Council for the Development of French in Louisiana
Encyclopedia
The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana, or CODOFIL — known in French
as le Conseil pour le développement du français en Louisiane and Konséy pou Dévelopmen di françé en Lwizyàn in Creole
— is a state agency created in 1968 by the Louisiana
legislature. The state formed CODOFIL in response to the decline of French in Louisiana and a growing activism among its French-speaking population (particularly the Cajuns). The organization has since spearheaded the state's effort to save the local French language and culture. Its headquarters are in Lafayette
.
, served as CODOFIL’s first chairman. Overseeing the organization from 1968 until his death twenty years later, Domengeaux exerted a huge influence on CODOFIL's development. During that period he used CODOFIL to introduce French education in public schools from elementary to high school levels — a major shift in the Louisiana educational system, which for decades had punished Cajun children for speaking their native French dialect in the classroom. He also used the organization to combat what he perceived as misrepresentations of, or affronts to, Cajun culture. For example, he condemned use of the epithet "coonass
" as a synonym for "Cajun," and he criticized humorists like Justin Wilson
, who he thought portrayed Cajuns as ignorant.
CODOFIL attracted the support of numerous state legislators over the years, such as Allen Ray Bares
of Lafayette, who himself spoke French. With the support of state government, CODOFIL awarded yearly scholarships to selected Louisiana college students for the study of the French language abroad at several institutions of higher learning, including the Centre International Des Études Françaises
(CIDEF) in Angers
, France.
CODOFIL originally consisted of a chairman and an advisory committee, all appointed by the governor of Louisiana. Today, it is administered by a president, an executive director, and a board of directors. A supporting organization, the non-profit Fondation Louisiane (formerly the Fondation CODOFIL), accepts memberships from the general public and oversees CODOFIL's fundraising activities. CODOFIL sponsors several scholarship and student exchange programs, and serves as a clearinghouse for information concerning the French language and culture in Louisiana. It actively promotes cooperation between Louisiana and other French-speaking regions and nations, and recruits French-speaking teachers from around the globe to serve as instructors in Louisiana's public school system. CODOFIL places much emphasis on French immersion
, a highly successful method of instruction, which it introduced to Louisiana schools from Canada in the 1980s.
, Belgium
, and Canada
, instead of local teachers. Furthermore, some accused CODOFIL of snobbism toward the very Cajun culture it claimed to be saving. Eventually, however, the organization became more grassroots
in its outlook and membership, and embraced Cajun French and other forms of Louisiana French.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
as le Conseil pour le développement du français en Louisiane and Konséy pou Dévelopmen di françé en Lwizyàn in Creole
Louisiana Creole French
Louisiana Creole is a French Creole language spoken by the Louisiana Creole people of the state of Louisiana. The language consists of elements of French, Spanish, African, and Native American roots.-Geography:...
— is a state agency created in 1968 by the Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
legislature. The state formed CODOFIL in response to the decline of French in Louisiana and a growing activism among its French-speaking population (particularly the Cajuns). The organization has since spearheaded the state's effort to save the local French language and culture. Its headquarters are in Lafayette
Lafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
.
Origin
The legislative act that created CODOFIL empowered the organization “to do any and all things necessary to accomplish the development, utilization, and preservation of the French language as found in the State of Louisiana for the cultural, economic, and touristic benefit of the State.” The state authorized CODOFIL to cooperate with and advise other state agencies, as well as to receive donations and grants from individuals, corporations, and governments.Early years
James "Jimmy" Domengeaux, an attorney and former U.S. Congressman from Lafayette, LouisianaLafayette, Louisiana
Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...
, served as CODOFIL’s first chairman. Overseeing the organization from 1968 until his death twenty years later, Domengeaux exerted a huge influence on CODOFIL's development. During that period he used CODOFIL to introduce French education in public schools from elementary to high school levels — a major shift in the Louisiana educational system, which for decades had punished Cajun children for speaking their native French dialect in the classroom. He also used the organization to combat what he perceived as misrepresentations of, or affronts to, Cajun culture. For example, he condemned use of the epithet "coonass
Coonass
Coonass, or Coon-ass, is used in reference to a person of Cajun ethnicity. Many consider it an insult but others consider it a compliment or badge of honor. Although many Cajuns use the word in regard to themselves, other Cajuns view the term as an ethnic slur against the Cajun people, especially...
" as a synonym for "Cajun," and he criticized humorists like Justin Wilson
Justin Wilson (chef)
Justin E. Wilson was a southern American chef and humorist known for his brand of Cajun cuisine-inspired cooking and humor. He was a self-styled "raconteur" and a staunch political conservative....
, who he thought portrayed Cajuns as ignorant.
CODOFIL attracted the support of numerous state legislators over the years, such as Allen Ray Bares
Allen Bares
Allen Ray Bares, Sr. was a Lafayette lawyer who served as a conservative Democrat in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature between 1972 and 1992. He is particularly remembered for his strong support of the pro-life cause and the Boy Scouts of America...
of Lafayette, who himself spoke French. With the support of state government, CODOFIL awarded yearly scholarships to selected Louisiana college students for the study of the French language abroad at several institutions of higher learning, including the Centre International Des Études Françaises
Centre International Des Études Françaises
Le Centre International Des Etudes Francaises , also known as CIDEF, is an academic program of the Université Catholique de L'Ouest in Angers, France that offers French language and culture courses to foreign students. The institute's current director is M...
(CIDEF) in Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, France.
Recent history
After Domengeaux's death in 1988, CODOFIL continued to coordinate French education in Louisiana's public schools, and to serve as a cultural watchdog group.CODOFIL originally consisted of a chairman and an advisory committee, all appointed by the governor of Louisiana. Today, it is administered by a president, an executive director, and a board of directors. A supporting organization, the non-profit Fondation Louisiane (formerly the Fondation CODOFIL), accepts memberships from the general public and oversees CODOFIL's fundraising activities. CODOFIL sponsors several scholarship and student exchange programs, and serves as a clearinghouse for information concerning the French language and culture in Louisiana. It actively promotes cooperation between Louisiana and other French-speaking regions and nations, and recruits French-speaking teachers from around the globe to serve as instructors in Louisiana's public school system. CODOFIL places much emphasis on French immersion
French immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
, a highly successful method of instruction, which it introduced to Louisiana schools from Canada in the 1980s.
Criticism
CODOFIL's early efforts to introduce French language education in public classrooms were criticized by many observers. Complaints centered around the organization's emphasis on continental French instead of Louisiana French, and its use of imported Francophone teachers from FranceFrance
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...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and 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...
, instead of local teachers. Furthermore, some accused CODOFIL of snobbism toward the very Cajun culture it claimed to be saving. Eventually, however, the organization became more grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
in its outlook and membership, and embraced Cajun French and other forms of Louisiana French.
See also
- French in the United StatesFrench in the United StatesThe French language is spoken as a minority language in the United States. According to year 2000 census figures, 1.6 million Americans over the age of five speak the language at home; making French the fourth most-spoken language in the country behind English, Spanish, and Chinese...
- List of language regulators
- Language revivalLanguage revivalLanguage revitalization, language revival or reversing language shift is the attempt by interested parties, including individuals, cultural or community groups, governments, or political authorities, to reverse the decline of a language. If the decline is severe, the language may be endangered,...
- AcadianaAcadianaAcadiana, or The Heart of Acadiana, is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that is home to a large Francophone population. Of the 64 parishes that make up Louisiana, 22 named parishes and other parishes of similar cultural environment, make up the intrastate...