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Discussion: Is French a dead language?
Member Since: 6/12/2011
Posts: 3,237
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Is French a dead language?
Is French a "useless" regional language now? It's importance has been supplanted by German, English, Spanish, Mandarin, and even Portuguese, Arabic, and Korean. Will it soon be a language akin to Italian, Polish, Dutch (a.k.a. spoken only for speaking sake -- not for business, technology, politics, etc.)? In what fate does the former lingua franca lie?
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Banned
Member Since: 3/22/2012
Posts: 26,321
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 4,395
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no not really, there's a reason why French is taught in American high schools instead of Italian, Posh, Dutch, or German.
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Member Since: 5/19/2012
Posts: 5,843
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Lol no, it's the official language of Canada and France amongst others as well as many international organizations, take the UN andt the Olympics.
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 5,981
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its not dead in france 
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 776
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what an ignorant thing to say.
French is spoken in so many countries and if you want to be a politician in canada or work for the government you need to speak both english and french.
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Member Since: 6/12/2011
Posts: 3,237
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gabriel
Lol no, it's the official language of Canada and France amongst others as well as many international organizations, take the UN andt the Olympics.
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But does anyone speak French outside of France, Belgium, and Canada? I know German is the most spoken language in Europe. English is the most common second language in the world, etc.
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Banned
Member Since: 2/6/2012
Posts: 18,398
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No. Even in Canada it's one of our official languages aside from English, every product has English and French packaging, it's basically a requirement to know it for working in the government, it's mandatory in all public schools till like grade 10, etc etc.
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Member Since: 3/6/2014
Posts: 13,604
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No way. 
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Member Since: 6/12/2011
Posts: 3,237
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Quote:
Originally posted by mdnazn
no not really, there's a reason why French is taught in American high schools instead of Italian, Posh, Dutch, or German.
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Do you really think learning a language in class actually means anything?
I've met many Americans who claim to speak Spanish yet can only muster a "Donde esta el bano" or "Me gusta su shirto". 
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 4,395
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Quote:
Originally posted by sychung4650
But does anyone speak French outside of France, Belgium, and Canada? I know German is the most spoken language in Europe. English is the most common second language in the world, etc.
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French is the official language in many African countries, such as Senegal, Mali, and Niger.
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Member Since: 5/19/2012
Posts: 5,843
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Quote:
Originally posted by sychung4650
But does anyone speak French outside of France, Belgium, and Canada? I know German is the most spoken language in Europe. English is the most common second language in the world, etc.
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Yes, as I mentioned before French is one of the largest spoken global languages as well as one of the main international commerce languages.
It is extremely practical as a second or third language.
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Member Since: 4/10/2012
Posts: 17,020
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It's decaying. It was surpassed by Spanish as the second-most-studied language in the world.
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 37,384
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Its not as useful as English or Spanish, buts its still used pretty widely.
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Member Since: 6/12/2011
Posts: 3,237
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Quote:
Originally posted by Gabriel
Yes, as I mentioned before French is one of the largest spoken global languages as well as one of the main international commerce languages.
It is extremely practical as a second or third language.
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English is the most spoken second language in the world (everyone knows a smattering of English at the least). German is the most spoken language in Europe. Mandarin has China. Arabic and Russian are fast becoming the most important languages in foreign policy. Portuguese has the burgeoning Brazilian economy in its rapid relevance. Spanish is the second most spoken native language, with Latin America primed to become target consumers in the future.
I don't see it for French. It's more for those clinging to the old when it used to be the lingua franca of government, business, and philosophy.
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Member Since: 4/4/2014
Posts: 2,511
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 11,383
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I don't think so
but french came from latin, so it could become another language again, who knows
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Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 11,383
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Quote:
Originally posted by Scandal & Media
No. Even in Canada it's one of our official languages aside from English, every product has English and French packaging, it's basically a requirement to know it for working in the government, it's mandatory in all public schools till like grade 10, etc etc.
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I remember reading from a canadian member, he said they don't actually teach french in canadian schools and stuff, if you want to learn french you gotta go to Quebec and learn by yourself, so Canada doesn't count really..
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Member Since: 3/22/2011
Posts: 26,525
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 6,868
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Non.
French is still an important international language. It's spoken in France, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Canada, and certain countries in Africa. It's an official language of the Olympics, along with English and Chinese. French is one of the languages spoken at the UN. So no, France has more of a purpose than "speaking it for the sake of speaking it." France is still an important country, as is French as a language.
And not @ the OP trying to say that Portuguese is more important/used than French. TrieD iT
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