Cadien French of the Terrebonne Parish - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

This article treats grammar of the French language such as she is spoken in the Paroisse about Terrebonne in Louisiana. This dialect of French is usually called “French cadien”.

Word order

The word order in the simple sentence is the same one as in French of France. Subject - verb - complement.

Negative form

The negative form is built by simply adding not after the verb.

Interrogative form

The interrogative form is obtained in two ways.

I. the way easiest to transform an affirmative sentence into an interrogative sentence consists in giving an intonation rising at the end of the question.

II. To use . The expression left the everyday usage. But it is always included/understood by the speakers like an old form.

Names

Kind

As in international French, all the names are either male, or female. There is no neutral kind. The names which designate people or animals of male sex are male kind. The names which designate people or animals of female sex are female kind. However, this rule is not of any help for the identification like all the names which nominate neither the persons nor the animals of male sex or female. The best way of knowing the kind of these names is to memorize the definite article with each new learned name.

Note: Certain names can have a different kind in Louisiana and France.

Definite article

The definite article agrees in kind and of number with the name which it accompanies. The forms of the definite article are:

Notice concerning the definite articles:

1. the is the only form of the plural of the definite article.

2. the is used only with the names starting with a vowel or a H dumb. To identify the kind of these names one will use the indefinite article.

Plural of the names

For the majority of the names, plural is formed by adding a - S with the form of the singular ( - S nonmarked). The rules are those of international French.

Exceptions

1. The names whose singular ends in - S , - X , or - Z do not take any other mark in the plural.

2. The names ending in - with the or - have in the singular take a - X in the plural.

3. The names finished by - Al or - garlic in the singular take in the place the termination - with the in the plural.

4. Some particular cases:

Indefinite article

The indefinite article is a in front of a male name and a in front of a female name.

As indicated previously, the indefinite article makes it possible to identify the kind of the names starting with a vowel or a H dumb.

Qualifying adjectives

The adjectives agree in kind and of number with the names to which their direction relates. A singular male name requires the form masculine-singular of all the adjectives which accompany it. A name female-plural requires the form female-plural of the adjectives. From where four possible forms of the adjective: masculine singular, female singular, male plural and female plural.

female singular of the adjectives

The female singular of the adjectives is marked by adding the letter - E to the form of the singular masculine. However, if the form of the singular masculine ends already in a - E , nothing is added since, in this case, the singular masculine and the female singular are identical. See the following examples:

The three following adjectives also have, in addition to one female irregular, a second form of the masculine used in front of a male name starting with a vowel or a H dumb. These adjectives are among most current of the language.

Plural of the adjectives

The plural of the majority of the adjectives is formed by adding a S to the form of the singular.

Current exceptions:

1. The form of the plural masculine does not change if the form of the singular masculine ends in a S or a X.

2. Adjectives ending in - water take a X with the plural masculine.

Place des adjectives

The adjectives are generally placed after the name which they qualify.

Here a list of current adjectives which are placed normally BEFORE the names that they qualify.

* Adjectival having one 2nd form of the singular masculine before the names starting with a vowel.

Pronouns

In the Parish of Terrebonne, the pronouns are utlisent about as the names which they replace.

Personal pronouns

The personal pronouns represent living beings or things. Here a table of the prone personal pronouns used in French of the Parish of Terrebonne.

1. In front of a verb beginning with a vowel the - E of I contract or elides myself to become I . In front of verbs starting with a consonant, this phenomenon is also very frequent, but not universal. One can thus hear in Louisiana I want or I want , but one will always hear I have .

2. One will hear sometimes also ej in front of verbs starting with a consonant. It is possible, for example, that I want , that is to say also marked ej' want .

3. The disjoined form of the pronoun is frequent, my (here = me ) often preceding I to mark insistence: My, I want to leave .

TU/VOUS

1. You is elided in front of a vowel to become you , as in you listenings . In front of a consonant, you decides Ti .

2. Although you can be used as singular pronoun in Louisiana, it is usually reserved for the solemn situations or, more usually, to testify to its respect towards one or more elder.

3. In French cadien, the usual plural of you as of is to you you-others .

1. Singular male prone pronoun (refers to human of male sex as to any name of male kind, as in standard French).

2. In front of a consonant, the pronoun it decides I in general. The cadiens authors write it usually I' : I' never will tell you the truth. But one will have: It is much valiant.

