Has Louisiana Lost Its French Roots And Become Totally Americanized?

I really enjoyed seeing Grammy Award-winning "King of Zydeco" C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Hot Times Festival, an annual community event in the historic Olde Towne East area of my hometown of Columbus, Ohio.



C.J. Chenier jams on the accordion during his

headlining set at the Hot Times Festival.

It's interesting how folk music from many different cultures - French, Polish, Mexican, etc. - prominently features the accordion. And Chenier is certainly a master of the instrument.

When Chenier was announced before he took the stage at Hot Times, I was surprised to find that his last name isn't pronounced the French way, "shen-EE-ay," but the more American-sounding "shuh-NEER."

When I was in New Orleans for the Essence Festival during Fourth of July weekend earlier this summer, I noticed that although the region has retained much of its French and Creole/Cajun heritage, many of the pronunciations of street names, et cetera, have become Americanized.

For example, when I stopped to ask police for directions near the French Quarter, I inquired how to find Carondolet Street. I pronounced it the French way, with the "-let" sounding like a long "a" as in "buffet." The policeman, who happened to have a French last name, looked puzzled and then corrected me: "Oh, you mean, Carondo-let," he said, pronouncing "let" the American way, as in "bet."

Louisiana may be French-influenced, but it's definitely a southern American state. Unlike Florida, which has retained more of its Spanish influence and where you will definitely here the original pronunciations of streets and other landmarks.