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Why French?

Why French?. Culture / Prestige. From 17th century to the mid 20th century, French was the pre-eminent international language of diplomacy and international affairs as well as the lingua franca of the educated European classes History, Literature Gastronomy, Art, Fashion.

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Why French?

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  1. Why French?

  2. Culture / Prestige • From 17th century to the mid 20th century, French was the pre-eminent international language of diplomacy and international affairs as well as the lingua franca of the educated European classes • History, Literature • Gastronomy, Art, Fashion

  3. Culture / Prestige déjà vu du jour encore faux laissez-faire savoir-faire trompe l'œil touché tête-à-tête • bas-relief • chef d'œuvre • coup d'état  • coup de foudre • fondue • crême brûlée • crême fraîche • cuisine • pièce de résistance

  4. English Vocab • Over one third of the English vocabulary has been borrowed from French • cerise • carte blanche • portmanteau • coiffeur

  5. Geography

  6. Geography(travel + business) • official language of 28 countries, important language in 56 countries making OIF • second most frequently taught language in the world after English • only language other than English spoken on five continents

  7. Geography(travel + business) • French is the only foreign language that can be useful throughout the world as well as in the United States

  8. French, along with English, is the official working language of : • the United Nations • UNESCO • NATO • Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) • the International Labor Bureau • the International Olympic Committee • the 31-member Council of Europe • the European Community • the Universal Postal Union • the International Red Cross • Union of International Associations (UIA)

  9. In a recent listing of international jobs (12/1/09) distributed by the US State Department: • 92 required or preferred French • 36 Spanish • 11 a UN language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) • 7 Arabic • 5 Russian • 1 Japanese • 1 Hindi • 1 German • 1 Chinese

  10. Business • one of the official languages of Canada, our most important trading partner, and the only official language of the province of Quebec, which is our sixth-largest trading partner • France has the fifth-largest economy in the world • French companies alone have created more than 520,000 jobs in the United States, while American companies employ 650,000 people in France • Plus: half of the African continent has French as an official or administrative language and represents a very promising potential market for the United States

  11. Science/Technology • France is a European leader in aerospace (Aérospatiale, Arianespace, Airbus...), and most commercial satellites are put into space on French Ariane rockets • The fastest train (TGV) is French • France a world leader in medical research and genetics

  12. Science/Technology • France is the world's third military power (after the US and Russia), and has the world's second largest defense industry (i.e. exocet missiles, radar technology.) • France is the world’s third nuclear power (after the United States and Russia) • The world’s first nuclear fusion reactor, ITER (the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is being built in France

  13. Sources • http://www.wwu.edu/depts/mcl/french/FR/Archives/Special%20Report%20-%20French%20Review%2084.5%20%28April%202011%29.html • http://www.fll.vt.edu/French/whyfrench.html

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