Why should I learn French? I'm sure anyone studying a foreign language asks themselves something like this daily. When I feel like I am knocking my head against a wall trying to learn French I go looking on the Internet looking for people who have figured out their desire to learn French (and maybe they have figured out the meaning of life while they are at it). If you are looking for moral support about learning French you may enjoy these PowerPoint presentations (one for children, one for adults) http://www.bostoninfrench.org/page/why-learn-frenchI tried searching for like-minded French learners today. I hesitate to use the word Francophone (francophile en la langue française) because the word seems to often carry more connotations than I mean here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francophone
Since I began studying French about 18 months ago I have met many people in French classes and social groups who have the advantage of studying French for many years (yet they are in my level of French so what does that mean?) People are often very persistent. I see myself as not so persistent but more as one who enjoys the challenge of learning another language and wants results--as in that I can use it for something else besides going to classes. I enjoy French culture and the people who are native speakers of French but that is a sidebar to my fascination with learning another language.
One thing is for sure, there are a lot of sites and the people who generate them that have products to sell us that will guarantee success in the acquisition of French. I would really like to find more about the students of French. If you are one of them, make a comment on this blog and let me know you are out there! I have posted a survey today of my readers and I hope you will participate.
I have been learning French for 5 years now. I don't however consider it a foreign language because it is an official language of my country (Canada) and it has even become the dominant language of my home town in Northern Ontario - about 64% francophone today versus about 45% when I lived there over 30 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI loved France when I visited (especially the TGV) but I don't think I could have sustained the needed motivation if a transatlantic flight was required to attain full immersion. I spent all of last Oct in Québec City enrolled in a new immersion program and with only 2 students in the advanced class it was almost like private instruction. Right now I am staying all Feb in Montreal but not attending a school, just language meetups and partners.
To my knowledge, a francophone is a native French speaker regardless of country of origin and francophile is a non-native admirer of French language or culture. In Montréal they also use the terms anglophone and allophone, the latter referring to someone whose first language is neither French nor English. They also on occasion say "un Français de France" to be clear but I think the French hate that.
Speaking of internet resources the blog http://offqc.com has over 450 entries on colloquial Québec French - information that is impossible to find in books or classes but guaranteed to get you in trouble with a French teacher. You will find many other French learners (including my own language log) on the forum at http://how-to-learn-any-language.com
A sense of community is perhaps the best motivation for learning another language. I doubt I would be studying it if I did not have French friends and never expected to go to France again. I have found a community of French speakers at the Alliance Française in Minneapolis as well. There are many native speakers volunteering at and attending AF events. Thanks for all your comments. I may need that website to find Canadian French terms this month when I am in Quebec.
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