Abstract
Francophone studies have long recognized the well-established literary connections between African and diasporic Caribbean literatures. However, the ties between Louisiana and African Francophone literary traditions remain understudied. This research interrogates the corpus of Francophone Louisiana and Francophone African writings from the 19th century to the present, employing a comparative framework to juxtapose the smallest Francophone region (Louisiana) with the largest (Francophone Africa). By analyzing the evolution of the French language and its cinematic representations across these regions, this study elucidates distinct yet interrelated linguistic phenomena that have emerged since the 19th century, thereby constructing a theoretical framework for understanding the trajectory of French in these contexts. The comparative approach emphasizes the regionalization of French through processes of Africanization and Creolization, revealing the profound sociolinguistic transformations shaped by historical, cultural, and social forces. This perspective enables a transdisciplinary examination of linguistic and literary legacies, bridging Francophone Louisiana and Francophone Africa while engaging with broader questions of language evolution, identity formation, and lived experiences. Crucially, this study establishes connections between these regions not only through their shared histories of transatlantic slavery but also through the African linguistic foundations of Louisiana Creole, thereby contributing to a more nuanced understanding of Francophone cultural and literary intersections.
Committee Chair
Seth Graebner
Committee Members
Andia Augustin-Billy; Julie Singer; Nathan Dize; Tili Boon Cuillé
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Author's Department
Romance Languages and Literature: French Language and Literature
Document Type
Dissertation
Date of Award
5-5-2025
Language
French (fr)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7936/6xmd-ze30
Author's ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1144-5905
Recommended Citation
Tetne, Maurice, "Échos culturels : Dynamique et évolution de la langue française dans les œuvres littéraires et cinématographiques francophones de la Louisiane et de l’Afrique, du XIXe siècle à nos jours" (2025). Arts & Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 3488.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.7936/6xmd-ze30