Eight Interesting Facts In French Language
With French Language Day approaching on March 20th, we decided to provide you with some interesting facts in the French language. Did you know in the English vocabulary, French is 30% the root language spoken worldwide today?
Interestingly, It is one of the oldest world languages holding a reputation as one of the most attractive languages. No wonder everyone calls it the “language of love”. Now, let us give some love to our French patriots with eight fun Interesting Facts in the French Language.
Fun Interesting Facts In French Language
1. A Lot of People Speak French
Over 274 million people speak the French language. It is a globally spoken language. While it is not as common as Chinese, Spanish, or English, it remains popular. Moreover, it is estimated that worldwide, people speak French as their first or second language. Out of the 274 million people, 212 million use the vocabulary daily. One to five people speak it as a second language.
2. The Majority of People Speaking French Do Not Live in France
The majority of French speakers actually live in Africa and not France. The African continent is home to approximately 120 million French-speaking people. In 29 African countries, the official language is French. These include Burundi, Mali, Senegal, Niger, and the Ivory Coast. The language is spoken alongside the inhabitant’s indigenous languages.
3. The French Language Is the Sixth Most Common Language Found on the Internet
Are you running an online business? Then make sure to note this fun fact in the French language. In 2016, researchers found that 102,171,481 internet users speak French. At the time, as more users that are African came online, the number grew. Still, only 2.5% of the content on the web is in French. Therefore, if you want your business to reach wider audiences, make sure you include French content on your site. You may be surprised at your new customer base and how it is growing.
4. One-Third of the English Vocabulary in French
Interestingly, English is not unique as it takes a lot from other countries’ languages. Look at the famous quote of James Nicolle, “We do not borrow words. But on occasion, the English language pursued other languages down the alleyways to beat them unconscious of rifling their pockets for building a new vocabulary.”
One of the languages that the English borrowed from is French. Many sources claim that up to 45% of the words in English come from French origin. Here are some examples:
- Abattoir
- Abandon
- Café
- Cabinet
- Infidel
- Infertile
- Similar and so the list goes on
5. For English Speakers, French is an Easy Language to Learn
After Spanish, with more straightforward grammar, French is easy to understand. As French and English have a lot of similarities in words, it is not as hard to understand them if you have an English-speaking background.
6. In the World, There Are 80 Million Native French Speakers
While there are more than 60 million French speakers in France, you can find many different French communities around the globe ranging from Africa, Canada, and Monaco to Switzerland.
7. There Are Five Continents Where People Speak French
You can find English spoken worldwide, but the French Language is also vocal on the five continents. In other words, you can see the language spoken in North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, to the Middle East.
8. The French Language Is Growing Fast and Becoming Popular
While the French language is not commonly spoken by all people, more people want to learn and voice this language. The statistics show that over 500 million people will speak French by 2025. You can find more people speaking French every year, and it will remain strong. Even the French Diplomatie website feels that French will become a spoken language by all, especially with the high birth rate in France alone. You may even find that the language will become widely spoken in Europe, taking over the German language by 2025.
Final Thoughts
There are many more interesting facts in French we could mention, like the Academie Francaise. It has preserved the language since its creation by Cardinal Richelieu in 1634. The Academy comprises 40 members overseeing the language and adding new words while changing others with modern terms.
Another fun fact is counting in French, as it is unclear how to pronounce the numbers between 80 to 99. In the English vocabulary, you say “eighty-three” while the French say quatre-vingt-trois which means ‘four twenties’. Instead of saying ninety-nine, the French say four twenties, nineteen, or quatre-vingt-dix-neuf.
In conclusion, these are some of the most interesting facts in the French language. Will you be taking on some language lessons this year? French is easier to learn than you think.
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