Regional Accents: How the French Defined the Midwest

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Regional Accents How the French Define(d) the
Midwest
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Presenters Anita Alkhas, University of
Wisconsin Milwaukee Denise Phillippe, Concordia
Language Villages Larry Kuiper, University of
Wisconsin Milwaukee
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Where in the world are we, Carmen Saint-Jacques?
Middle West (Encyclopædia Britannica. 2004.) also
called Midwest, or North Central States, region,
northern and central United States, lying midway
between the Appalachian and Rocky mountains and
north of the Ohio River and the 37th parallel.
The Middle West, as defined by the federal
government, comprises the states of Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin. Actually composed of two
regions, the Northwest Territory, or the Old
Northwest, and the Great Plains, the Middle West
has become more an idea than a region an area of
immense diversity but somehow consciously
representative of a national average.
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Where in the world are we, Carmen Saint-Jacques?
The Northwest Territory entered the United States
in 1783 at the conclusion of the American
Revolution and was organized under a series of
ordinances that set the precedent for the
admission of future territories into the Union.
The Great Plains entered the United States in
1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The
Plains were to develop primarily agriculturally,
but the Northwest Territory, blessed with both
fertile soil and valuable natural resources
(coal, oil, iron ore, and limestone), would
develop both industrially and agriculturally.
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I. Introduction Defining regions
 
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What is a region?

• A historical construct
• A geographical construct
• A political construct
• A cultural construct

• être limogé
• plouc
• Cela fait province.

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Moi j'aime la province évincée par le système,
On y trouve le vrai, le beau, les relations
humaines. MC Solaar
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Et le Midwest?
Historical definition
The western boundaries of the Midwest seem to
correspond to the westernmost journeys of the
French explorers.
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le Midwest
Geographical definition The southern, western,
and much of the northern and eastern boundaries
of the midwest seem to correspond to geographical
barriers bodies of water, and
mountains.   Political/economic Definition
According to the federal government, these
twelve states make up the Midwest. The Midwest
is referred to as an economic entity in its own
right (for example, as a major trading partner
with Canada).
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Et culturellement?
Cultural Definition Is every area of each of
these states really midwestern?
Some would say no, so what really does that
term (midwestern) mean?
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What do these expressions mean to you?

• But will it play in Peoria?

Were not in Kansas anymore.
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LAmérique profonde
Jean-Claude Guillebaud, Tous des imbéciles
?Sud Ouest Dimanche, le 7 novembre 2004 Après
la réélection de George W. Bush, certains
commentaires entendus en France me laissent
songeur. Après avoir légitimement exprimé
l'inquiétude que suscite la reconduction des
"faucons" à la Maison-Blanche, on se laisse
souvent aller à un autre type de jugement. C'est
peu de dire qu'on brocarde cette fameuse
"Amérique profonde", celle du Midwest, des
campagnes et des Etats du Sud ! On la désigne
comme une sorte d'arrière-monde illettré et
ultrareligieux. On ironise sur ces "beaufs"
portés sur les armes, les gros 4 4 et les
rodéos. On se moque des ces "ploucs" patriotes,
assez bêtes pour avoir réélu un homme que les
élites de la côte Est tiennent pour un parfait
imbécile. Je n'arrive pas à adhérer à ce
dédain...
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LAmérique profonde
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II. The Midwest Needs French!
State-Specific French Advocacy Sites
(Tennessee Bob Peckhams project) Example
Wisconsin Needs French http//www.uwm.edu/alkha
s/winfrench/index.htm
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French Organizations in Wisconsin French
Language Learning in Wisconsin French Media in
Wisconsin 'French' moments in Wisconsin
History Links to Wisconsin French History
Sites French Restaurants in Wisconsin
Wisconsinites Who Speak French
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(No Transcript)
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III. Whats in a Name?
Unit Place Names From French Explorers of the
Midwest
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Unit Place Names From French Explorers of the
Midwest
Targeted Standards 1.1 Interpersonal
Commmunication 1.3 Presentational Communication,
3.1 Making Connections with Other Disciplines
(History)

•  Part 1  Identifying French Place Names
• Step 1 In small groups, students brainstorm a
  list of place names (towns and cities, streets,
  corporations, schools, etc.) that seem to be
  French in origin.
•  Step 2 Compare lists and write a compilation on
  board. Discuss any disagreements or questions.

