The Importance Of Learning French

Can you imagine a world without diversity? Languages are one of the most diverse aspects of cultures. Whether they identify people of different countries or town, the language and dialect tell a lot about a person. French is one of these diverse languages that is spoken by millions of people around the world. Learning French not only has the obvious advantage of being able to speak to people from France, its significance reaches beyond France. Learning French has impacted my life because it will help me if I ever need to travel and there is a high possibility with my major; being able to speak French will look good on my resume and give me a better chance of getting a job. It has also increased my cultural awareness and that is important for

According to University of Tennessee-Martin’s Department of Modern Foreign Languages 200 million people speak French. These 200 million French speakers are spread out over every continent from roughly two million speakers in Asia and Oceania to 136.8 million in Europe (Gouvernement.fr 2015). This means that it is possible to find French speakers no matter where you travel. I am a religious studies major and I will most likely travel to a foreign country at some point in my career. By knowing French, I will have an easier time getting around and talking to people that I might encounter during my travels. Not needing to rely on a translator will be a major help with traveling. Anyone who might want to travel at some point in their lives would benefit from studying French. Another way that knowing how to speak French will aid me in the future is that it will enhance my resume. Applying for jobs, sending resumes, and going to interviews is something that many college student dread about the future. However, the ability to speak French is something that can really build up a resume and impress a future employer. According to the Department of Modern Languages at University of Texas-Arlington, French is a crucial language in today’s economy. About.com also says that learning another language helps a person’s marketability to a potential

We now have the ability to video-chat with someone across the world in seconds. Understanding other cultures and learning to appreciate their differences is something that is important now more than ever. According to About.com, learning another language helps you understand that culture better. Languages can provide a person with volumes of information on what the culture values, what is important to the people in it and how it is structured. For someone who studies different cultures and religions like me, gaining understanding another culture through its language has a major benefit. Somethings about a culture get lost in translator and being able to see a culture from the language of the people who speak it has a major impact on how you understand that culture. It also helps that French is the official language of many countries in Africa because if I ever want to go there and study or even do non-profit work, I will be able to easily talk to people without a translator (University of Tennessee-Martin