French Language and French Learning
How important is French in today’s world, in which English dominates in so many ways?
Is French practical and useful, or just a fun hobby for dilettantes? And if someone wants to learn French, what is the best way to go about learning French?
Let’s look at some popular articles from the vast MyFrenchLife Magazine archives that give insight into these questions.
Choosing a Practical College Major…Like French!
We seem to live in a world of STEM Über Alles, where if a young person doesn’t learn to write computer code, then he or she is condemned to a life as a barista or a dog walker. But are engineers destined to rule the world? Perhaps not.
Perhaps it is French that is the more practical major. After all, the analytical skills acquired from studying language, literature, history, and culture may be more valuable than mastering a narrow set of technical skills.
Learning French in a Surprising Place
One place that has embraced the value of learning a second language is the American state of Utah. Best known for its wide-open spaces and natural beauty, Utah is a pioneer in “dual language” learning. Students in this program spend half their day in English and half in a foreign language, of which French is among the most popular.
Today nearly 10% of Utah’s students—starting at age 6!—are dual-language learning.
How to Learn French
Few of us live in a place like Utah or a francophone country. So how should we go about learning this beautiful language? Our fondatrice Judy McMahon has put together a series of nine articles called Finesse Your French that provides a wonderful roadmap for doing just that. It takes you from a
beginner level up to advanced, with practical suggestions on not only learning things like grammar but also on dealing with the inevitable plateaus and frustrations that are part of the journey.
Reading in French
One great way to improve your French is by reading in the language. But many of us find that intimidating—after all, Les Misérables is over 1,000 pages long! The good news is that there are many ways to read in French, from newspapers and magazines to books and even graphic novels. There are plenty of interesting things to read, no matter what your level.
Here’s a primer on how to go about reading in French, with a linked article that provides
a plethora of resources.
How important is French today, in a world, where English dominates in so many ways?
Image Credits:
Lead image: MyFrenchLife
Graduates: Pixabay royalty-free images
Bryce Canyon National Park: Wikipedia, Creative Commons license, attribution Mjones3137
Finesse Your French: MyFrenchLife
Book reading: Pixabay royalty-free images
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About the Contributor
Keith Van Sickle
