. Agatha | Maine | 68.3% | 747 |
| Holland | Vermont | 10.7% | 588 |
| Wallagrass | Maine | 56.9% | 546 |
| St. Francis | Maine | 47.0% | 485 |
| Grand Isle | Maine | 64.2% | 467 |
| Portage Lake | Maine | 12.6% | 391 |
| New Canada | Maine | 48.8% | 321 |
| Caswell | Maine | 18.8% | 306 |
| Dummer | New Hampshire | 10.6% | 304 |
| Errol | New Hampshire | 10.5% | 291 |
| Saint John Plantation | Maine | 46.6% | 267 |
| Clarksville | New Hampshire | 18.6% | 265 |
| Stockholm | Maine | 10.4% | 253 |
| Allagash | Maine | 11.1% | 239 |
| Hamlin | Maine | 44.8% | 219 |
| Moose River | Maine | 10.0% | 218 |
| Norton | Vermont | 26.9% | 214 |
| Cyr Plantation | Maine | 59.0% | 103 |
| Ferdinand | Vermont | 19.4% | 33 |
| Wentworth's Location | New Hampshire | 28.6% | 33 |
See also
- Cajun French
- Acadian French
- French language in the United States
- Louisiana French
- French language in Canada
- Canadian French
- American French
References
- 1 2 Ammon, Ulrich; International Sociological Association (1989). Status and Function of Languages and Language Varieties. Walter de Gruyter. pp. 306–308. ISBN 0899253563. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over (B16001): All States Within United States, 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- ↑ "Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over (B16001): All County Subdivisions within Maine, 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- ↑ "Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over (B16001): All County Subdivisions within New Hampshire, 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau American FactFinder. Retrieved April 21, 2014.