Arts with Impact Speaker Series: Baie Sainte-Marie Acadian French: An “older French”?

An event poster with photo of Dr. Philip Comeau

Date & Time: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:30:00 ADT
Location: LA 174, SMU Campus | Zoom

A common perception of Acadian French is that it is an “older dialect of French” or “French as it was spoken in the 17th century.” In his talk, Philip Comeau questions this general perception, focusing on French varieties spoken in southwest Nova Scotia, particularly in the regions of Baie Sainte-Marie and Par-en-Bas. He will present findings from a project using data spanning four centuries. Even though many of the conservative or older features of French have persisted, one of the conclusions is that Baie Sainte-Marie Acadian French is clearly no exception to the rule that living languages are constantly changing.

Presented by the Linguistics Program.

Admission free | All welcome

For online attendance:

https://smu-ca.zoom.us/j/81822120687?pwd=YIRsfxYOTjuhS4xB30ukur0XW6kM1J.1

Meeting ID: 818 2212 0687
Passcode: 093438
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