• Why Study French?
     
    La Francophonie  

     
    Did you know...
     
    1. French is the the 2nd most
        studied language in the world,
        after English?
     
    2. France is the #1 tourist
        destination in the world?
     
    3. French is spoken in over 50
        countries and 5 continents?
        (More than Spanish and
        German combined!!) 
     
    4. Over 200 million people
        speak French? 
     
    5. Over 2 million people speak
        French as their 1st language in
        the USA? 
     
    6. Statistically students who
        study French perform better
        on the SAT & ACT Verbal
        portion than students who
        studied Spanish or German?
     
    7. Between 40% - 50% of 
        English words come
        from French?
     
    8. French is the 2nd most used
        language on the internet after
        English?
     
    9. French is an official language
        of the United Nations and
        the Olympics?
     
    10. France has the 4th largest
          economy in the world?
     
    11. The USA exports to more
          countries that speak French
          than any other language? 
     
    12. France has the 2nd largest
          aeronautics industry after the
          USA?
     
    13. France was the official 
          language of England for over
          300 years?
     
    14.  English if closer to French
           than Spanish or German? 
     
    15. France is the 2nd highest
          producer of films after
          the USA?
     
    16. The French were the creators
          of Public Education?
     
    17. French and English are the
          only languages taught in
          every country in the world?
     
    18. France is the leader in
          nuclear energy in all of
          Europe? 
     
    19. The world leader of
          international engineering
          is Montreal, Canada?
     
    20. The Little Prince is 
          printed in 250 languages? 
     
    Le Petit Prince

    French: A World Language

    French is second only to English for the number of countries where it has official status – 32 as opposed to 45. And with 56 members of La Francophonie (shown above), it is now larger than the British Commonwealth, which has 53. 
       
         Here are some great reasons for studying French:
    • French is one of the major global languages. 
      French is spoken by over 200 million people on five continents in over fifty countries. Speaking French will open up the world to you for education, career, and leisure opportunities.

    • Flags of the European Union in front of the European Commission in Brussels, BelgiumFrench is a primary language in diplomacy and international organizations.
      For example, French is an official language of the following:

      • The United Nations
      • UNESCO
      • NATO
      • Amnesty International
      • The European Union
      • The European Court of Justice
    • French can greatly expand your job opportunities and salary potential because French is a key language in today’s global economy. 
      France, the fourth largest economy in the world, is at the center of the European market. With 465 billion Euros invested abroad in 2000, France occupies third position behind the United States and Great Britain. France is the fifth largest exporter of goods (principally equipment) and the second largest of services and agrifood (notably cereals and processed foods). France remains the principal European agricultural exporter. Additionally, many American companies have a well established presence in France.

    • Ouakam Mosque in Dakar, SénégalFrench can increase your appreciation of cultures all over the world. 
      Speaking French will enable you to communicate with a variety of people all over the world and, consequently, to reach a greater understanding of world cultures.

    • French can open doors to graduate school and research as well as the fields of medicine, the environment, engineering, science, and technology. 
      The Channel between England and France, the TGV (high speed train), micro-chip telephone cards, and the isolation of the AIDS virus are but a few examples of French achievements.

    • French will enhance your travel abroad. 
      France is one of the most popular tourist destinations. By being able to speak French, you can also communicate with people in Europe, the Caribbean, and many African countries.

    • French is the language of countless literary and philosophical thinkers throughout the ages. 
      One of the most influential of the modern European world, French literature has been and continues to be rich and varied. The list of French literary and philosophical luminaries is too long to list! In addition, there is currently much interest in discovering the depth of literature from Francophone countries.

    • The Château Frontenac in Québec City, Québec, CanadaFrench is the language of culture, art, music, fashion, cuisine, and cinema. 
      Artistic innovation, trend-setting fashion, cutting-edge cinema, and culinary prowess are long-standing hallmarks of French culture. Understanding French will increase your appreciation of these aspects of culture, both past and present.

    • French a sportive language. 
      French is one of the primary languages of the International Olympic Committee. The Tour de France (cycling), the French Open (tennis), Le Mans (car racing), and the Paris-Dakar Rally (car and bicycle racing) are a few of the French sporting events that are followed all over the globe.

    • Studying French will increase your English vocabulary. 
      Many French words have become part of everyday English, and many English words grew out of French.



     


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