Why are there so many French speakers in the world?

Many colonies gained independence after World War One and France still had a strong influence in some countries in Africa and South East Asia up until the 1960s. A result of the colonial era is that many countries still use French as a national language, even though they are no longer ruled by France.

Is French a global language?

The jump from the current 300 m French speakers will occur thanks to the growing population of the African continent, who represent two-thirds of the planet’s francophones. French is “truly global”, claims the OFI, as it is spoken on four continents (N.

Is the number of French speakers decreasing?

The report indicated the number of individuals who speak mainly French at home fell five percentage points, to 27.9, per cent of the population over those 15 years. The number of people who use mainly French at work dropped 5.3 points, to 21.6, by 2016.

Why is a global language?

A global language allows for communication between different cultures. Language has always been the focal point of cultural identity. Even though we were both from different countries, and English was not our native tongue, we were able to connect culturally through our ability to speak the current global language.

Why French is a world language?

French in the World It is the only language other than English to be spoken on all five continents. In fact, among its 275 million speakers, more than 96 million live in Africa, yet it also represents the 2nd most widely spoken native language and foreign language in Europe.

Is French culture dying?

It’s not true.” French culture may not be on the decline, but the use of French is, with the language of Molière now ranked 12th in numbers of speakers in the world. French architecture, fashion, cuisine and dance continue to thrive.

When did English nobility speak French?

During the 15th century, English became the main spoken language, but Latin and French continued to be exclusively used in official legal documents until the beginning of the 18th century. Nevertheless, the French language used in England changed from the end of the 15th century into Law French.