Why should we learn French?
“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way” — Frank Smith.
Whenever we come across the word ‘French’ we usually think it must be a tough language to learn. So, Is French hard to learn? Is it difficult compared to other languages? Does irregular spelling make it hard? Sit tight because all these doubts are about to get clear in this blog.
1. HEALTH BENEFITS
It seems incredible that bilingualism delays Alzheimer’s disease that comes with aging. The better your French gets, the more likely you’ll be able to multi-task. Whatever your age, the health benefits of learning a foreign language like French make it a foolproof way to upgrade your life, and future-proof your brain for old age. Scientific studies continuously back up such claims. Not enough? I have more in my bag to motivate you all! Keep reading.
2. EDUCATIONAL & CAREER ASSET
A second language like French not only opens the doors to other cultures, it allows us to re-conceptualize. It leads to the growth of the brain, finely tuned hearing & concentration power, stave off dementia, improved multi-tasking, better cognitive abilities, increased perceptual sensitivity, memory boost, and improvement of our first language.
Over 300 million people speak French on the five continents. French is deemed to be the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the fifth most widely spoken language in the world. Do You Know? France operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes. It opens up opportunities to study at renowned French universities and business schools which are ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and around the world.
Students that completed a French immersion program have better chances of landing a job. It is considered as a language for the international job market. The ability to speak French unlocks the doors to big multinational French companies like L’Oreal, Renault, Auchan, Chanel, Cartier, and many more. Interesting right? Hold yourself, there are still a lot of things you don’t know about French.
3. UNFOLD THE WORLD FOR YOU
French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture. A knowledge of French not only offers access to great works of literature but to films and songs too like the international film festival, the Festival de Cannes. It provides an alternative perspective of the world.
You can follow various French thinkers and leaders from all over the globe and news from the leading French-language international media like France 24. It is the official language in many international organizations such as the International Olympic Committee, United Nations, FIFA, UNESCO, the European Union, NATO, the International Red Cross, and international courts.
4. BASE FOR OTHER LANGUAGES
French is a good base for learning other languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian) especially English. Yes, you read it right ‘English’. Some studies have shown that learning a second language like French makes speakers more linguistically aware and therefore more intuitive of the grammar rules of languages, including their own. Also, a significant percentage of English vocabulary is derived from French. For instance: la boutique, la cage, le train, le yoga, le sandwich, le fruit and many more. Didn’t know about it? Now you do!
5. A LANGUAGE OF LOVE & REASONING
Ever hear of language of love and reason? Yes, French is the pleasure of learning an alluring, rich, euphonious language that is often called the language of love. French is also an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking, which is a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations. Well, I don’t know about you guys but it is one of the most common reasons people consider learning French.
6. SHOUTOUT TO TRAVELERS
Ever dreamed of visiting the Loire Valley or spending a year living and working in Paris? If yes, French is the language for you. France is not the only country that your new French skills can bring you to. It is an official language in 29 countries. Some of the most well-known are in Europe: like Switzerland, Luxembourg, the principality of Monaco, and Belgium. In North America, you can try speaking French in both Canada and Louisiana. That’s a lot of places to visit! What are you waiting for? Start packing up your bags.
Remember the questions asked at the starting of the blog. It’s about to time to answer them.
7. FRIENDLY & FUN TO LEARN
Fear not! French is actually one of the easiest European languages to learn. It is not hard to learn, especially when compared to English! That’s right. According to various sources, 45% of all English words have a French origin. For instance: la boutique, la cage, le train, le fruit, and many more. English speakers recognize familiar structures in French: nouns, verbs, conjunctions, adverbs, subjects, prepositions, and direct objects. This isn’t always the case for other languages.
So, with French you’re already starting on familiar ground. Reading French is mostly straightforward. Even if some words are alien to you, getting the gist of it isn’t difficult. This is mostly because of the similar vocabulary and identical alphabet. Try that with Japanese!
French pronunciation might be tricky. According to Foreign Service Institute (FSI), the approximate time you need to learn a foreign language like French as an English speaker will be 23–24 weeks with 575–600 class hours. But I believe it varies from individual to individual depending on their pace.
8. WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
Some people choose French because it is spoken in a lot of countries. Others enjoy exploring the rich literary, historical, and cultural traditions of the French-speaking world. Some just fall in love. As per the Forbes report, French is the language of the future, according to a study by Natixis investment bank projecting French will be the “most-spoken language in the world” by 2050. Robert Lane Greene, a business correspondent for The Economist, explains why he thinks French is the most useful language to learn for business. ABC News reports that according to Bloomberg Rankings, French is the second most useful language in the world for business. According to the US Census Bureau, French is the third most spoken language in the US other than English. Learning French isn’t going to be as difficult as you think. So, what are you waiting for?
