Duration: 8 weeks (one hour online per week)

Dates:

Beginner: Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm, starting January 13, 2026

Course Description

Kouri-Vini or Louisiana Creole, is the creole language that emerged in colonial Louisiana. This course is designed for anyone who has an interest in the language.

Kouri-Vini (Louisiana Creole) is one of the most fascinating pieces of Louisiana’s linguistic diversity. The language developed in the colonial era and bears influences from French, Native American and African languages, Spanish, and even English.

This live lecture series covers greetings, popular expressions, basic vocabulary, and a deep-dive on the fundamentals of Louisiana Creole grammar — with a lot of lagniappe along the way.  No prior knowledge is required for the beginner’s level. 

Le kouri-vini (alias: le créole louisianais) est l’un des aspects les plus fascinants de la diversité linguistique de la Louisiane. La langue est née à l’époque coloniale et montre l’influence du français, des langues amériendiennes et africaines, de l’espagnol, et même de l’anglais.

Ce cours couvre les salutations, les expressions courantes, le vocabulaire de base et une immersion approfondie dans les fondamentaux de la grammaire créole de Louisiane, avec de nombreux bonus en prime. Aucune connaissance préalable n'est requise pour le niveau débutant.

Colbet Le Jeune was raised in LeJeune Cove in rural Acadia Parish and is a Cajun and Creole French autodidact.  He is currently a Ph.D. student in Francophone Studies at ULL, as well as the host of Bonjour Louisiane on KRVS 88.7 FM and president of the Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society.  He studied linguistics and geology at Tulane University and later received a Masters in French from ULL.  His academic interests revolve around plant names, place names, and language in general, as well as traditional French Louisiana music, folklore, customs, and culture.  His free time is spent in those domains: visiting French tables, jams, and dances throughout Southwest Louisiana, as well as leading botany field trips and other activities.

The course is $160 for AF members, and $195 for non-members (membership will be included with purchase) for 8 courses of 1 hour. Online only.