A third of the English vocabulary is of French origin.

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jrineakter
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Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2025 7:19 am

A third of the English vocabulary is of French origin.

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According to linguists, at least a third of the English vocabulary is of French origin. This contribution is due to William the Conqueror. In 1066, the Duke of Normandy crushed the Anglo-Saxon king Harold at the Battle of Hastings. At the English court, he imposed his ministers, his customs, and especially his language.

French then became the language of power and the nobility. This is why the English of the wealthy classes enjoyed pork , beef or mutton , while on the farm, the animals were called pig , ox and sheep .

Thus, many French words recently borrowed from English actually come from… Old French! For example, the verb “flirter” (from the English “to flirt”) actually comes from the Old French “fleureter”. This word meant “to tell a little flower”, an expression to designate kind and gallant remarks or the light and flirtatious speech of a person.

6. The language of diplomacy in the 18th and 19th centuries
From the 18th century onwards, French began to replace Latin in international treaties. The first international treaty written solely in French was the Treaty of Rastatt in 1714. This document new zealand whatsapp number data marked the end of the War of the Spanish Succession and testifies to the cultural influence of the French language at that time.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, French was spoken in almost all the courts of Europe. Catherine II of Russia imposed it in her Academy, while Frederick II of Prussia considered it superior to German. Its influence was such that it became the working language of European and… Ottoman diplomats!

7. The oddities of the French language
French is a surprising language and sometimes contains absurd rules that are incomprehensible. This is the case with the rules on the gender of words. For example, the words "amour", "délice" and "orgue" are masculine in the singular, but feminine in the plural.

Want another puzzle? Then look at the gender of the word "people". Followed by an adjective, it is masculine, but preceded by an adjective, it is feminine, unless that adjective is followed by a comma. Enough to make your head spin!

Another surprising fact about the French language: it contains words that have contradictory meanings. Take the word “hôte.” It means both “one who invites” and “one who is invited.” The same goes for “apprendre,” which means both “to teach” and “to assimilate.” Fascinating, isn’t it?

8. French is spoken on all continents
The French language in the world

Why learn French ? Because it is a language spoken all over the world. Along with English, it is the only language to be present on all continents. It is also the 5th world language after English, Chinese, Hindi and Spanish.

According to the International Organization of La Francophonie, it could become the most widely spoken language in the world by 2050 due to population growth in Africa. Moreover, Africa is the continent with the most French speakers.

Speaking of learning French, discover the Français Authentique academy . It is a platform dedicated to all those who understand French, but cannot speak it. The program includes videos, course modules and online discussions led by French-speaking tutors. The goal? To help you gain confidence and dare to speak French!
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