Qui C'est q'ca?

Throughout my communication with my Louisianan relatives I have been continually fascinated by the unique dialects present. I have found myself frequently consulting Google to decipher expressions found within their communications. For example "Qui C'est q'ca?", my first encounter with this phrase left me clueless. Upon closer inspection its a derivation of the French expression Qu'est-ce que c'est (Lawless, 2012), meaning, "what is that?". Cajun culture is so steeply rooted in its French ancestry. The term Cajun actually derives from Acadia, the area in Nova Scotia where French immigrants settled in colonial times (New Orleans, 2012). In order to communicate effectively and therefore, competently an adequate knowledge of the cultural and ancestral roots is necessary.

Louisiana has developed from a melting pot of cultures and influences. Understanding the Arcadian Influences therein permits a better literal understanding of communication methods. Peering into the cultural influences at a deeper level provides many explanations for ways of life therein. According to Martin & Nakayama a key component of becoming a competent communicator is knowledge. Knowledge of ones self, cultural identity and experiences can help identify strengths and weakness as a cultural communicator. Knowledge of how others think and communicate can help us become more effective communicators (Martin & Nakayama, 2009).

I have learned through my communications with my Louisianan family members that bridging intercultural divides is a hugely beneficial process. Most areas of the United States are not lucky enough to experience the blend of cultures that are present in the southern portions of the country. The variety serves to enrich their daily lives. In many ways this allows them to intrinsically become better cultural communicators. They don't have the awareness of the variety in culture that surrounds them, but they have a learned ability to accept others because of it. While I was not able to record any videos of my interviews with my relatives I did find a fascinating interview which displays a lot of the variety present with culture.  My experiences have helped me define the meaning of the phrase southern hospitality.

Interview with a Cajun - youtube

Lawless, L. K. 2012.  "What" in French. Retrieved from http://french.about.com/od/mistakes/a/what.htm
Martin, Judith N. & Nakayama, Thomas K. (2009).  Intercultural Communication In Contexts: Fifth Edition. McGraw Hill Companies. pp. 468-472New Orleans. 2012. Cajun  Culture Floats in the City. Retrieved from http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/multicultural/multiculturalhistory/cajun.html