Why French?
You have spent many hours studying vocabulary, learning verbs, practising pronunciation and trying to understand the different customs and values of the French-speaking people. So THIS is where it leads.
Woodford House Old Girls and Languages
Ruby Hansen.mp4Ruby Hansen WHOGA 2013-2019
Jessie Graham WHOG 1996-2001.MOVJessie Graham WHOGA 1996-2001
Sophie Svenson WHOGA 2011-2018
My name is Sophie Svenson and I studied French at Woodford for five years. During that time, I went on exchange to France for two months which was a great way to propel my ability to speak French. Going on exchange was an amazing experience, one of the most eye opening things was that at school in France everybody is studying three languages at once.
After leaving Woodford, I went to the University of Canterbury to study law and business. In my business degree, I took a lot of international business papers and alongside that, started learning Spanish. I noticed that having already learnt French, it was much easier to pick up a second language.
Fast forward to now, I am in my final semester of my degree and am on exchange for the semester in the Netherlands. Whilst I have been here I have been able to go to Paris a lot which has been a great opportunity to use my French. I think this would have been the most valuable part of learning French; it has made travelling much safer and far more interesting, being able to understand those around you and engage with locals. I even got to reunite with my friends from exchange whilst I am here!
Similarly to how I felt whilst on exchange in France, in the Netherlands you are in a very small minority if you don’t speak more than one language. Usually, those in my class are studying in their second language, and those that can’t speak more than one language are from Australia or New Zealand. If you want to work in Europe, you are going against a group of people who most likely speak three languages.
My advice to you would be that even if you don’t think that knowing another language would be valuable, it does expose you to a different culture and makes you very culturally aware. You train a different part of your brain and build skills that may not be directly related to the language. For example, you will understand how people feel when they are in a new country, trying to speak a new language.
I would strongly recommend trying to go on exchange if you have the opportunity. This has been very helpful on my CV and in interviews for jobs and further international internships in places like Thailand!
Even though I have not directly used French in a job yet, I do not regret studying it at all. In fact, I am actually going to continue French classes when I start my full time job after having been immersed in Europe for the past six months.
10 Good Reasons to Learn French
World language. More than 200 million people speak French on the five continents. The Francophonie, the international organisation of French-speaking countries, comprises 68 states and governments. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. French is also the only language, alongside English, that is taught in every country in the world. France operates the biggest international network of cultural institutes, which run French-language courses for more than 750,000 learners.
Job market. An ability to speak French and English is an advantage on the international job market. A knowledge of French opens the doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa). As the world’s fifth biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.
Culture. French is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, the visual arts, dance and architecture.A knowledge of French offers access to great works of literature, as well as films and songs, in the original French. French is the language of Victor Hugo, Molière, Léopold Sendar Senghor, Edith Piaf, Jean-Paul Sartre, Alain Delon and Zinedine Zidane.
Travel. France is the world’s number-one tourist destination and attracts more than 70 million visitors a year. A little French makes it so much more enjoyable to visit Paris and all the regions of France (from the mild climes of the Cote d’Azur to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps via the rugged coastline of Brittany) and offers insights into French culture, mentality and way of life. French also comes in handy when travelling to Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Monaco, the Seychelles and other places.
Higher education. Speaking French opens up study opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world. Students with a good level of French are eligible for French government scholarships to enrol in postgraduate courses in France in any discipline and qualify for internationally recognised French degrees. 10 GOOD REASONS TO LEARN FRENCH 2 10 GOOD REASONS TO LEARN FRENCH
International relations. French is both a working language and an official language of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, the International Olympic Committee, the International Red Cross and international courts. French is the language of the three cities where the EU institutions are headquartered: Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.
Opens up the world. After English and German, French is the third most used language on the Internet, ahead of Spanish. An ability to understand French offers an alternative view of the world through communication with French speakers from all the continents and news from the leading French-language international media (TV5, France 24 and Radio France Internationale).
Fun to learn. French is an easy language to learn. There are many methods on the market that make learning French enjoyable for children and adults alike. It does not take long to reach a level where you can communicate in French.
Helps learning other languages. French is a good base for learning other languages, especially Romance languages (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian) as well as English, since fifty per cent of current English vocabulary is derived from French.
The language of love and reason. First and foremost, learning French is the pleasure of learning a beautiful, rich, melodious language, often called the language of love. French is also an analytical language that structures thought and develops critical thinking, which is a valuable skill for discussions and negotiations.
What jobs can learning French lead to?
Languages in Careers.pdf
