Newfoundland French

Newfoundland French is a dialect of French that was once spoken by settlers in the French colony of Newfoundland. This dialect of French is distinct from other Canadian French dialects including Quebec French and Acadian French.

The French colony of Newfoundland existed from 1662 until 1713 when it was given to Britain as part of the Treaty of Utrecht. In 1763, French fishing rights on the west coast of Newfoundland were cemented by the Treaty of Paris, and French fishing villages existed there exclusively until 1904. When Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, the new provincial government tried to wipe out French in Newfoundland with much success. Newfoundland French is now only spoken by a handful of elderly Newfoundlanders. Other speakers of French in Newfoundland speak the Acadian dialect and not Newfoundland French. Today, 15 000 descendants of French Newfoundlanders live in the province, and there is a movement to reestablish Newfoundland French as the French langauge of education in the province (currently, standard French is taught in schools).

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