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Unit Place Names From French Explorers of the
Midwest
Part 1  Identifying French Place Names (cont.)
Step 3 Ask the students if they can identify any
of the place names as being the name of someone
from French history, and, more specifically, the
name of a French explorer of North America and
the Midwest.  Step 4 Eliminate names and add
names as necessary. Cadillac, Cartier,
Champlain, Du Lhut (Dulhut, Du Luth, Du Lhud, Du
Lud), Hennepin, Jolliet, Marquette, Nicollet
(Nicolet), Radisson are possibilities.
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Unit Place Names From French Explorers of the
Midwest
Part 2 Preparing a Presentation on a French
Explorer
Step 1 Each student selects a French explorer
whose name gave rise to a contemporary place
name. Each student will prepare a first-person
oral monologue to present the explorer. Step
2  As a group, decide on the type of
information to be presented and the basic
expectations. (Suggestions  birth and death
dates and places, occupation, typical day for
this person, family, clothing worn, food eaten,
importance of the person to exploration of the
midwest)  Step 3  Student research their
selected explorer.
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Unit Place Names From French Explorers of the
Midwest
Part 2 Preparing a Presentation on a French
Explorer (cont.)
Step 4  Students prepare a first-person oral
monologue to present the explorer. Step 5 
Students practice delivering their presentation
with a partner. Step 6  Students deliver
presentation. Classmates ask questions.
Together, locate the place name on a map.
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Unit Learning about pronunciation from place
names
Targeted Standards 3.1 Making Connections with
Other Disciplines (History/Geography) 4.1 Making
Comparisons (Language)
Objectives Understand the basic differences
between the French and English sound systems.
Using examples from everyday life (common place
names), make a connection to the target culture
and its language and our own culture and language.
(Note This exercise was used in an advanced
phonetics class, but could be done at different
levels, using a simplified phonetic alphabet, or
having students explain it orally)
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Unit Learning about pronunciation from place
names
Step 1 Students compile a list of place names
and street names that they know are of French
origin.  Platteville, Lafayette, Lac Butte des
Morts, Juneau, Fond du lac, Racine, Lac du
flambeau, Eau Claire, De pere, Allouez, Lac
Courtes Oreilles
Step 2 Students give phonetic transcriptions of
the standard French pronunciation of these
names.  plat vil la fa jet lac but dE
mOr ?y nO fõ dy lak ra sin lak dy flã
bO O klEr d? pEr A lwE Lak kurt sO rEj
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Unit Learning about pronunciation from place
names
Step 3 Students give an approximate phonetic
rendering of how the names are commonly
pronounced, focusing sound by sound on the
differences in the English pronunciation of the
place names, but also pointing out the things
that have remained the same.
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Examples (from students) Lac butte des morts
In English, we pronounce this almost like lake
buttermore, which shows how in English we tend
to pronounce vowels that are farther back in the
mouth, and also how the vowels in general are
less important to our pronunciation that the
consonants, at least in how we divide syllables.
Oh, and we retained the French habit of not
pronouncing the s at the end of plurals. Fond
du lac In English, we pronounce fond just
like the English word that it resembles. Then,
the last part is kind of like djew lack. I
guess this shows what happens with the French
vowel /y/, which is usually spelled u... Since
we dont have that vowel in English, we
diphthongize it, and then we sort of add an extra
consonant before it to make it easier to say. I
know we talked about that in class, but I dont
remember what it was called.
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IV. Time Travel
Les voyageurs
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V. Regional Identities
Unit Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. and France
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Unit Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. and France
Targeted Standards 1.1 Interpersonal
Commmunication 1.3 Presentational Communication,
3.1 Making Connections with Other Disciplines
(Human Geography), 4.2 Making Comparisons, 5.1
Communities
Part 1 Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S.
Step 1 Distribute a blank map of the United
States. In small groups, students divide the map
into separate regions. They should come to a
consensus, but can mark as many or as few regions
as they wish.
Step 2 Compare maps. How many regions did each
group come up with? Discuss as a class how to
account for these differences. How are regions
defined in the United States (geographically,
historically, politically, economically,
culturally)? (Note the instructor could also
provide information at this point in the unit to
help students compare and contrast how regions
are defined in the United States and in France.)
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Unit Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. and France
Part 1 Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. (cont.)
Step 3 Now choose 4 or 5 of the regions (for
