World Languages
World Languages
Why study French?
To those who think Spanish is "easier" and/or "it's more practical," let me add my personal pitch for French courses.[1] This is simply not true. Although pronunciation in French may take a bit longer to develop, it is as consistent as Spanish pronunciation (and both are much easier to decipher from the written word than English!). Grammar and sentence structure in French is often more similar to English than it is in Spanish. In short, each language has its easy and difficult points.
As for practicality, in addition to the general reasons for language learning, here are a number of reasons to study French in particular: [adapted from http://www.frenchteachers.org]
- Proficiency in French increases your job prospects. A U.S. State Department study of the international job market at the turn of the millennium indicates that over 50% of international jobs require or prefer candidates to speak French.
- French is the second most influential language in the world. Language Today, a publication for language professionals, ranked French second only to English at the turn of the millennium.
- Canada, whose official languages are French and English, is the primary trading partner of the United States.[2] With NAFTA, more and more products will be marketed in Canada and companies will require French-speaking employees.
- France ranks 4th in the world in terms of Gross National Product. Plus, over 1,200 French companies have investments in the U.S., and these French companies employ over 400,000 Americans annually.
- France is the #1 tourist destination in the world. The number of people visiting France per year is greater than its entire population.
- In over 20 African countries, French is used for government and business. There is a strong French influence in North Africa, West Africa, and Central Africa.
- French is an official language of many international organizations. It is an official language at the United Nations, the Red Cross, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the International Olympic Committee.
- French is spoken on dozens of islands all over the globe. Including islands in the South Pacific, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean.
- All three branches of the European Union are headquartered in French-speaking countries. EU headquarters are located in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg.
- French is an official language in the United States. The State of Louisiana's official languages are French and English.
If you have any questions about language study here at Fox (or in general), please let me know. I'd be happy to talk with you. I believe passionately, as do all our language instructors, in the vital importance of language study for a sound liberal arts education. It is also a field in which Americans lag egregiously behind the rest of the developed and developing world.
Hillary Doerr Engelhar920/832-0109
Asst. Prof. of World Languages
UW-Fox Valley
[1] This is not meant in any way to discourage interest in the others languages we offer! [2] Several local companies (Kimberly-Clark, e.g.) have operations in the French-speaking regions of Canada.
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