Sometimes one little word can make you feel like an outsider.

I had been talking about the importance of defending Acadian rights with a francophone politician seated at my table during a social event. It was a great conversation that left me feeling prouder than ever of being Acadian. Alas, my excitement was quickly extinguished in the final seconds of our interaction.

As he got up to leave, he asked me where I was from.

“I can’t pinpoint the accent. You say ‘ ’ like a Quebecer, but you also sound Acadian.”

Most francophones can uncannily pinpoint your place of origin with near military accuracy by the most subtle phonetic sounds. I had said (which translates to roughly "so" or "therefore") in a way that stood out to him.

I replied with my scripted, theatrical response: “I’m an angl

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