Editing French language in Canada (section)

===The Maritimes===

[[File:The Acadians.png|thumb|left|150px|Present-day Acadian communities]]

The colonists living in what are now the provinces of [[New Brunswick]] and [[Nova Scotia]] were principally constituted of [[Bretons]], [[Normans]], and [[Basques]]. Conquered by the British, they suffered [[Expulsion of the Acadians|massive deportations]] to the [[United States]] and [[France]]. Others went into exile to [[Canada (New France)|Canada]] or to nearby islands. Those who stayed were persecuted. At the end of the 18th century, more liberal measures granted new lands to those who had stayed, and measures were taken to promote the return of numerous exiled people from Canada and [[Miquelon]]. The number of Acadians rose rapidly, to the point of gaining representation in the [[Legislative Assembly]].

French is one of the official languages, with English, of the province of [[New Brunswick]]. Apart from [[Quebec]], this is the only other Canadian province that recognizes French as an official language. Approximately one-third of New Brunswickers are francophone,<ref name="www12.statcan.ca"/> by far the largest [[Acadian]] population in Canada.

The Acadian community is concentrated in primarily rural areas along the border with Quebec and the eastern coast of the province. Francophones in the [[Madawaska County, New Brunswick|Madawaska]] area may also be identified as [[Brayon]], although sociologists have disputed whether the Brayons represent a distinct francophone community, a subgroup of the Acadians or an extraprovincial community of [[Québécois people]].  The only major Acadian population centre is [[Moncton]], home to the main campus of the [[Université de Moncton]]. Francophones are, however, in the minority in Moncton.

In addition to New Brunswick, Acadian French has speakers in portions of mainland Quebec and in the Atlantic provinces of [[Nova Scotia]], [[Prince Edward Island]], and [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]. In these provinces, the percentage of francophones is much smaller than in New Brunswick. In some communities, French is an [[endangered language]].

Linguists do not agree about the origin of Acadian French. Acadian French is influenced by the ''[[langues d'oïl]]''. The dialect contains, among other features, the [[alveolar consonant|alveolar]] ''r'' and the pronunciation of the final syllable in the plural form of the verb in the third person. Acadia is the only place outside [[Jersey]] (a [[Channel Islands|Channel Island]] close to mainland Normandy) where [[Jèrriais]] speakers can be found.<ref>Atlas Universalis (1996), Thésaurus A-C, p. 24</ref>