| History and development | | | | languages spoken outside France is, however, |
| French is one of the many so-called Romance | | | | much lower than say between Italian and Spanish |
| languages that grew out of "Vulgar Latin". It is | | | | despite their greater geographic distance. |
| part of the linguistic subgroup known as Langue | | | | Current status |
| d'oil that developed in northern France in the | | | | French is an official language of the United Nations, |
| middle ages. It differs from the other two main | | | | the European Union and a wide range of other |
| subgroups spoken in France, Langue d'oc (also | | | | international bodies. In addition to being an official |
| known as Occitan) and Franco-Provencal spoken | | | | language in close to 30 countries, La Francophonie |
| in southern France, in that it was heavily | | | | (the primary international organisation of |
| influenced by the Germanic languages brought in | | | | French-speaking countries) has over fifty |
| by the invading Franks. | | | | members, showing the continued global influence |
| In practical terms what we now know as modern | | | | of the French language despite the decline in |
| French began to come to the fore following the | | | | French Power since the second World War. |
| 1539 Villers-Cotterêts Ordinance in which King | | | | Members come from all corners of the globe. |
| Francis I made Parisian French the official State | | | | Despite its European origins, the bulk of French |
| language. Whilst the expressly declared goal was | | | | speakers now live in Africa. A 2007 report |
| to displace Latin, the knock-on effect on other | | | | published by La Francophonie estimated that |
| regional French languages cannot have gone | | | | some 115 million Africans spoke French as either |
| unnoticed. To this day, it is official French state | | | | their first or second language. Statistics as to the |
| policy to promote French to the detriment of the | | | | actual number of native speakers are impossible |
| other regional languages. The proof of this is that | | | | to verify, with estimates ranging from 70 million |
| despite the fact that France is a signatory to the | | | | to over 100 million. How many non-native |
| European Charter for Regional Languages it | | | | speakers there are is anybody’s guess, but |
| cannot ratify it because to do so would | | | | what is certain is that French is still a leading |
| contravene the current French constitution. | | | | international language. |
| The decree was followed by the publication of the | | | | The only cloud on the horizon, from a purist’s |
| first French Grammar in 1550 as major efforts | | | | perspective, is the growing influence of English |
| were made to unify and purify the language. In | | | | both as a usurper of French’s traditional role |
| 1634, this process was institutionalised with the | | | | as a lingua Franca and through its |
| founding of the Académie française (French | | | | “contamination” of the perceived purity of |
| Academy) by Cardinal Richelieu. As French power | | | | the French language. It has, however, been |
| rose during the 17th and 18th centuries so did the | | | | argued that this view is slightly myopic and |
| reach of the French language, becoming the lingua | | | | ignores the influence that French has had on |
| franca across most of Europe, before being | | | | English. French-speakers are now borrowing from |
| exported worldwide as France and Belgium | | | | English in the same way as English speakers |
| became colonial powers. | | | | borrowed from French in the past. In fact, |
| Related languages | | | | estimates of the number of words of French |
| French is most closely related to the other | | | | origin in the English language range from between |
| Romance languages in the Langue d'oil subgroup | | | | one third and two thirds depending on who you |
| (the bulk of northern France and Belgium). To | | | | believe. Compared to this, French is estimated to |
| refer to such languages (for example Picard and | | | | have borrowed 3-4% of words from English, |
| Walloon) as dialects of French is to profoundly | | | | although admittedly most of these are recent |
| misunderstand the shared roots and the process | | | | borrowings and the trend can be expected to |
| by which all of these languages developed side by | | | | continue. It is however, a natural process and |
| side over time. French is also closely related to | | | | languages should not be viewed as stone edifices |
| the other Romance languages spoken in France. | | | | but rather as sea-like constructs that are |
| Partly because of its part Germanic roots, mutual | | | | constantly in motion. |
| intelligibility between French and the Romance | | | | |