Christian Potholm, Bowdoin’s DeAlva Stanwood Alexander Professor of Government, is quoted in a segment for PRI’s The World looking at the number of Franco-Americans in Maine and the enduring nature of their language.

“28% of Franco-Americans are fluent in French,” says Potholm, who recently completed a study in the state.

“Now, when you think about that, that wouldn’t be surprising if you were interviewing recent immigrants. But if you think of the Franco-Americans as being here for 250 years, that’s an astonishingly high number.”

Listen to the segment or read the article.