Acadian French is real French

To the editor:
    I am a U.S. citizen from the northern most part of Maine, the St. John River Valley. I was born in Frenchville and spoke only French until I entered grammar school. When I moved south of the Valley, people told me my French was not “real” French and no one in Paris would understand me.
    In May, 2001, my son, Joe, organized and booked a family trip to France where we would trace the Gagnon and Cyr ancestors. My wife was Claudette Cyr, also a St. John Valley native. My daughter, Marie, was with us on the trip.
    Three Gagnon family brothers emigrated to Quebec and Nova Scotia from their home in the small village of Tourouve, in northern Normandy, in 1640. The Cyr family also emigrated in the late 17th century from their home, Bourgueil, in the Loire River Valley if southern France.
    I spoke French to every French person I met and enjoyed their reaction. They said they loved hearing me speak French and assumed I was Canadian. When I told them I was American, they would say, “… an American speaking French, c’est magnifique!” Some also said I used words their grandparents used to say. My Acadian French has changed very little compared to Parisian French.
    Maybe French is French and English is English and a person from London speaking to someone from Brooklyn would understand each other in spite of the change from the original language.
Elbridge Gagnon
Houlton