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Running head: CHIAC, A LANGUAGE, DIALECT OR TREND

Chiac, a Language, Dialect or Trend Dominique Ierino 3450282 Anthropology 345 October 28, 2019

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Introduction Language varies amongst the world but more closely it differentiates across provinces. Canada is a multicultural nation, however; the most common spoken languages are English and French. Presently, the demand for French-speaking individuals is at an all-time high. Most careers require a bilingual applicant and if they are not, preference is given to someone who is. However, this proposes the question; what is considered proper French in Canada when there are numerous variations and dialects that exist. French can be classified into categories such as standard French (SF), and Franglais. This is a form of French using many idioms borrowed from English. People who speak Franglais, when asked say they speak French, however; the dialect is switched so often it is hard to judge if they truly know the standard French language it is mixed with. Language in the narrowest sense, for most linguists, is a uniquely human cognitive system used to produce and understand precise meaningful utterances (Rowe and Levine, 2018, 396). A language or speech community is a group of people who live, work, socialize and communicate with one another (Rowe and Levine,2018,188). The shared unique characteristics of their speech are called dialects. A dialect is a regional variety of language, distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them in a single language (Merriam-Webster, 2019). Dialects vary through a multitude of languages. Although each country, province or territory may speak the same language it can have numerous intonations depending on the location. For example, English is used in Canada, the United States and Britain however, the way people speak in Northern Canada can differ from the Midwest, the East coast and our Southern provinces as well. These differences are classified as language communities that we are all part of. To illustrate, depending

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on location people may use the term pop, soda or tonic to describe a carbonated beverage. Although the meaning of these words is the same, the vocabulary is different, therefore depicting an example of dialect. Language trends vary depending on numerous factors. Age of population, socioeconomic status, gender and location are all contributing factors that influence trends. This leads to variations of English which are both considered good and bad due to the fact it is not generalizable. The way an elderly individual communicates differs than that of a young adult. This is a direct causation as youth create new terminology referred to as slang that may not carry to older populations. Variations of words can have different meanings depending on the content and context of the use. For reference, an adolescent may say something is “bad” but that can translate to good; however, when an elder hears this, they may take it literally and think the context of the sentence is truly bad. These trends can directly influence interpretation, popularity and structure of language. It is common for different cities to have their own unique dialect. This is true for the city of Moncton in New Brunswick. Moncton, New Brunswick is home to Chiac; A blend of Acadian French and English. A language whose matrix is French and the lexicon is enriched from English (Papen, 2014)). It is a language that is specific to the south east (Moncton), and is approximately 50 years old (Chevalier, 2002). It is typically used to speak with friends and close family as it is informal (Chevalier, 2002). The people native to the land were linguistically influenced by the French fishermen who were docked. It is mostly French based with English elements (Chevalier, 2002). It is an amalgamation of French with few English words worked into the conversation. Per Papen, it is two phonological systems and grammatical innovations that classify Chiac as an autonomous hybrid language or a code (2014). It is not grammatically correct and is not

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influenced by the French language agreements (Chevalier, 2002). Chiac distinguishes itself by the remarkable degree of stabilisation; elements of English origin are for the most part recurrent and their mode of appropriation is quite regular and predictable (Papen, 2014). This proposes the question if Chiac is a language, dialect or a trend. Canada is home to a multitude of French speaking people. Each area uses different versions of French such as; Acadian, Chiac, Michif and Quebecois. These styles of French language communication are based upon the same principles but differ in syntax, grammar, morphology and phonetics. Some are considered dialects and some have no specific classification. This proposes the theory of what classifies a language as a dialect. To reiterate, a dialect is a regional variety of language, distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them in a single language (Merriam-Webster, 2019). Per Chevalier 2014, Chiac is a vernacular or a dialect of the stigmatized variety of Acadian French. It is a discursive switching between English and French where the primary language for most individuals is French and secondary is English (Chevalier, 2014). Based upon the research, it has been noticed that most research conducted refers to Chiac as a dialect since it is unique to the region but still carries grammatical concepts from both the matrix and embedded language. Linguists with a nonperspective approach generally agree that Chiac- despite its sometimes-anglicized phonology, lexicon and even syntax; is a dialect of French (Leclerc, 2007). For Chiac, there is growing pride in the dialect, as evidenced by the online cartoons “Acadie Man”, and a popular hip-hop group “Radio Radio”, who perform mostly in Chiac (Papen, 2014). This group has become famous for celebrating the language and creating popularity with the dialect. With this group gaining popularity, Chiac has begun to gain notoriety throughout the nation.

