What reasons do course participants have for learning French?
Delphine Direr has been teaching French courses at In'to Languages since 2013, from group courses to individual tailor-made courses. She has heard many different motivations for learning French: “Some people just want to learn French to go on holiday to France, or to relearn the language that caused them so much frustration in secondary school.” But there are also many course participants with serious ambitions: “France has really good universities, which makes it an interesting destination for an Erasmus exchange. You don't need French for all study programmes, but even if you choose an English-language study programme, learning the language will help you feel more at ease and connect with people more easily.”
Learning the language will help you connect with people more easily and foster cooperation
“French is also a very valuable language for those pursuing an international career. Besides France, French is of course spoken in many other countries, including Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, and many countries in Africa and in the Caribbean. In fields such as diplomacy, agriculture, and sustainability, among others, proficiency in French can really open doors. I often have students in class who are preparing for a final internship abroad, but also professionals doing business or research in French-speaking countries in Africa and elsewhere.”
Can you say a little more about the importance of French in the fields you just mentioned?
Diplomacy
“In the field of diplomacy, French is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, the World Trade Organisation, and other international organisations. Mastering French can therefore make it easier to communicate and negotiate within these international institutions. Plus, it gives you a competitive advantage on the international diplomatic stage.”
Sustainability
“The French-speaking world is also very active in the field of sustainable development, with many French-speaking countries being involved in initiatives to protect the environment, promote renewable energy, etc. Unfortunately, the people involved in this project do not always have a sufficient command of English. Knowledge of French can therefore help foster cooperation and build strong relationships, so that you can achieve more together.”
Agriculture
“Knowledge of French can also be a big plus in agriculture and development projects, especially if you join an international organisation, or if you want to enter into dialogue with farmers in French-speaking parts of the world yourself. For example, I trained a researcher working on a project in Algeria. She soon noticed that neither the rural farmers nor her colleagues at the local university spoke English. She got some help from an interpreter, but realised that it would be better to work on her French so she could interact directly with people.”
And if you don't want to do anything with these fields?
“Even without a clear goal or career opportunities, learning French broadens your horizons and can bring you pleasure in many ways. For example, French offers access to a wealth of French-language literature, films, music, cuisine, and lifestyles. Great writers like Victor Hugo and Albert Camus, and filmmakers like François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard impacted and formed world culture. And this is an ongoing process, as witnessed by the success of films like Les Intouchables or even more recently Anatomie d'une chute or Le pot-au-feu.”
