French language in the United States: Difference between revisions
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* [[Louisville, Kentucky]] ("City of Louis") |
* [[Louisville, Kentucky]] ("City of Louis") |
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* [[Louisiana]] |
* [[Louisiana]] |
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* [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]] ("Red Stick") |
* [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]] ("Red Stick") |
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* [[Metairie, Louisiana]] (from a French word for [[sharecropping]]) |
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* [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] (New [[Orléans]], a city in France) |
* [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] (New [[Orléans]], a city in France) |
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* [[Havre de Grace, Maryland]] (named after [[Le Havre]], France) |
* [[Havre de Grace, Maryland]] (named after [[Le Havre]], France) |
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* [[Provo, Utah]] (named after Étienne Provost) |
* [[Provo, Utah]] (named after Étienne Provost) |
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* [[Vermont]] (Originally Vert Mont, or "Green Mountain") |
* [[Vermont]] (Originally Vert Mont, or "Green Mountain") |
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* [[Montpelier, Vermont]] ( |
* [[Montpelier, Vermont]] (named after [[Montpellier]], France) |
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* [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]] ("Clear Water") |
* [[Eau Claire, Wisconsin]] ("Clear Water") |
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* [[Fond du Lac, Wisconsin]] ("Base of the Lake") |
* [[Fond du Lac, Wisconsin]] ("Base of the Lake") |
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Revision as of 08:04, 1 April 2005
Cajun, a variant of French, is spoken in some parts of Louisiana (a colony of France from 1682 to 1762 and again from 1800 until it was sold to the United States in 1803). There are French Canadian settlers in parts of northern New England as well. More than 13 million Americans claim French ancestors, but only 1.5 million speak the language. The city of Miami is home to a large Francophone community, mostly Haitians. Many Quebec pensioners live in Florida.
Many places in the United States have names of French origin, a legacy of past French exploration and rule over much of the land and in honor of French help during the founding of the country:
- Bel Air, California ("Beautiful Air")
- Boise, Idaho (from boisé, "Wooded")
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho ("Alene's Heart")
- Des Moines, Iowa ("of the Monks")
- Dubuque, Iowa (named after explorer Julien Dubuque)
- Terre Haute, Indiana ("High Ground")
- Vincennes, Indiana (named for Vincennes, France)
- Louisville, Kentucky ("City of Louis")
- Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana ("Red Stick")
- Lafayette, Louisiana (named for the Marquis de Lafayette; there are a number of cities named either "Lafayette" or "Fayetteville" in the United States)
- Metairie, Louisiana (from a French word for sharecropping)
- New Orleans, Louisiana (New Orléans, a city in France)
- Havre de Grace, Maryland (named after Le Havre, France)
- New Rochelle, New York (named after La Rochelle, France)
- Maine (after the historic French province of Maine)
- Belleville, Michigan ("Beautiful City;" named for a Paris district)
- Grosse Pointe, Michigan ("Big Point")
- Detroit, Michigan ("Strait")
- Grand Blanc, Michigan ("Large White")
- Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan ("St. Mary's Falls")
- Marquette, Michigan (named after explorer Jacques Marquette)
- Cadillac, Michigan (named after explorer Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac)
- Isle Royale National Park ("Royal Island")
- Saint Louis, Missouri
- Provo, Utah (named after Étienne Provost)
- Vermont (Originally Vert Mont, or "Green Mountain")
- Montpelier, Vermont (named after Montpellier, France)
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin ("Clear Water")
- Fond du Lac, Wisconsin ("Base of the Lake")
- Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin ("Dog Prairie")
- La Grange, Illinois ("The Farm")
- Joliet, Illinois (named after explorer Louis Jolliet)
- Des Plaines, Illinois ("of the Plains")
- St. Cloud, Minnesota (named after a Paris suburb)
- Duluth, Minnesota (named after Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut)
- Voyageurs National Park (named after the French-Canadian explorers)
Seasonal variations
Florida, and a few other resort regions (most notably Old Orchard Beach) popular in Quebec are visited in large numbers by Quebecers during winter and summer breaks.