example, the Northeast, the South, the West
Coast, and the Midwest). In small groups,
students jot down as many qualities/attribute/ster
eotypes as they can that they associate with each
(Note For added content, this step can be
extended as a mini-survey activity assigned as
homework students survey family and community
members about their perceptions of different
regions and report the results in class.) Step
4 As a class, choose one of the regions as a
starting point (the Midwest!) and describe a
different region from that perspective, e.g.,
what do Midwesterners think of Californians?
(Ask a student or students to take notes on the
board.) Now imagine that Californians are
describing a different region (for example, the
South). Continue in this fashion until you come
full circle (e.g., Southerners describe
Northeasterns who then describe Midwesterners).
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Unit Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. and France
Part 1 Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. (cont.)
Step 5 Analyze the regional perceptions noted on
the board. How are the defining characteristics
of a region viewed differently from within and
from without? (e.g., people in the Northeast may
attribute the so-called slower-paced lifestyle in
the South to laziness whereas Southerners may see
Northeasterners as brusque and ill-mannered
because they dont seem to take the same amount
of time to be polite).  Step 6 In small groups,
students list positive attributes of their region
(the Midwest). They may include perspectives (the
personality) of the region as well as practices
and products of interest.
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Unit Understanding Regional Identities in the
U.S. and France
Part 2 Researching and Presenting a French
Region Individually or in pairs, students choose
one of the 22 administrative regions in France to
research and to present to the class. Keeping in
mind the description they compiled of the
Midwest, students should include in their
presentations reasons why their region would make
a good sister region for the Midwest. (Note For
added content, students survey French informants
about their perceptions of the region they have
chosen and include the results in the
presentation.)
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http//www.abm.fr/ -- aventures du bout du monde
A voir, à faire C'est en bordures des lacs que
sont situés les lieux intéressants, tous axés sur
les paysages et une nature rude et sauvage. Quant
aux villes, hormis Chicago et éventuellement St
Paul/Minneapolis, elles ne présentent quasiment
aucun intérêt. L'intérieur des terres annonçant
les "Grandes plaines" ne mérite pas non plus le
détour.  à ne pas manquer très
bien à voir éventuellement. . .
Illinois Chicago (ville)Springfield
(ville - historique - de Lincoln)Galena
(ville historique sur le Mississipi) . Wisconsin
Milwaukee (ville)Door County (lac
Michigan)Apostle Islands (rando,
nature)Spring Green (architecture F. Wright)
. Minnessota Minneapoli/St Paul
(villes)Lac Supérieur (paysages, activités
nature)Voyageur Nat. Park (lac, nature)Sud
du Minnessota (petites villes, Mississipi)
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Avant de lire On va regarder une introduction à
notre région des Etats-Unis pour un voyageur
français. Quelles villes ou attractions vont
être mentionnées? Quest-ce quon va dire pour
parler de la géographie de notre région? En
lisant Quelle est lattitude générale envers
cette région? Quels sont les lieux que ce guide
conseille? Et ceux qui sont moins conseillés?
Déconseillés? Après avoir lu Que pouvez-vous
ajouter à cette présentation que les auteurs ont
sûrement oublié? Quels sont les aspects de votre
région ou ville qui ne sont pas bien représentés
par cette présentation?
Targeted standards 1.2 Interpretive
communication (written), 2.2 Cultures.
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VI. The Ties that Bind France and the Midwest
today
A sample of Midwestern French festivals and
events Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bastille Bastille
Days organized by Milwaukee's East Town
Association celebrates music, food, and culture
loosely organized around a French theme held in
the Cathedral Square area of Milwaukee's East
Town. http//www.december.com/places/mke/festivals
.html West Lafayette, Indiana The Feast of the
Hunters moon, a recreation of an 18th century
French and Native American gathering.
http//www.glpi.org/festivals.asp Des Moines,
Iowa The Midwest Belgium Beer Festival
http//www.beeradvocate.com/events/calendar.php?sh
ow3299 Bloomington, Minnesota In late July,
Bloomington puts a French twist on yet another
Independence Day celebration with Bastille Day
held outdoors at Hotel Sofitel. They also call
their July 4th celebration at Normandale lake
Summerfete. http//www.bloomingtonmn.org/press-
festival.html Dayton, Ohio The dance group
Bagatelle performs French folk dances annually at
the Dayton International Festival.
http//www.daytonfolkdance.com/bagatelle Ste.
Genevieve, Missouri Each year this town has a
French Heritage Festival Featuring music,
dance, reenactments, crafts, lectures and
food. http//www.missouriartscouncil.org/pdfs/pdfs
/festivals.pdf
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VI. The Ties that Bind France and the Midwest
today
French-American Relations (Embassy of France)
http//www.info-france-usa.org/franceus/ Descript
ion of the Midwest for French citizens
(Consulate in Chicago) http//www.consulfrance-c
hicago.org/main_vivre.htm