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)
Official status
Recognised minority
language in
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] The largest communities are in Maine.[2] New England French is one of the three major forms of the French language that developed in what is now the U.S., the others being Louisiana French and the nearly extinct Missouri French. The dialect is endangered, but its use is supported by bilingual education programs in place since 1987.[1]

Number of French-speakers by state

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 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


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 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.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "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.
  3. ↑ "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.
  4. ↑ "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.