On the Importance of Knowing French
Attention: See our Nobel Peace Prize update. We will soon bring you a French sports report.


The French language's separateness from Latin was recognized in 813, long before French became a national language. Just as the related Anglo-Norman language exerted itself, by conquest, in the formation of English, so the the tongue of Ile de France also exerted itself by conquest, treaty and acquisition over similar tongues in the area which became France. The influence of the language was extended by exploration, colonization, further conquest, diplomatic, economic and cultural interest.

In a post-colonial world, French maintains a well deserved place of importance, for a number of reasons:

I offer on this page a number of links in support of the viability of French, in hopes that American students will understand the importance of this language.

The Argument for French

French Inventions

France, the focus of many French language and culture courses, has the largest concentration of French-speaking people in the world. Since many seem to set it apart by its cultural distinctions (culinary, literary, and philosophical), I thought I would present an aspect of French culture which brings it very close to the heart of many Americans: the brilliant inventiveness of the French. The French, along with the British, were the pioneers of western patent law; they both borrowed from each other's strengths. Perhaps it is the drive to invent that makes France NEARLY THE TOP country of the world in Research & Development expenditures. Its civilian research budget for FY97 was US $10.5 billion. Here is a roughly chronological list of over 40 French inventions and inventors. I have cheated slightly by including two Swiss francophones, but I promise a more complete picture, to include inventors from many French-Speaking countries.



France and the World

  • France has the LARGEST land mass of any entirely European country
  • FOURTH largest Gross National Product in the world
  • It is SECOND in the world in commercial aircraft production
  • FIRST in the production of trains
  • FASTEST passenger plane (Concorde) and train (TGV)
  • FIRST tourist destination country in the world
  • THIRD in rocketry and electronic equipment
  • FOURTH producer of automobiles
  • FIFTH largest consumer of motor vehicles in the world
  • SIXTH in overall industrial production world-wide
  • FIRST agricultural producer in the European Union
  • SECOND to the US in the enrollment of foreign students
  • SECOND exporter of agricultural goods in the world
  • FIRST in the production of luxury goods
  • One of the TOP THREE foreign investors in US (top direct investor)
  • LARGEST recipient of U.S. foreign investment
  • More than 1,200 French companies employing over 400,000 Americans have subsidiaries in the U.S.
  • French Imports from the US have risen nearly 22% while French exports to the US are up 53% since 1990.


French Science

Of course, French thinkers have made their mark in discovery as well as in invention. Sadi N. L. CARNOT (1796-1832), physicist, was among the founders of modern thermodynamics (reversible Carnot heat engine cycle). Claude BERNARD (1813-1878), physiologist, was the founder of experimental medicine. André Ampère (1775- 1836) formulated laws of electrodynamics and circuit force law. Charles A. Coulomb (1736- 1806) established experimentally the inverse square law for the force between two electrical charges. George Cuvier (1769-1832) was the founder of paleontology and comparative anatomy René Descartes (1596-1650) invented the cartesian coordinate concept, and was founder of analytic geometry. Antoine L. Lavoisier (1743-1794), founded modern chemistry and discovered the role of oxygen in plant and animal respiration. Here is a web site with biographies of some the best known French scientific thinkers and another about the French tradition of scientific research:

7 in medecine
4 in chemistry
1 in economics


France and French in the Western Hemisphere

There are well over 20 million native French-Speaking people in the Americas. This includes Martinique, Guadeloupe, St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, Guyane, Québec, the rest of Fracophone Canada, Haiti, French-speaking parts of the US, French enclaves of Central, South America and the Caribbean.

Strong and Sustained Historical Presence in the US

French explorers like Jacques Cartier (1491-1557), Samuel de Champlain: (1570 -1635), Etienne Brulé (1592-1633), Jean Nicolet (1598-1642), Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (1656-1730), Robert de LaSalle (1643-87), Jacques [Père]Marquette (1637-1675), Louis Joliette (1645-1700) and others like them, mapped or described in their journals much of the North American continent.

