Why is it French considered as one of the international language next to English?
French was becoming a lingua franca — a language that goes beyond the boundaries of its community of speakers and becomes a language for communication between groups not sharing a common tongue. By the 17th century, French was known as the language of diplomacy and international relations throughout the world.
Why French is an international language?
A world language French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the fifth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the only language, alongside English, that is taught in every country in the world.
What is the official international language of the world?
English as a global language With more than 350 million people around the world speaking English as a first language and more than 430 million speaking it as a second language, there are English speakers in most countries around the world.
Is French still an international language?
French has a long history as an international language of literature and scientific standards and is a primary or second language of many international organisations including the United Nations, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the World Trade Organization, the International Olympic …
When did French become the official language of France?
1539
History. The Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts of 1539 made French the administrative language of the kingdom of France for legal documents and laws. Previously, official documents were written in medieval Latin, which was the language used by the Roman Catholic Church.
When did English become the international language?
By the late 18th century, the British Empire had spread English through its colonies and geopolitical dominance. Commerce, science and technology, diplomacy, art, and formal education all contributed to English becoming the first truly global language.
Did French used to be the universal language?
Before the global era, there was no global language. In Europe, French was the lingua franca before English. The change occurred at the time of WW1. In Europe, before French, Latin was the lingua franca.
When was English voted as an international language?
It[English] has replaced French as the lingua franca of diplomacy since World War II. The rise of English in diplomacy began in 1919, in the aftermath of World War I, when the Treaty of Versailles was written in English as well as in French, the dominant language used in diplomacy until that time.
When did English nobility speak French?
For 400 years, from 1066 to the mid-15th century, the royals and the nobility of the Anglo-Norman kingdom spoke French.
In what countries is French the official language?
French is the official language** in Belgium, Benin, Burkina, Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central, African, Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte, d’Ivoire, Democratic, Republic, of, the, Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial, Guinea, France, Guinea, Haiti, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Monaco, Niger, Republic, of, the, Congo.
When was French the international language?
French has been called the international language by Europeans since the 13th century when it was fashionable for the upper classes to speak French as an alternative to their native tongue. It has been widely used in legal proceedings since then as a standard language for contracts etc. in Europe.
Why is French considered an international language?
French is considered an international language not only because it is spoken in dozens of countries, but also because it is one of the official working languages in many important international organizations.
What is the role of French in international relations?
By the 17th century, French was known as the language of diplomacy and international relations throughout the world. Political officials and French nationalists have fought to keep French as the international language of diplomacy, but many argue that English has taken over that role.
Is French still the international language of diplomacy?
The growing popularity of the English language in recent times means that French may no longer have the “language of diplomacy” designation that it used to. Political officials and French nationalists have fought to keep French as the international language of diplomacy, but many argue that English has taken over that role.
What are the top 10 countries with French as the official language?
1 Belgium (the official language in Wallonie) 2 Burundi 3 Cameroon 4 Canada (the official language in Québec) 5 Chad 6 Channel Islands (the official language in Guernsey and Jersey) 7 Comoros 8 Djibouti 9 Equatorial Guinea 10 Haiti (the other official language is French Creole)