Interesting Facts About The French Language

The French language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. There is also a lot of interesting history surrounding the French in France. Over 200 million people in the world are fluent in French, yet not all of them are French. While English is first on the list as the most widely taught language in the world, French is the second most widely taught. The postal service considers French as its official international language and so does the Red Cross. As well, there is a part or Africa which is considered to have the largest concentration in the world of people who are fluent in French.

France and the French language are closely intertwined with American history. The famous Statue of Liberty was a gift to the USA from France. There are also many literary masterpieces that have been translated into English from the French vocabulary. In the USA, French is the most popular second language taken up in higher education and is one of the most in demand languages, with regard to jobs.

France is also one of the most popular tourist destinations, with about 100 million people visiting it every year. More than 500,000 Americans are employed in French companies (making it the third largest employer of US citizens) and about 600,000 French people are employed in US enterprises.

Knowing the achievements of this wonderful country helps to invigorate one to learn the French language. France has been chosen as the site of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor; the first nuclear fusion reactor in the world. France is one of the major research centers in the world on high energy physics. In medicine, the dreaded AIDS virus was first isolated by French doctors. The Human Genome Project (Paris) is the largest and most significant medical research center on genetics in the world. France is the fourth largest automobile manufacturer, having produced some of the most famous and coveted cars, such as the Citroen, the Renault and the Peugeot. Is it then surprising why so many people want to learn French?

If you are learning the French language, then it is sometimes interesting to know more about the history of the country from which it originates. France is considered a leader in the telecommunications industry and was where fiber optics was born. France has a rich history indeed and is known for many advancements. If you were lucky enough to be able to learn French in Paris, then you might also be able to learn about France's military and technological accomplishments. France is on top of the aircraft manufacturing industry and quite well ranked for electronic equipment manufacturing as well.