The French and the British were the first two European groups to move here in large numbers. The French were the first to explore the Great-Lakes region, Mississippi river, from Minnesota on down, and first to colonize Louisiana and to take a census there. The first farms in Missouri were established around 1725 by French settlers in the Ste. Genevieve area, but the exploration of "Le Pays des Illinois" (Mid-Mississippi Valley) had begun in the 1670s. French coureurs-de-bois developed the fur trade and explored the Rockies, leading the way for English traders and settlers. The French were the first to challenge Spain in South Carolina. Even the Portland and Seattle regions were first explored by the French, though first settled by Germans and Scandinavians. The maps linked below show the extension of French interests through the middle of the eighteenth century.

It is little wonder there are so many French and francophone place names in the United States, as demonstrated in the partial list below (some of which were proposed by FLTEACH listmembers), and in the web link to a French place-names atlas: Abbeville AL, Bayou La Batre AL, Dauphin Island AL, Luverne AL, Labouchere Bay AK, Dumas AR, Fayetteville AR, Gravette AR, LaGrange AR, Maumelle AR, Tollette AR, Beaumont CA, Lafayette CA, Le Grand CA, Louisville CO, Montville, CT La Crosse FL, Tavernier FL, Abbeville GA, Fayetteville GA, Girard GA, Louisville GA, Boise, ID, Dubois ID, Bartonville IL, Beaucoup IL, Belle Prairie IL, Belle Rive IL, Belleville IL, Bellevue IL, Carondelet IL, Du Bois IL, Fort Crevecoeur, Fort De Chartres IL, Girard IL, La Fayette IL, La Grange IL, La Harpe IL, Louisville IL, Lyons IL, Maquon IL, Marcelline IL, Marquette Heights IL, Marseilles IL, Maunie IL, Modoc IL, Prairie du Rocher IL, Renault IL, St. Anne IL, Ste. Marie IL, Terre Haute IL, Vergennes IL, Busseron IN, Dupont IN, Dupont IN, La Fontaine IN, Lagrange IN, La Porte IN, Metz IN, Napoleon IN, Orleans IN, Terre Haute IN, Vincennes IN, Belle Plaine IA, Bellevue IA, Des Moines IA, Fontanelle IA, La Motte IA, La Porte IA, Le Claire IA, Le Grand IA, Le Mars IA, Leon IA, Le Roy IA, Marne IA, Marquette IA, Belle Plaine KS, Belleville KS, Belpre KS, Belvue KS, La Crosse KS, La Cygne KS, La Harpe KS, Le Roy KS, Lyons KS, Marquette KS, Auxier KY, Bellefonte KY, Bellevue KY, LaFayette KY, La Grange KY, Versailles KY, Abbeville LA, Anse-aux-Pailles LA, Arnaudville LA, Baie Côte Blanche LA, Baton Rouge LA, Bayou Bourbeux LA, Bayou Cane LA, Bayou Cocodrie LA, Bayou Coteau LA, Bayou des Allemands LA, Bayou des Glaises LA, Bayou Gauche LA, Bayou Grand Caillou LA, Bayou Maurice LA, Bayou Noir LA, Bayou Petit Caillou LA, Bayou Terrebonne LA, Belle Chasse LA, Belle Rose LA, Bienville LA, Bossier LA, Boutte LA, Broussard LA, Butte LaRose LA, Côte Gelée LA, Cortableau LA, Chataignier LA, Chauvin LA, Choudrant LA, Dos Gris LA, Coulee Croche LA, Goudeau LA, Grand Cane LA, Grand Coteau LA, Grosse Tete LA, Isles Dernières LA, Jean Lafitte LA, Lac des Allemands LA, Lafayette LA, Lebeau LA, Le Blanc LA, Le Moyen LA, Loreauville LA, Marais Bouleurs LA, Marais Castille LA, Maringouin LA, Meraux LA, Mermentau LA, Mer Rouge LA, Napoleonville LA, Paincourtville LA, Plaquemine LA, Plaucheville LA, Pointe-aux-Chênes LA, Pointe Noir LA, Port Barre LA, Provencal LA, Theriot LA, Thibodaux LA, Belanger