ALE

1. As for he , the L is usually not pronounced in front of a consonant. The speakers usually say “has' wants to leave” and “Ale left” .

ONE

1. As in familiar French in the whole world, one is used in French cadien like equivalent of “us” .

2. One is often preceded by the pronoun we-others . We-others, one is proud world.

VOUS-AUTRES

1. You-others is at the same time the plural of you and you .

2. You-others , in general, is followed same verbal form as to the third nobody of the singular, it : You-others goes to the ball at evening?

THEY

1. With third person plural, the form of female the they is seldom used.

2. They can be at the same time the form of the masculine and the female one.

HAD, THAT, EUX-AUTRES

1. In Louisiana, third person plural ( they ) is expressed various ways: they, had, that, and them-others .

2. Had , as a prone pronoun, is current in the Parishes of Terrebonne and Lafourche, but is not the general rule elsewhere in Louisiana.

3. The other forms are rather widely distributed geographically and, individually, the speakers often use several of these forms.

4. Certain old speakers usually use the verbal terminations - ent or - have with they , while they use the termination of the third nobody of the singular with that, them-others and had . It is it should be noted that there is however a certain variability, because certain speakers use a plural verbal form with them-others and/or had .

5. The verbal termination - has is falling quickly in disuse in the Parishes from Terrebonne and Lafourche; she hardly any more gets along.

6. That is also used for “one” or “people” . That speaks French over there?

Conclusive pronouns

The conclusive pronouns agree in kind and of number ACEC the name which they represent.

Interrogative pronouns

Which

Prone

Which this which will arrive to me tomorrow? (France: What will arrive to me tomorrow?)

Which it is which makes these lullabies? (France Which makes these rocking chairs?)

Which becomes that in front of a word starting with a vowel.

Which this that after arriving? (France: What occurs?)

Which this that ale made? (France: What did it make?)

Attribute of the subject When which is attribute of the subject, usual construction is Which it is… or, with the past, Which it was…

Which it is the name of this song? (France: Which is the name of this song?)

Which it is that? (France: What is it that?)

Alternative: which this (that).

Which this that the caniques ones? (France: What is it, of the balls? or: What of the balls?)

It is very current to use which all alone like complement of object to the interrogative form.

Which you-others will make tomorrow? (France: What will you make tomorrow?)

Which after speaking to you about? (France: About what you do speak? /About what do speak you?)

Note:: Which after speaking to you about? What can seem a copy of English is, in fact, a construction attested as of the Middle Ages and in certain dialects of France, like in the popular speech.

Familiar safety Which that known as? and the expression Which has there? is also examples of the same employment.

Which that known as? (France: What is nine?) : '' What do they say? ''

Which has there? (France: What is there?)

Direct object When which is direct object, the forms which this that and which it is that is often used.

Which this that you want to know there? (France: What do you want to know?)

Say-my which this that you want. (France: Say to me what you want.)

The last that is sometimes absent in this construction.

I do not know in whom that put that front. (France: I do not know in what one put that front.)

That depends on which this that I speak. (France: That depends on what I speak.)

Questions-tags Which is only used in the questions-tags, exclamations and the echoes questions.

My, I do not know if it were after coming in childhood, or who. (France: equivalent of or what)

Which, you rôdailles all the day icitte? (France: What!)

I wonder who bought which. (France: who bought what)

Complement of object of an infinitive Which is also only used when it is complement of object of an infinitive.

All this that it makes is to show them which to make. (France: All that it does, it is to show them what to make.)

I do not know who to make. (France: I cannot what make.)

To avoid any ambiguity, the word how can be used in the place of which when one does not have something of course.

Examples

Which you ace makes yesterday? (France: What did you make yesterday?)

How? did not include/understand your question.

When/Équand

The word when prefix E is normally supplemented. It is very current to hear équand . As for which , one can have the optional additions of the suffixes this that and this .

Examples

Équand you will return?

Équand this which it will begin the school?

Équand this the boat fixed, I swam with the shallow. (France: When the boat ran, I regained the edge of the bayou to the stroke.)

How

With how , the verb which follows is often omitted.

Examples

How your mother? (France: How your mother is?)

How children? (France: How the children are?)

How crabs soft? (France: How are the crabs?)

In all the other cases, the word how has a regular construction. But the suffix this is used little with how , being given possible confusion between how this and begins .

Examples

Comment you ace does that?

Comment this that one will pay for that?

