The REAL importance of French
<< my native Portuguese is close to extinction. >>
J.C. Why do you say that? Brazil speaks Portuguese and its very large.
I guess I'm still confused as to what question you are really asking. The importance of French can be debated based on what someone considers to be important. In other words, everyone will have a different point of view.
If French really was almost as important as English or second only to English, then I think it would be more obvious and up to such constant debate and controversy.
Bottom line, English is the only language to achieve a truly "global" status. Since it is the ONLY language to do so, French can't be a "second global language". French is an important regional language like other large languages today. I'm not sure what other answers you are seeking. I wonder if you are have doubts about studying French?
*...then I think it would be more obvious and NOT up to such constant debate and controversy.
"J.C. Why do you say that? Brazil speaks Portuguese and its very large. "
I was just joking about my native language and also said that my Spanish isn't good enough and people won't be able to call me Hispanic, specially because I have no Spanish ancestry or speak Spanish as native language, which I think is one of the definitions of Hispanic.
"I guess I'm still confused as to what question you are really asking. The importance of French can be debated based on what someone considers to be important. In other words, everyone will have a different point of view. "
Well, I think I'm trying to understand the importance of French as a global language since I have been reading many posting about the language being the language spoken in the 5 continents (The example given by someone of French spoken in Vietnam is true but very restricted), the language of diplomacy (Perhaps in a French-speaking country but not, for instance, in Japan) and other definitions that seem to be a little biased and, even if true, are quite restricted.
"I wonder if you are have doubts about studying French?"
In my case I didn't study it because I was expecting to use it at work or at a global scale (To be honest French is not a very popular language in Brazil or at least not so popular as English, Japanese and German), rather because I wanted to read "Les Misérables" and also read Saussure´s works in the original. Other than that French isn't that useful for me but I got nothing against having another language for general culture.
By the way, while I was in college I was thinking of applying for "Instituto Rio Branco", which forms diplomats in Brazil but wasn't willing to study French (It was a mandatory language) just for the entrance examination and found out, recently, that only ENGLISH is mandatory and one can choose as a second language French, Japanese, German, Arabic, Russian, Spanish or Chinese. In my opinion this choice is more wise because these languages represent not only the language of nations with a strong economy but also languages spoken by a large quantity of people. Still, these languages alone can't be "global"(But can reach a reasonable number of people but in limited areas) and no language will ever achieve such a status, at least in my opinion.
<< Well, I think I'm trying to understand the importance of French as a global language >>
Well, from reading your second paragraph, it sounds like you already have a pretty good idea of how important it is.
<< since I have been reading many posting about the language being the language spoken in the 5 continents >>
Well it isn't, at least not in the way many people here claim. My point is that you can strech any figures to say that ANY language is spoken on 5 continents. A better question would be where it is "significantly" spoken. But don't just take the word of myself or others here. Go look up facts for yourself about who speaks what and where from a reliable source. For example, the CIA factbook is pretty good and up to date.
Francophones and Anglophones must unite to destroy the Spanish language and culture.
<<Destruction is beautiful too. >>
Indeed. The most beautiful and awe-inspiring thing I ever saw was the nuclear explosion of the Tsar-Bomba. Dreadful, but there's no denying it's beautiful.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i0IrUuNDl0
What is the linguistic equivalent? We can use it on Spanish!
<< German and Spanish speaking people don't say that their language is considered "the language of diplomacy and culture" or "the only global language with English." >>
But you did say that Spanish is the 2nd most studied language in the planet and posting links made by hispanics which contain nothing but silly opinions and if there are websites, they are entirely made by hispanics shose head are full of lice that's why they came up with contents of those websites full of lies.
Visitor, that's not the point. The most studied languages is something that can be accounted for and proven because of actual numbers and trends. (I'm not saying I know for sure what #2 is BTW) But claiming that French is the language of "culture" is not only an abstract assertion, but it also seems kind of arrogant, unfounded and simply a matter of opinion. As for diplomacy, we all know what langauge is the most important and most useful...the one we are all using to discuss now.
Spanish is the most studied language in USA and USA is the most important country in the world.
Die Amis sont immer so wahnsinnig geschmacklos!
It will be helpfull to you in Quebec. I know someone from Quebec and he speaks French.
Spanish is the most studied language in USA and USA is the most important country in the world but Spanish will never be an important language in the world.
In fact Spanish already is important . French used to be important but not nowadays. Currently French is just another European language like Polish , Ukranian, etc...
Lo que pasa es que el español es hablado principalmente en América latina y en España. En cambio, el francés se habla en los 5 continentes aunque hay mucho más hispanohablantes en el mundo que francófonos. Y por ello, el español sigue siendo una lengua importantísima pero el francés tiene más peso en las organizaciones internacionales dado su largo pasado de lengua diplomática europea.
Por favor, dejad ya de despreciar lenguas o culturas en particular , es completamente ridículo proclamar la superioridad de un idioma sobre otro. Todas las lenguas merecen la pena, incluso las menos extendidas y es absurdo considerar algunas inútiles.
<<el francés tiene más peso en las organizaciones internacionales dado su largo pasado de lengua diplomática europea.
>>
Agua pasada no mueve molino.
<<Lo que pasa es que el español es hablado principalmente en América latina y en España.>>
Y el francés sólo se habla en Francia y en África . Bueno, en Africa tampoco porque allí hablan diversos creoles.