| The declining status of French as an international language and the disrespect with which it is increasingly treated at home have prompted two of France's leading linguistic wise men to issue pleas for urgent action to save it for posterity. In an impassioned denunciation of the neglect into which French has fallen, Maurice Druon, 85-year-old doyen of the prestigious Academie Francaise, said an ubiquitous contempt for the rules of grammar and an insatiable appetite for bastard words from English were a clear sign of national abasement. "Alas, alas, three times alas. Not only have we lost our linguistic imperium in the fields of diplomacy, science, technology and economy, but we have also descended -- both in the oral and the written -- several linguistic levels," Druon said in an article in the conservative Le Figaro newspaper. "Vocabulary and syntax are disastrously, ignobly degraded. ..." -continued- | |
| Summary | Two facts are indicated through this article.
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| Location of info. | "Wise men urge campaign to save French language", AFP, February, 2004, URL |
| "Why Study French?" - Content will be available on the linked page - |
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| Summary | French is the language that can be useful throughout the world. Historically France and the French language have had an enormous influence over American society. France being the United States' first ally, french thought played a dominant role in the founding of the United States in the 18th century. And still, it continues to shape America today through the influence of intellectual currents such as post-structuralism and post-modernism. Knowing this, and knowing that USA is the most powerful source of influence in the present international society, it is easy for us to imagine the powerful influence of the French through USA. French as a foreign language is the second most frequently taught language in the world after English. French, along with English, is the official working language of many well-known international organizations. French is also the dominant working language at several European courts and committees. This implies that international organizations require French for the various types of professional positions in the organizations when recruiting. Also, in the humanities and the social sciences, many of the most important writings have come from France, meaning if you know the language you have access to them earlier and easier. |
| Location of info. | Richard Shryock,
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), "French: The Most Practical Foreign Language." |