One of the most multinational countries in the Old World, France has become home to dozens of nationalities and nationalities. On the streets of Paris, Marseille and Lille, you can hear Spanish and Arabic, Portuguese and Italian, Berber and Polish, although only French was and remains the official state language of France.
Some statistics and facts
- There are about 75 languages and dialects in use in the country, of which 24 are the languages of the indigenous population, and the rest were brought to the territory of France by immigrants.
- The government recognizes regional and minority languages despite their lack of official status.
- The authorities require commercial advertisements and advertisements in the country to be available in French. In non-commercial publications, the restrictions are not so strict.
- At least 85% of the country's population consider French as their mother tongue, spoken by their parents.
- 2% of respondents speak German and Arabic at home. Unfortunately, since 1999, when the survey was conducted, a long time has passed and the large flow of today's immigrants has clearly changed the known proportions.
History and modernity
The French language is considered official not only on the banks of the Seine. It has a similar status in three dozen states and in about the same number of dependent territories. In total, more than 275 million people are able to speak it in the world.
The state language in France was legislatively approved in its status in 1992, when the country's Constitution enshrined the procedure for its use.
The decrease in the frequency of use of French in international organizations is very upsetting for those who speak it, but in the European Union it remains official as before.
Tourist notes
The French are very jealous of their language and do not like English too much. Even in Paris, you may experience communication problems, because not all waiters, shop assistants, public transport drivers and other residents of the capital speak English or want to communicate in it.
In large hotels, tourist information centers or travel agencies, reference advertisements and maps are available in English. A large percentage of English-speaking French people are in the 18-39 age group.