ME, Belmont ME, Bernard ME, Calais ME, Caribou ME, Cape Rosier ME, Carriveau ME, Castine ME, Chamberlain ME, Charlotte ME, Costigan ME, Crouseville ME, Daigle ME, Deblois ME, Detroit ME, Dufour ME, Fayette ME, Fournier ME, Frenchville ME, Grand Isle ME, Guerette ME, Isle au Haut ME, Lac Frontiere ME, Lagrange ME, Larone ME, Levant ME, Lille ME, Masardis ME, Merepoint ME, Minot ME, Ouellette ME, Plourde ME, Portage ME, Presque Isle ME, Rosemont ME, St. Croix ME, Sebec ME, Seboeis ME, Solon ME, Violette ME, Tarantine ME, Tulouse ME, Havre de Grace MD, La Vale MD, Barre MA, Gibertville MA, Orleans MA, Pocasset MA, Touisset MA, Alma MI, Au Sable MI, Bois Blanc MI, Cadillac MI, Calumet MI, Charlevoix MI, De Tour MI, Detroit MI, Eau Claire MI, Grand Blanc MI, Grandville MI, Grosse Ile MI, Grosse Pointe MI, L'Anse MI, Lyons MI, Marquette MI, Menominee MI, Montague MI, Napoleon MI, Sault Ste. Marie MI, St. Ignace MI, Claudette MN, Belair MN, Belle Plaine MN, Champlain MN, Grand Marais MN, La Crescent MN, Lac Qui Parle MN, Lafayette MN, Laporte MN, La Prairie MN, La Salle MN, Le Roy MN, Le Sueur MN, Luverne MN, Lyon MN, Mille Lacs MN, Marine on St. Croix MN, Nicolette MN, Ranier MN, Roseau MN, Benoit MS, Bourbon MS, D'Iberville MS, D'Lo MS, Dumas MS, Ecru MS, Fayette MS, Gautier MS, Le Tourneau MS, Louisville MS, Alma MO, Belgique MO, Belle MO, Bellefontaine Neighbors MO, Bellerive MO, Bourbon MO, Cape Girardeau MO, Chamois MO, Champ MO, Creve Coeur MO, Dardenne Prairie MO, Des Peres MO, Des Arc MO, Desloge MO, Laclede MO, La Due MO, Florissant MO, Frontenac MO, Ladue MO, La Grange MO, Noel MO, Olivette MO, Peruque MO, St Louis MO, Stainte Genevieve MO, Bainville MT, Butte MT, Chadron NE, Du Bois NE, Louisville NE, Marquette NE, Orleans NE, Pinardville NH, Bayonne NJ, Dumont NJ, Lambertville NJ, Au Sable Forks NY, Cape Vincent NY, Centre Island NY, Champlain NY, Le Roy NY, Roessleville NY, Valatie NY, Beaufort NC, Cape Carteret NC, La Grange NC, Lenoir NC, Des Lacs ND, Souris ND, Belcourt ND, Napoleon ND, Alliance OH, Bellefontaine OH, Champaign OH, Fayette OH, Fayetteville OH, Gambier OH, Lafayette OH, Lagrange OH, La Rue OH, Lorrain OH, Louisville OH, Mariemont OH, Marietta OH (for Marie Antoinette), Montpelier OH, Petitsville OH, Racine OH, Strasburg OH, Terre Haute OH, Versailles OH, Chouteau OK, Poteau OK, Prue OK, Lafayette OR, La Grande OR, Lyons OR, Bellefonte PA, Belleville PA, Bellevue PA, Bonneauville PA, Conneautville PA, DuBois PA, North Versailles PA, Volant PA, Abbeville SC, Beaufort SC, Bonneau SC, La France SC, Pierre SD, Enville TN, Fayetteville TN, Heloise TN, Lafayette TN, La Follette TN, La Grange TN, La Vergne TN, Bellaire TX, Bellevue TX, Bellville TX, Dumas TX, Estelline TX, Grand Prairie TX, LaCoste TX, La Grange. TX, La Marque TX, La Porte TX, Duchesne UT, Fayette UT, Calais VT, E. & N. Calais VT, Barre VT, Grand Isle VT, Isle La Motte VT, Lamoille VT, Montpelier VT, Orleans, VT, Vergennes VT, Chantilly VA, La Crosse VA, Purcellville VA, Beaux Arts Village WA, La Crosse WA, Ronceverte WV, Allouez WI, Alma WI, Belleville WI, Bellevue WI, Blanchardville WI, De Pere WI, Lac La Belle WI, La Crosse WI, Eau Claire WI, La Farge WI, Fond du Lac WI, Lafayette County WI, La Valle WI, Marquette WI, Portage WI, Poynette WI, Prairie du Chien WI, Prairie du Sac WI, Racine WI, Trempealeau WI, La Grange WY.

