Missouri French
Encyclopedia
Missouri French is a nearly extinct variety of the French language formerly spoken in the upper Mississippi River
Valley in the Midwestern United States
, particularly in eastern Missouri
. Once spoken widely across the region known as the Illinois Country
or Upper Louisiana, the dialect is now highly endangered, with only a few elderly local residents able to speak it. It is one of the three major forms of French that originated in the United States, together with Louisiana French
and New England French (Acadian).
, are descendants of the early French
settlers of the upper Mississippi River
Valley, the region then known as Illinois Country
or Upper Louisiana . French colonization of the region began in the late 17th century by Acadian coureurs de bois from what is now Canada
. By 1760, they had settled six towns — Cahokia
, Kaskaskia
, St. Philippe, Nouvelle Chartres, and Prairie du Rocher
in present-day Illinois
, and Ste. Genevieve
in Missouri — and claimed the region for the colony of French Louisiana
.
As the British
moved into the Northwest Territory
(the region to the east of the Mississippi), which they finally annexed in 1765 following the French and Indian War
, many of these French colonists relocated across the river into what is now Missouri, establishing St. Louis
and other settlements and outposts. From that time through the early 19th century Creoles began settling in the Ozark highlands above the river, particularly after all of French Louisiana was sold to the United States
in 1803. French speakers flocked to the mountains following Moses Austin
's establishment of serious mining operations at Potosi
in 1797, and founded settlements such as Old Mines , which became a center of Missouri French language and culture.
Linguists began studying Missouri's French enclave in the 20th century, as the dialect was dying out. At this time much of the population was centered in the Old Mines area in the Missouri Ozarks. J.-M. Carrière noted that there were around 600 French-speaking families around Old Mines in the 1930s and 1940s. Carrière undertook a study of the dialect, recording 73 folk tales from local conteurs
. Among other distinguishing features, he noted that Missouri French had been heavily influenced by English, with many English words and even entire idiomatic phrases borrowed or translated into the dialect. This contact led to a substantial decline in use of French over the next decades; by the end of the century, only a handful of elderly speakers of Missouri French remained.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
Valley in the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
, particularly in eastern Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Once spoken widely across the region known as the Illinois Country
Illinois Country
The Illinois Country , also known as Upper Louisiana, was a region in what is now the Midwestern United States that was explored and settled by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. The terms referred to the entire Upper Mississippi River watershed, though settlement was concentrated in...
or Upper Louisiana, the dialect is now highly endangered, with only a few elderly local residents able to speak it. It is one of the three major forms of French that originated in the United States, together with Louisiana French
Louisiana French
Louisiana French is the regional variety of the French language spoken throughout contemporary Louisiana in the south-eastern USA by individuals who today identify ethno-racially as Creole, French Creole, Spanish Creole, Mississippi Creole, Alabama Creole, Texas Creole, California Creole,...
and New England French (Acadian).
History
Speakers of Missouri French, who call themselves CréolesCreole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
, are descendants of the early French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
settlers of the upper Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
Valley, the region then known as Illinois Country
Illinois Country
The Illinois Country , also known as Upper Louisiana, was a region in what is now the Midwestern United States that was explored and settled by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. The terms referred to the entire Upper Mississippi River watershed, though settlement was concentrated in...
or Upper Louisiana . French colonization of the region began in the late 17th century by Acadian coureurs de bois from what is now Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. By 1760, they had settled six towns — Cahokia
Cahokia, Illinois
Cahokia is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 16,391. The name is a reference to one of the clans of the historic Illini confederacy, who were encountered by early French explorers to the region.Early European settlers also...
, Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
, St. Philippe, Nouvelle Chartres, and Prairie du Rocher
Prairie du Rocher, Illinois
Prairie du Rocher is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. Founded in the French colonial period in the American Midwest, the community is located near bluffs that flank the east side of the Mississippi River along the floodplain often called the "American Bottom".Prairie du...
in present-day Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, and Ste. Genevieve
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
Ste. Genevieve is a city in and the county seat of Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, United States. The population was 11,654 at the 2000 census...
in Missouri — and claimed the region for the colony of French Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
.
As the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
moved into the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
(the region to the east of the Mississippi), which they finally annexed in 1765 following the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, many of these French colonists relocated across the river into what is now Missouri, establishing St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and other settlements and outposts. From that time through the early 19th century Creoles began settling in the Ozark highlands above the river, particularly after all of French Louisiana was sold to the United States
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
in 1803. French speakers flocked to the mountains following Moses Austin
Moses Austin
Moses Austin played a large part in the development of the American lead industry and is the father of Stephen F. Austin, a leading American settler of Texas. He was the first to be allowed to gather Anglo Americans for settlement in Spanish Texas...
's establishment of serious mining operations at Potosi
Potosi, Missouri
Potosi is a city in Washington County, Missouri, United States. Potosi is about 10 miles north of Belgrade. The estimated population in July 2008 was 2,698. It was 2,662 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Washington County...
in 1797, and founded settlements such as Old Mines , which became a center of Missouri French language and culture.
Linguists began studying Missouri's French enclave in the 20th century, as the dialect was dying out. At this time much of the population was centered in the Old Mines area in the Missouri Ozarks. J.-M. Carrière noted that there were around 600 French-speaking families around Old Mines in the 1930s and 1940s. Carrière undertook a study of the dialect, recording 73 folk tales from local conteurs
Storyteller
- Films and television :* Narradores de Javé , a 2003 Brazilian film by Eliane Caffé* The Storyteller , a 2009 American horror film* The Storyteller, a 1988 television series by Jim Henson...
. Among other distinguishing features, he noted that Missouri French had been heavily influenced by English, with many English words and even entire idiomatic phrases borrowed or translated into the dialect. This contact led to a substantial decline in use of French over the next decades; by the end of the century, only a handful of elderly speakers of Missouri French remained.