Actually the origin of the word shantey is not really know. It is not necessarily from the french Chantez. It is also thought that the word may have come from the fact that the shanteyman was often a black man who lived in a shantey ashore, hence the shantey man term. I'd be more inclined to go with the latter explanation. Why would a french word coin the term? Also in another thread (sorry I have no link) it was mentioned that the call and response type song started in Africa.... Margo