Le rôle du français dans le monde

The number of people in the world who speak French fluently is approximately:

• 67 million

• 270 million

• 320 million

• 890 million

Answer explanation

Did you answer 270 million? You are correct. About 67 million of these people live in France. French is the second most frequently learned foreign language worldwide after English.

The only languages spoken on all five continents are...

• Chinese

• English

• French

• Spanish

Answer explanation

The correct answers are English and French. Why do you think French is spoken across the globe?

In the United States, French is spoken in the home by approximately . . . people.

• 500,000

• one million

• 1,300,000

• two million

Answer explanation

If you answered 1,300,000, you are right. French is the second most widely spoken language in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Louisiana. Since 1968, French and English are official languages in Louisiana. About 200,000 speakers of Louisiana French live in southwest Louisiana.

In Canada, the French-speaking population numbers . . .

• 6 million

• 10 million

• 30 million

• 100 million

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 10 million. In Quebec province, where French is the official language, nearly 6.5 million people report that French is the language they use most often. Sizable French-speaking populations are also found in New Brunswick, Manitoba, and Ontario, with smaller numbers in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan.

French has a major impact on English vocabulary in the following domains:

• cuisine

• diplomacy

• fashion

• technology

Answer explanation

Did you answer cuisine, diplomacy, and fashion? If so, you are correct. If you sauté an omelet, have a tête-à-tête, or shop for prêt-à-porter, you are speaking French. Beginning with the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the French language has had a tremendous impact on the English we speak. French ideas have also influenced our daily lives. The influence of French philosophers is seen in the United States Constitution: the notion of the separation of executive, legislative, and judicial powers is an idea developed by Montesquieu in his work De l'esprit des lois (The Spirit of the Laws).

French is an official language of the following international agencies:

• European Union

• United Nations

• International Olympic Committee

• International Red Cross

Answer explanation

All of the answers are correct. French is an important language of international diplomacy and humanitarian efforts. France is a charter member of the United Nations and one of five permanent members of the Security Council; French doctors founded Médecins sans frontières (Doctors without Borders).

L'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (l'OIF), the world organization for countries where French is spoken or studied widely is . . .

• a political and economic federation, a kind of French commonwealth.

• the only international organization based on a language.

• a vehicle for recognizing the cultural diversity of French-speaking people.

• an international organization devoted to the spread of French throughout the world.

Answer explanation

The answers are the only international organization based on a language, a vehicle for recognizing the cultural diversity of French-speaking people, and an international organization devoted to the spread of French throughout the world. In 1970, several francophone nations formed an entity to promote technological and cultural development across French-speaking countries. The current organization includes 54 member states, 23 observer nations, and 3 associated nations. A charter, La Charte de la Francophonie, was adopted by the OIF in 2005, promoting human rights, cooperation, and development among member nations.

French is an official language in . . . countries and regions.

• 6

• 25

• 32

• 40

Answer explanation

The correct answer is 32. In a francophone country, not necessarily everyone speaks French. In some countries, French is both an official language (used in government and education) and a vernacular language (used in everyday communication). French is an official and vernacular language in five European countries: France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Monaco. In more than twenty African countries, French serves as an official language.