James Domengeaux (CODOFIL President); Jacques Souchel (USL French Foreign Exchange Student);

0:00 - 'La semaine en français' every Sunday at 9:30 AM on KPEL
-Conversation au sujet du Congrès international des Amériques
-3-5th of April 1972. 20 different countries (France, Canada, Haiti, Martinque, Guadalupe, Togo)
-montrer la Louisiane que le monde francophone était très interessé dans le movement de préserver et dévélopper/montrer au monde francophone que les Louisianais parlent bien le français
-'Le Figaro' (le plus grand papier/gazette à Paris) avait une expression de Gouverneur Edwards de son discours dessus la première page: "Soyons fier de notre langue - le français aujourd'hui et toujours." Accepté par le monde francophone
-Jacques est l'étudiant français du campus, représentant la France

-James Domnegeaux only chose Lafayette because there's place/facilities for the delegates to assemble
-He didn't want to have it in New Orleans since they've lost so much more French than Lafayette has
-Wanted to show that we remain different by speaking French here a lot, on the bayous, at stores, at school, at church, etc.
-Also because of the auditorium his brother, Judge Domengeaux built and because Lafayette is the seat of South Louisiana/capital of Acadiana
-James doesn't want to give the idea that Lafayette speaks the most French in Acadiana. Might speak more French in St. Martin, Evangeline, & Avoyelles (Cochon de Lait Festival), Acadia, Vermilion parishes.
-The entirety of south Louisiana is involved in preserving the French language and developing a bilingual society. Also interested in north Louisiana

5:31 - Cajuns, Creoles, Descents of Napolean's army in Avoyelles and Evangeline parishes, as well as Anglophone's in the north of the state are for the preservation and development of French
-1/3 of Louisiana's population understands and speaks French; some like Domengeaux aren't formally educated in French, however, the orally transmitted French is something that can be developed and used to our advantage
-last week in Paris magazine, a 6-page article about Louisiana including color pictures of birds in Henderson, Canadian geese at Florence Club in Gueydan, Mrs. Bob Lowe's house.
-Author of this article said the main attractant to this area was the French language
-French Canadian TV Guide which reaches 1.5 million families had an article on the cover about Louisiana

10:17 - Jacques est le premier Français à venir en Louisiane depuis des siècles (he wasn't expecting so many people here to still speak French -- he came here to learn English)
-speaking French with locals at the grocery store. No trouble understanding one another but might have to go slow
-on parle pas la même à Auvergne qu'à Paris; l'accent marseillais
-giving tour of USL campus before and after the Congrès to French delegates; the necessity of speaking French
-Speaking in french about the importance of speaking French, not talking about it in English
-north Louisianians; LSU in Baton Rouge; President Keiser from Nachitchoes married a lady from Terrebonne and told stories in French

14:02 - Other professors in north Louisiana are supportive of the "renaissance" of the French language in South Louisiana
-they understand the people of the U.S. can no longer be monolingual - learning French allows them to go so many more places as opposed to only communicating with the Anglophone world
-James was 17 years old before he went to New Orleans - people didn't travel back then
-responsibility of being bilingual especially in the current age when it takes only 3-5 hours to get to London/Paris
-everyone is for the development of French and bilingualism except for the public school system (they claim they don't have money, teachers, etc.)

20:04 - A few places where French Immersion has taken root; French immersion teacher, when there should be 35 in New Iberia
-7/1,100 teachers that teach French in Lafayette; Not seriously in schools according to Domengeaux - either do it 100% or not at all, no in between
-At USL, kids are interested in the French language; French Circles in Student Union
-Richard Guidry and fiancée Pat Courville; David Marcantel
-started learning French in 10th grade - need to start earlier in elementary grades
-speaking French with grandparents at home will become the style in 10/15/20 years
-French will become just as common as English
-French tourists will be compelled to come to Louisiana because the lack of a language barrier