French is the fifth most widely spoken language, and it is the second most preferred language to learn. An international organization for French-speaking countries- the OIF has 88 member States. Spread across 5 Continents, are more than 300 million who speak French. French is also the only language taught globally, just like English. France operates the most extensive international network of cultural institutes, which runs French-language courses for many learners. By learning French with ROYBI, you can also avail lessons and stories in French.
We tend to associate Art with France, especially in paintings, books, and poetry. However, French is also the global language of cooking, fashion, theater, visual arts, dance, and architecture. As great works of literature have their original pieces in French, proficiency in French allows one to experience it in its original form.
In the 19th century, the world, especially America, loved to visit Paris to enjoy fashion. Later in the 20th-century, artists and writers spent time in Paris, leading the country to learn and adopt French cuisine. The French language and its ways were studied to appreciate French literature and art. However, French is now also studied as a heritage language, in immersion programs, and as a business language. Above this, experiential learning is a key aspect among Millennials. Culture, career, and global citizenship are an add-on to it.
France has its influence beyond its culture, cuisine, lifestyle, and borders. France is home to 41 of the 492 UNESCO's World Heritage sites in Europe and North America. Leading in international arrivals, France is the most visited country globally and is among the world’s most innovative countries.
Proficiency in French makes it easier to learn other languages like Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. With the already known benefits of being multilingual, French makes it easier to be one. The benefit of knowing more than one language, especially a foreign language, is improved cognitive functions. It also Facilitates travel, enhances career opportunities, enables access to different people and cultures.
In being bilingual, in his article for The New York Times, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee states, “The collective evidence from a number of such studies suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another, and holding information in mind — like remembering a sequence of directions while driving.”
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