Along with English and Chinese, French is the most popular second language pursued by most people around the world. You will be surprised at the advantages of French in today's age of English 'saturation'.
Are you curious and wonder how many countries speak French - the language of love?
French – A Language That Develops Through Many Stages And Lots Of Interesting Facts Around
French is one of the most common Roman languages. Like other Roman languages including Italian and Spanish, was born from Common Latin or Vulgar - the language spoken by the Romans. After the Western Roman Empire, where Latin was widely spoken, many regions faced cultural and linguistic isolation. These isolated local dialects developed into the Roman languages we know today.
The Gallo-Romance dialect spoken in northern France eventually became the French language. In 1539 French finally replaced Latin as the state language of France and became the official administrative language.
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How Many French Speakers Are There?
The simple and unimaginable number of French speakers is 300 million. This 300 million includes not only native speakers but also people who speak different dialects, dialects or only partially speak.
It is an official language on five continents and is also the second most studied language after English. The number of French speakers is increasing day by day, especially with the population growth in Africa, this number is expected to really increase for many years to come.
There Are Different Types of French
We have seen how the separation of one language led to the birth of many different languages. Similarly, the type of French spoken in different countries also varies. Let's take a look at all the different nuances that French has used.
French
People often think that when we talk about French spoken in France we are referring to the Parisian accent, but that is not the case. Notably, even here the French has many different versions. There are more than 28 French versions here, and this distinction is often an opportunity of amusement for people.
Speaking specifically of Parisian French, you will find that it is not only very rich but also very expressive and intimate. It's no secret that a few people hold the view that it's the best.
Belgium
Belgium is a large French-speaking country as more than 45% of the population speaks French. However, like any other country, it has its own way around the language of love.
There are almost 10 different versions of French spoken in Belgium, and you may have noticed that all of these versions have a firmer timbre to them. This solidity comes mainly from the influence of the country's other official language - Dutch. However, due to the close proximity, you can find similarities in the Paris version and the Belgian version.
Switzerland
Of course, Switzerland has never been known for a completely one-sided option (so far). It is true that French spoken in a country with three official languages is completely neutral. In fact, it is widely known as Standard French. Almost 20% of the country's population speaks French.
French speakers also speak much slower than French and Belgians. This is an appreciated trait as it does not have a rushed tone but is quite relaxed.
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is one of the oldest French-speaking countries in the world dating back to the 1500s. In fact, it is the mother tongue of nearly 95% of the population of Quebec. This version of French does not differ from other countries when in written form, but at the spoken level, it is completely different.
The Quebecois accent is a very distinctive accent due to its seductive and pleasant tone. It is so prized that many linguists consider it a cultural treasure, as there are still vestiges of the old French.
Haiti
Also known as Caribbean French, Haitian French is somewhat similar to African French due to the influence of different African languages and dialects. However, it's hard to rule out any origins due to the country's history.
Although French is the official language of the country, you will find that on the street there are many other languages including Haitian Creole which is widely spoken. You can ask for a really good French translation service if you don't speak the language.
Algeria
Due to the colonial regime and the War in Algeria, French has established a sizable position for itself in this country. However, there is an undeniable influence of Arabic on the French version spoken in Algeria. Many Arabic words are used in the French Maghreb and vice versa.
Democratic Republic of the Congo
French speaking in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is described as quite simple, coherent and uncluttered. This is the same type of French that was also spoken in Central Africa due to Belgian colonization.
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How Many French-Speaking Countries Are There Total?
The importance of French can be judged by the fact that it is not only a working language recognized by the UN but also a procedural language of the EU. This is the official language of 29 countries including:
- France
- Canada
- Belgium
- Burkina Faso
- Benin
- Burundi
- Chad
- cameroon
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ivory Coast
- Switzerland
- Djibouti
- Haiti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Niger
- Luxembourg
- Monaco
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Guinea
- Seychelles
- Central African Republic
- Saint Lucia
- Gabon
- Go
- Vanuatu
The above is information about the types of French, the French-speaking country. Hope the article will be useful to you!
Nguyen Trung Khang - Talented interpreter and translator, passionate about translation
Nguyen Trung Khang is a talented interpreter and translator, with many years of experience in the field of translation and linguistics. He graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, majoring in Linguistics in 2015.
After graduating, Mr. Khang participated in a professional interpretation and interpretation training course at the University of Foreign Languages - Hanoi National University. He achieved a high-level certificate in interpreting and interpreting, and was also awarded a master's degree in linguistics.