Facts about the French language – why you should learn it!
French or la langue française is a Romance language, belonging to the Indo-European family. It descended from the spoken Latin language of the Roman Empire. A French-speaking person or nation may be referred to as Francophone.
French is the second-most widespread language worldwide after English, being an official language in 29 countries, most of which are members of la francophonie, the community of French-speaking countries. It is spoken as a first language in France, southern Belgium, western Switzerland, Monaco, the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Manitoba and some parts of Ontario in Canada, parts of the U.S. states of Louisiana, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, among educated classes in North Africa, Haiti, French Polynesia and by various communities elsewhere.
French has a long history as an international language of commerce, diplomacy, literature, and scientific standards and is an official language of many international organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, NATO, the WTO and the ICRC. In 2011, French was deemed by Bloomberg Businessweek to be one of the top three most useful languages for business, after English and Chinese.
10 Reasons to Learn French
- Knowing French will allow you not only to function but to compete effectively in the global economy of the future.
- Speaking French will increase your job opportunities and salary potential.
- Studying French increases your appreciation of other people and their cultures.
- French opens up an entire world of sporting events to enthusiasts.
- Knowing French will improve your vocabulary in English.
- Learning a new language, like French, develops your critical and creative thinking skills.
- Proficiency in French will significantly improve your chances of being accepted to a university and to graduate school.
- Using French enhances your travel abroad to Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa.
- French is the language of culture, opening the door to art, music, dance, fashion, cuisine, and cinema.
- French is the language of many great literary masterpieces.
— Source: Wikipedia and American Association of Teachers of French