Is French in decline?

jeelsoy   Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:05 pm GMT
The Brazil language, known as Portuguese is rather unique in that Brazil is the only country in South America to use it. Although Portuguese is the main language of Brazil, there are many other languages that are also spoken there. English and French are two of the other main languages even though, obrigado Brazil shows some influence of the Asian languages. Portuguese being the national language, dates back to when Portugal ruled over Brazil.

http://www.travel-brazil.info/brazil-language.html
Invitado   Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:06 pm GMT
Ni caso
German visitor   Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:06 pm GMT
The Anti-Christ Hispanic invented all the points, jeelsoy.
jeelsoy   Fri Oct 23, 2009 4:12 pm GMT
Spanish is compulsory in Brazil?

I beg to disagree.


Amazonas is a not so large state in western Brazil with a population of about 3,311,026 . It borders on Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela so logically it should offer Spanish as a secondary language.

But in most of Brazil, particularly the economic, cultural and media powerhouse that are the South and South-East regions where most of the population is concentrated, French and English are the secondary languages on offer.
joolsey   Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:18 pm GMT
jeelsoy

I live in Rio Grande do Sul, my Brazilian girlfriend is a public school teacher and I can assure you that the kids here don't have to learn French.

I'm sure you are correct when you say that Amapá obligates the learning of French..since it makes economic sense for its inhabitants to do so.

But trust me, my paulista, paranaense, brasiliense and mineiro friends (mostly ex-students of mine) have stated that Spanish and/or English (depending on the requirements set by each state and/or the municipal school's specific policy) tended to be the compulsory secondary language in their high schools.

Nothing against the French language, honest! I'm just stating the reality of language learning in Brazil.
joolsey   Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:35 pm GMT
You might be interested to know that in the south of my adopted state (Rio Grande do Sul) in cities like Pelotas and Rio Grande, a cultural and academic link was indeed established with French institutions and universities in the 19th century. Many sons of the local elite went to France to study and when they returned they inspired French-style local architecture and even fashion in clothing that became prevalent.

But it never reached...

a) a state-wide level of influence
b) public school compulsory status

You have other cities in Brazil where French haute culture became well respected and imitated, such as in Rio de Janeiro with the proliferation of French artists and planners there in the 1800s.

But you are talking about a country in which some regions have a pseudo-bilingual population (Spanish after Portuguese) along parts of its frontier.

Brazil has only recently started to stipulate which languages should and shouldn't be taught on a federal nationwide (and not a state) basis.


But
jeelsoy   Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:17 am GMT
joolsey

I live in Rio Grande do Norte, my Brazilian friend is a public school teacher and I can assure you that the kids here don't have to learn Spanish.

I'm sure you are correct when you say that Amazona obligates the learning of Spanish..since it makes economic sense for its inhabitants to do so.

But trust me, my paulista, paranaense, brasiliense and mineiro friends (mostly ex-students of mine) have stated that French and/or English depending on the requirements set by each state and/or the municipal school's specific policy) tended to be the compulsory secondary language in their high schools.

Nothing against the Spanish language, honest! I'm just stating the reality of language learning in Brazil.
Visitor   Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:38 am GMT
Un petit parenthèse pour expliquer que le français, dont l’enseignement a déjà été obligatoire dans le système éducatif brésilien, a perdu petit à petit la place prépondérante qu’il avait en profit, d’abord de l’anglais et maintenant de l’espagnol. Ce qui ne veut pas dire qu’il perd son importance dans le milieu universitaire. Au contraire, quand les étudiants commencent à envisager des possibilités d’échanges avec des pays francophones ou quand ils veulent ingresser dans le troisième cycle, ils sont obligés de checher une formation rapide en français, car l’option d’apprentissage de cette langue ne leur avait pas été offerte avant. On peut dire que ce problème ce répète pour des langues comme l’italien et l’allemand, ce qui est vrai, mais les étudiants qui cherchent les programmes de coopération franco-brésilienne, par exemple, sont beaucoup plus nombreux. Cela n’est qu’un des effets d’une politique univoque d’enseignement de langue étrangère.

Translation

A small digression to explain the French, whose education has been mandatory in the Brazilian educational system, has gradually lost the prominence it had in use, first in English and now the spanish. A small digression to explain the French, whose education HAS BEEN MANDATORY in the Brazilian educational system, has lost the prominence Gradually Had it in use, first in Français and now the Spanish. That does not mean that it loses its importance in academia. That does not mean that it loses its importance in academia. Instead, when students begin to explore trade opportunities with French-speaking countries or when they want intruded in the third cycle, they are forced to seek training in French, because the option of learning the language does they had not been offered before. We can say that this problem again for languages like Italian and German, which is true, but students seeking programs Franco-Brazilian cooperation, for example, are much more numerous. This is one of the effects of an unambiguous policy of foreign language teaching.

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:iNtN1sFt0KQJ:www.appf.org.py/actes/fichiers_com_doc/1_%25201%2520Barbosa%2520Marcio%2520BR.doc+La+langue+Francaise+au+Bresil+enseignement&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk
The most original name   Sat Oct 24, 2009 8:46 am GMT
Mr. Fanatic French Fan (FFF), also know by Mr. Copy and Paste is always wrong.

It is very difficult to be always wrong. It makes an incredible effort. Congratulations!
Guest   Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:41 pm GMT
I'm proud of Spanish being taught in Brazil because it is a big battle Spanish language has won over French. I wasn't that difficult because it's a question of common sense. If a country is surrounded by Spanish speaking countries, which language is more useful , Spanish or French?.
The most unique name   Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:04 am GMT
Mr. Hispanic Anti-Christ, also known by the name Mr. Nonsense is wrong all the time.

It is very difficult to be wrong all the time. It makes an incredible effort. Congratulations!