We cannot do justice to the beauty of French buzzing with facts and figures. However, or notwithstanding as the French say, we need to have a brief idea about the origins, history and importance of French as one of the most, if not THE most beautiful languages in the world.
french is a romance language
Don’t confuse this with ‘the language of romance’, which it is too! It has its roots in the vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. Again, the language is not vulgar: the word encompasses the ‘popular’ Roman dialects of the Middle Ages.
French is not limited to being spoken in France. It is the official language of 29 countries, members of la francophonie, the community of francophone countries. These were formerly French colonies stretching from the Canadian provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick, parts of Belgium and Switzerland, Monaco, and as far afield as parts of sub-Saharan and North Africa.
40% of the francophone population is in Europe; 15% in Africa and the Middle East!
lingua franca
The dictionary definition of this term is: a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose mother tongues are different.
French was the language of diplomacy and international relations from the 17th century to the mid-20th century. That is why lingua franca (literally French language) came to denote a universal language. The United States became the dominant power at the end of World War II, and English gained ascendancy.
French is now the most influential language after English.
England French Connection
The first king of England, William the Conqueror, was French!
A large part of the possessions of the first English monarchy were in France and French was the language of the English court. The English nobility and upper classes were heavily influenced by French and its language.
Gradually the French nobles became English but took a fair amount of French into the English language. Commonly used words like messenger and dentist are actually French.
The motto of the British monarch is in French: Dieu et mon droit which means ‘God and my right’.
This brief history lesson is important for us to understand why French is considered the language of sophistication and culture even today.
Each person has their reason why they feel that French is the most beautiful language in the world:
#1. Consonants ending a French word are not pronounced. This is why French vowels flow easily and one word blends into another. It’s like music.
#two. French is ardently ‘euphonious’ or sounds harmonious. For example, a word that ends with a vowel sound is never followed by a word that begins with a vowel. There are precise linguistic rules that promote euphony; it’s not just coincidence.
#3. French is the language of romance. A recent Google Translate survey shows that “I love you” is the most requested translation and “I miss you” ranks high.
#4. French is the language of love. This could have originated in the love songs sung by itinerant minstrels in medieval France and transferred to England with the French nobility and their court poets and singers. This is probably why the English-speaking world came to consider, and STILL considers, French to be the language when the feeling is LOVE!
#5. More emotional than rational. French creates emotions and desires, and a few sentences are enough to encourage fantasies. French is a language that appeals to the imagination.
#6. The sensuality of French is due to the accent. This may be something non-native speakers say because they find the intonation appealing. There are those who insist that even swearing in French sounds soft and inviting.
#7. French is unique and full of picturesque phrases that lose their music and evocative meanings in translation. “The call of the void.” literally translates to “the call of the void”, but in French it describes the urge to jump that people can have when looking down from a great height. Four little words convey a lot of feelings.
#8. French is elegant, sophisticated. It is easily understood when reading. With its history, French is considered the language of classes and class. When we talk about top chefs and cuisine, we use the term ‘cordon bleu’ (blue ribbon), and haute couture is ‘haute couture’.
#9. French is full of nuances and details that make it special. “Eating dandelions by the root” means eating dandelions starting at the root.
This is a phrase to be dead and gone, an example of how colorful French is.
#10. Through the centuries, French has clung to the correct way of speaking and writing. Many languages have taken liberties. English, for example, has been twisted and mutilated out of its original structure by native and other influences. “For your upstairs, see my downstairs” was actually an official response to a letter in a Government Department (identity withheld for reasons of delicacy).
The importance of French translation today
Globalization has driven companies far across the globe. Language is the main means of communication: translations and interpretations have become important.
French is spoken in 29 countries as an official language today. Experts say this could see a dramatic rise in the community and popularity of French as an international language – the lingua franca of yesteryear, in fact.
Emerging economies in francophone countries are rising to prominence. As its population increases, so will the number of Francophones.
Research by Cardiff University shows that when it comes to business and commerce, English is barely enough to make the initial entry into the international market. Many markets prefer the use of French; For example, French is commonly used in business negotiations with African countries.
Fluency in French, understanding the heart and soul of the language, is important in today’s world of business, literature, education, and the arts.
Don’t lose the exclusivity, sophistication, elegance and beauty of the most musical of languages for generalized or substandard machine translations. Use the experienced services of expert translators who will do justice to French.
Long live the French. Long live the French.