Ayoù/Éyoù

The words ayoù and éyoù are both used for standard French “where”. They follow the same rules as the word how , the verb which follows (to be) being able, there too, to be omitted. Ayoù and éyoù is interchangeable.

Examples

Ayoù children? (France: Where are the children?)

the hole, it is ayoù there the most chevrettes. (France: The hole, it is where there are the most shrimps).

Éyoù this which left to you? (France: Where do you go? fam. Where you go?).

How much

Even employment that in standard French, but with the possible addition of a that (that one finds in France in the slackened speech).

Examples

How much chevrettes (that) you want?

How much days (that) has there in the month of Juliette?

How much? (Which number? Which quantity?)

Quo' to make

The expression quo' to make (= what to make) means “why” and gets busy in the same way that “why”. Note: the synonym “why which” fell in disuse in the parish from Terrebonne.

Examples

Quo' to make you ace over there be?

Quo' to make one cannot go?

I do not know quo' to make had did that. (France: I do not know why they did that)

Quo' to make? (France: Why?)

When “why that” was of use in the parish of Terrebonne, employment was the same one as “quo' to make”.

Pourquoi that you ace does that?

I do not know why that had did that.

Relative pronouns

The words which , employed in the function of subject, and that , employed in the function of direct object, is the relative pronouns most important. Which and that can both refer to people or things, or. Which and that becomes both that in front of a vowel. That can be omitted when it is relative pronoun, exactly as “that” can the English being.

Examples

I bought the éprévier that you wanted.

That, it is doëtte the woman whom had was 'EP speech afterwards. (France: That must be the woman about which they spoke.)

I know a woman who makes trollops with the hand. (France: I know a woman who makes headstocks with the hand.)

It gave me one toyasse that cured my cough. (France: It gave me a herb tea which cured my cough.)

Made up relative pronouns

Relative the that which (in France: what ) is that which is employed in the function of subject and that (France: what ) that which is employed in the function of direct object. As each time, that and which becomes that in front of a vowel.

Examples

You can take that you want.

One does not know that which makes this seraglio.

In that , according to the speakers, the that can be removed.

You cannot say that you want.

I made that I could.

Reflexive pronouns

The reflexive pronouns get busy only with reflexive verbs. They always agree with the subject. Like the pronouns complements, the reflexive pronouns are placed right in front of the verb at all times, except with the requirement. Me , you and are become me , you and in front of a vowel.

Examples

I will buy a new tank to me.

Équand this that you lay down you, Madam?

I' broke the leg.

One gets rid well in English. (France: One manages well in English.)

Them-others speaks itself the every day. (France: They speak each other the every day.)

Indefinite pronouns

The indefinite pronouns are pronouns which represent names which are not specified. They can occupy the function of subject, complement D `direct object or complement of indirect object.

one (E) other, others/of the others, some (E) S, each one (E), several, quèques-ones

These words must have an antecedent (a word, an expression, or a proposal to which a pronoun refers).

Examples

Alle lost its house for Rita, that made, a' bought another .

I cannot decide équel tank I want because there of it several has.

You ace Li your books for the school? Ouais, I have Li each one .

one (E) other, others/of the others, some (E) S, several, quèques-ones

These pronouns also get busy to express the quantity. Also must they be preceded by the pronoun in when they are in position of direct object and that the name is removed.

Examples

Y has other women (that) you can marry. → Y has of it others (that) you can marry.

Y has certain plants which can cure you. → Y has of it some which can cure you.

each one (E), several, quèques-ones

These pronouns can be modified by the addition of among + them-others, had, we-others or you-others, or by the addition of + name, but they remain with the third nobody. Examples

Each one of my sisters is married.

Quèques-ones among you-others are avoided.

Several of my padnas is icitte. (France: padnas = partners = buddies)

each one (E), quèque thing, quèqu' one, everyone, all the businesses

These pronouns always involve the verbal mark of the third nobody of the singular, except all the businesses .

Examples

Each one (E) among you-others will do it.

Quèque thing fell to the floor.

Quèqu' a stole my boat!

Everyone is icitte.

All the businesses are good.

quèque thing, quèqu' a

When these pronouns are followed of modifying (an adjective, for example), the preposition of must be used between the pronoun and the modifying one.

Examples

Mame bought quèque thing to me good.

Quèqu' a funny of is after stealing your tank! (France: Somebody of odd is stealing your car) .

See Too

Parish Terrebonne

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