The French played a key and friendly role in our Revolutionary War, principally through the alliance of 1778, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Treaty of Paris (1783). With one of the most powerful armed forces in the world, France has a long history of military cooperation with the US. Currently, more than 100 French military officers are permanently stationed in this country.


Trade with Canada is NAFTA-facilitated. Canada is bilingual (English/French), trade is regionally conducted in French, and labeling must include French. 25% of Canada's population is native French speaking, and 5.2% of Canadians are native French speaking people who don't live in Québec. The trading relationship between the United States and Canada is, by far, the LARGEST in the world. Two-way trade in goods and services accounts for approximately $1 billion (US) per day, every day of the year.

The U.S. share of total Canadian imports is about 71% and the United States remains by far Canada's LARGEST export market, taking 76% of total Canadian exports. There has been vigorous sustained growth in both exports to Canada and imports from Canada since 1993.

Québec is the SECOND largest concentration of French-Speaking people in the world. Located within our largest trading partner, Canada, Québec would, by itself, constitute the SEVENTEENTH largest economy in the world. In the past 10 years, Americans have invested in Québec to the tune of over $11 billion Canadian (representing over 40% of foreign ventures). The United States is both Québec's major foreign customer, receiving more than 82% of Québec's exports, and its major supplier, accounting for 45% of all imports.


There is French in English

Early French languages, such as Norman, have had enormous influence in the evolution of the English language. They radically altered the character of English from its Anglo-Saxon roots between 1066 and the late fourteenth century, while a language related to French (Anglo- Norman) remained the official language of the English nobility. But French influence extended well beyond that period, where whole French vocabulary systems were borrowed in certain areas. For example, it persisted in English courts until the sixteenth century. Over 20,000 English words are cognates in French, while nearly 30% of our words have an origin of some sort in French or Anglo-Norman. This can work both ways for students: a good knowledge of English can be extremely helpful in learning French, and a knowledge of French can help students discern the meaning of English words they have not previously encountered. The vocabulary ties are particularly strong in the postal work, dancing (especially ballet), art, agribusiness, bio and nuclear technologies, food preparation, fashion, law and hotel management.


French is one of few official or working languages

In a number of Important International Organizations

In a number of Important Regional Organizations

AFRICA

Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Gabon, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo, Algeria, Tunesia, Morrocco??

Africa, where US businesses have more than doubled their direct investments since 1990, and where economists predict a 20% late '90s economic growth, is the future of the Francophone world. French-speaking Africa represents an area larger than the United States. There are 18 African countries where French is the official language, one where it is one of two official languages, and then there are the three countries of the Maghreb, where, for solid political reasons, Arabic alone is the official language, but where French has a powerful presence. The total population in these countries is over 254,000,000 people. Other countries, like Egypt, have official ties to the Agence Intergouvernementale de la Francophonie. In spite of the fact that only those who are literate actually communicate in French in most of francophone Africa, French is directly and indirectly the communication key to a quarter of a billion people in an enormous expanse of this great continent.



This is all very interesting, but can knowing French really help me land a job?

More to Come


frost316@aol.com/a>
Tennessee Rodgy Price
co-webmaster, Unatego High School


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