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Chiac is specific to New Brunswick. Although it is known nationwide, Chiac is a local code with little influence outside its limited sphere (Leclerc, 2007). To compare Chiac in the English and French speaking world, Chiac does not raise debates in English because its existence barely registers on either the public or scholarly radar (Leclerc, 2007). It is mostly published in French, thus, having little influence on the English-speaking world. Chiac imposes on the French-speaking world as it is subversive and not always described with accuracy (Leclerc, 2007). As this dialect has a strong affiliation to the French language, it is far from obvious when ideology is considered (Leclerc, 2007). Chiac is a language of asymmetrical contact between speakers of French and English (Leclerc, 2007). Although most literary scholars have a unanimous idea regarding Chiac, it is also being challenged. Throughout Western societies, the “homogenistic” clustering of language, nation and culture no longer seem as obvious as it used to (Leclerc, 2007). The idea of dialects as linguistic minorities is now seen as popular and fashionable. The hybridity of language is intriguing for major populations as it does not seem threatening to a culture. This new trend seems to free Chiac from its stigma and gives it a certain appeal (Leclerc, 2007). This trend allows the local Acadians to thrive, as well as being responsible for the city’s cultural and economic boom (Leclerc, 2007. The pursuit of Chiac has assisted Moncton in becoming the literary metropolis whereas before it was deemed a little town with nothing going for it (Leclerc, 2007. Per Gérald Leblanc, Moncton is where culture- Acadian and international- is created (Leclerc, 2007). Now, thanks to numerous literary scholars, Chiac is viewed as enriched French rather than contaminated French. Due to the longevity of the language and the evolving popularity of Chiac, this can assist in the debate as to whether it is a dialect or a trend. Since it is being amalgamated into a cultural

CHIAC, A LANGUAGE DIALECT OR TREND norm, the language is spreading through journals, books and pop-culture. In like manner, it constitutes as a dialect due to the fact it is region specific and has unique characteristics. It is familiar to both Francophones and Anglophones, thus deeming it a dialect rather than a trend. It is a gradual shift to English therefore it is a good variation of both languages and a dialect rather than a trend. Conclusion Therefore, Chiac is commonly used as a form of communication for English and French speaking individuals. The collaboration of the two exemplify the idea of Franglais. In this case, Franglais is the mixture of Acadian French and English when it is usually standard French. Originated in the city of Moncton (New Brunswick) between the Acadian French and English speaking people’s, it has gained popularity today. Although it has increasingly popularity amongst literature and music it is still classified as a dialect due to the fact it is a code specific to that region. This beautiful dialect created in New Brunswick is native to the people of Moncton however is gaining popularity through literary scholars but will forever be classified as a dialect.

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Reference List Chevalier, Gisèle. (2002).“La Concurrence Entre? Ben Et ?Well En Chiac Du Sud-Est Du Nouveau-Brunswick (Canada).” Cahiers De Sociolinguistique, no. 1: 65–81. https://doi.org/10.3917/csl.0201.0065. “Dialect.” (2019). Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/dialect. Leclerc, Catherine. (2007). “Between French and English, Between Ethnography and Assimilation: Strategies for Translating Moncton’s Acadian Vernacular*.” TT: Traduction, Terminologie, Rédaction18, no. 161–92. https://doi.org/10.7202/015769ar. Papen, Robert A. (2014). “Hybrid Languages in Canada Involving French.” Journal of Language Contact7, no. 1. 154–83. https://doi.org/10.1163/19552629-00701007. Rowe, Bruce M., and Diane P. Levine. (2018). A Concise Introduction to Linguistics. London; New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group...