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France French
Saturday, September 24th, 2011

3 Reasons to Learn French
French is one of the Romance languages from the Indo-European language family. It is closely associated with Spanish and Italian. About 110 million native speakers are found in France as well as parts of Switzerland, Belgium, Canada and Monaco. In other parts of the world, around 190 million people use French as a second language. Additionally, an estimated 200 million people study French as a foreign language. In fact, it ranks as the second most studied foreign language, second only to English.
There are many reasons why French is learnt. Some say that it is the most beautiful language they know. This may be more because of the rich culture of France than the language itself. The following are three reasons why you should learn French.
1. French is a widely used language all over the world.
Aside from France, French is an official language in Canada, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Rwanda, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Mauritius, and Seychelles among many others. Moreover, it is one of the official working languages in the United Nations, NATO, UNESCO, European Community, International Red Cross and other international organizations and entities.
All these mean that career and business opportunities are better when you know how to speak French. You will be more globally competitive if you know at least two languages. In international job listings, for instance, many positions require the ability to speak French. In addition, numerous French companies have offices in the U.S. Canada, also a French speaking country, has good trading relations with the U.S. Knowing how to speak the language puts you in an advantageous position.
2. Travel to France will be more fun when you know French.
France is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the entire world. Its castles, beaches, museums (think Louvre!), architecture, awesome landscapes, popular cuisine, wine, shopping and a whole lot more, are more than enough to keep tourists and vacationers of all ages entertained and occupied.
However, knowing how to speak French makes a lot of difference in the way you experience the country. The French people are not really the friendliest or the most helpful or the most tolerant bunch on earth. There are few French who can speak English fluently, so speaking English will not be of great help when you are in France. The French are also very critical of non-French speaking visitors. They do not take kindly to language mistakes by foreigners. So if you speak French and have a little understanding of their culture, French people will treat you more kindly and with more respect. You can avoid being treated rudely during your travel.
3. Knowing French allows you to appreciate French art, literature, cinema, music and dance.
French is the language of culture. Knowing how to speak French will help you understand the numerous great art, literature and music pieces.
French is not the easiest language to learn, which may be what makes it so appealing. When you have learnt French, you will have a sense of great accomplishment; you will have more confidence in the pursuit of your career; and can maintain poise when conversing with French-speaking persons.
About the Author
Daniel C Howard is a language teacher living in Asia. He has over a decade of experience teaching all ages a variety of subjects. For free info and lessons on French, please visit his blog <a href=”http://www.learnfantasticfrench.com”> here</a>.
You can also sign up for a newsletter full of free language tips from Daniel’s many hours in a class. And as a bonus, stay updated on all the new information on <a href=”http://www.learnfantasticfrench.com”>www.learnfantasticfrench.com</a>.
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Senseo Paris French Vanilla Coffee, 16-Count Pods (Pack of 6) $33.26 This french vanilla delight creates a great tasting gourmet coffee experience for every mood. A mild vanilla flavored coffee blend with a hint of caramel…. |
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Demarle Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat A must-have for every pastry chef, this thick but flexible silicone baking sheet acts as a non-stick work surface, needing no grease Freeze or bake with it: withstands temperature from -40 to over 480F Great for all your chocolate & sugar work Can be reused thousands of times SilpatCare Instructions Handling Work with Silpat ona flat surface with the smooth side facing up (Silpat logo up). Check t… |
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Wilton 2104-6667 12 Piece Cupcake Decorating Set $4.57 Create all kinds of fun cupcake designs perfect for celebrations or everyday treats! Includes star tips 1M (rosettes, stars, and drop flowers), star tip 22 (zigzags, pull-out stars), round tip 12 (outlines, dots, messages), and Bismarck tip 230 for exciting filled cupcakes, plus 8 disposable bags, and an instruction booklet. 12 pieces total! Made in USA/Imported…. |
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Songs in French for Children $2.59 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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A Little Princess $4.98 After the critical success of 1993′s The Secret Garden, Warner Bros. returned to the novels of Frances Hodgson Burnett to create this 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess, which instantly ranked with The Secret Garden as one of the finest children’s films of the 1990s. Neither film was a huge box-office success, but their quality speaks for itself, and A Little Princess has all the ingredients o… |
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Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix $6.97 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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Three Colors: Blue, White, Red (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] $38.12 Even though one can view each segment of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors trilogy on its own, it seems absurd to do so; why buy the slacks instead of the entire suit? Created by Kieslowski and his writing partner Krzysztof Piesiewicz for France’s bicentennial, the titles–and the themes of the films–come from the three colors of the French flag representing liberty, equality, and fraternity. B… |
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Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 [Blu-ray] $24.96 Papi is back, and he’s ready to party! From the studio that brought you Beverly Hills Chihuahua-you’re invited to the ultimate celebration of friendship and family: Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta! Join Papi (voiced by George Lopez) and his two- and four-legged family as they move into a posh Beverly Hills hotel, complete with a luxurious doggy spa. But there’s trouble in puppy paradise … |
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Titanic [VHS] $4.25 Leonardo DiCaprio (Actor), Kate Winslet (Actor) | Rated: PG-13 | Format: VHS Tape… |
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Parrot AR.Drone Replacement Propellers $6.99 These propellers have been specially designed for the AR.Drone by a team who won the French Army micro drone contest. They are made to optimize power consumption and thrust. Propellers are marked either “C” (for “clockwise”) or “A” (for anticlockwise). The propellers should be mounted as follow: motor 1: “C” motor2: “A” motor 3: “C” motor4: “A”. This kit includes 4 propellers (2 “C” and 2 “A”), … |