One hundred million people have French as their mother tongue, while another 190 million speak it as a second language. The Organization International de la Francophonie, dedicated to promoting the French language among the 88 member countries, predicts that by the year 2050, there will be approximately 700 million French speakers, both native and non-native. Impressive right? Perhaps this is a sign for you to be part of these striking statistics!
If you are thinking about putting all your efforts into learning french, here you will find the secret formula to becoming a French speaker! But knowing there are such wide varieties of French, you don't know which one to choose? Are you hesitating about picking Canadian French or French French? Let's learn a bit more about the origin of the French language and the differences between Canadian French and French from France.
Did you know the French language origin?
Before the Roman invasion of France, around 2,200 BC, the territory was inhabited by Gallic towns, who resided in Gaul, a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. Gaul was located in the territory that is currently France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy. In the third century, the Gauls were invaded by Germanic tribes, and all the languages spoken in ancient Gaul disappeared with the colonization and the progressive implantation of Latin.
With the decline of the Roman Empire, Germanic tribes like the Franks arrived in Roman Gaul to settle in the north of the territory. The Frankish people spoke a West Germanic language, which they maintained for several centuries. For a long time, the language spoken in northern Gaul (today France) was a variety of Latin, influenced by French.
Between the 9th and 14th centuries, what is known as Old French was consolidated, from which different regional variants began to emerge, such as Norman, Picard, Burgundian, and Parisian. During the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, there was a transition to Middle French. This transformation involves more control over the order of words in a sentence. Also, words of Romance origin were reintroduced into the French language through wars and trade. Latin was still the language of education, administration, and bureaucracy in this period. However, in 1539, Francisco I established that French was the only language designated for the legal and juridical field.
Modern French rose in the 18th century, a period in which a nationalization and internationalization of the French language were established. European colonization brought the French to sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the American continent. In 1600 the French established a trading post in Canada, with which the colonization of Canada began. As a result, French-speaking Quebec was founded in 1608. After several wars, Canada passed into the hands of the British in 1763. And what was the result of all this? Canadian French!
Let's talk about Canadian French!
Did you know that Canadian French was separated from European French for almost 300 years? Obviously, this has led to significant differences between the two. For instance, Canadian French involves different dialects of the French language spoken in Canada. French is the native language of approximately 23% of the national population, so French and English are considered official languages. Most Francophone Canadians are in Quebec, the only province where French is the official language, but also we can find francophones in Ontario, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.
In Canada, we can find different varieties of French, such as Quebec French, Acadian French, Métis French, Newfoundland French, and the Brayón French, also known as the Madawaska French.
Canadian French varies from European French in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. We could say that the pronunciation between Canadian and European French is the most significant difference due to the different sounds of vowels and consonants. This is because Canadian French is more similar to the French spoken in France in the 17th century compared to modern French.
Quebec French, for example, has a broader vowel range due to its greater nasalization. This results in some words that are homophones in standard French sounding differently in their French-Canadian version. For example, the words "pâte" and "patte." In addition, we also have to mention all the influence that English had on Canadian French after the British domination and the Native American languages.
Also, we could point out that Canadian French is much more conservative than standard French. Various expressions of Old French have been maintained to date in Canadian provinces, which are no longer used in France. C'est le Fun!
Also, the accents are incredibly different. If you are learning European French, you will be surprised not to understand Canadian accents. But don't be too hard on yourself. Quebec alone has about 15 accents!
Regarding the grammar, we could say that both are pretty similar. However, we can find some differences in the vocabulary. For example, in Canada, shopping is said "magasiner"; in France, "Faire les courses" is more appropriate. In Canadian French, "fin de semaine" refers to the weekend. However, in France, "le weekend" is more accurate.
What are the best reasons to study French?
It does not matter which type of French you want to study. If you're thinking of learning French, here are great reasons to start right now! Believe us; you won't ever regret it!
- Studying French will give you fantastic opportunities in the country and many other places. For instance, if you learn French as a second language in Canada, a world of educational and professional advantages will open up. Also, did you know that as a Canadian resident or newcomer, you can receive government support to learn the language as part of the French provincial curriculum? Find out more here!
- Since French is one of Canada's two official languages, all Canadian federal and local government administrations provide services in both languages by law. If you want to improve your French skills to better communicate in your everyday life, don't worry because, throughout Canada, you will be able to stay informed in French and English in case you need help.
- Speaking French will always come in handy when applying to any university in Canada. Do not miss the opportunity to become bilingual! Some of the most renowned Canadian universities, such as the University of Toronto, McGill University, Manitoba, and the University of British Columbia, have excellent undergraduate and graduate programs taught in French.
- Do you want better job opportunities or an international career? Are you also thinking about studying in France? Learning French will always be an excellent option if you want to go abroad! Another great advantage of studying French is the possibility of pursuing internationally recognized degrees. By learning French, whether you choose to learn Canadian French or French from France, you will be able to pursue any career in business, research, and politics.
- We recommend that once you gain a little more knowledge of the language, you accredit your knowledge through any official certification, even if you do not master it 100%. These are some French language tests and certificates widely accepted when applying for a job or when entering a university or college:
- Test d'evaluation de français (TEF)
- Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF)
What is the best way to learn French?
To learn any new language, you need to know the grammatical rules and exceptions, practice reading and listening comprehension, develop good writing skills, and expose yourself to the language as much as possible. However, something that we also consider that can facilitate your path to bilingualism is finding someone to practice and guide you on the way. If you want to learn to speak French efficiently, you can always find good private tutoring to become an expert in the language of love.
Superprof is an online platform where you will find more than 1800 French tutors to deal with those grammatical exceptions that have you going crazy!
Going for private tutoring would be perfect for you if you want to learn French from scratch or if you have difficulties regarding a particular subject, such as the conjugation of verbs. No worries, you won't be alone anymore trying to figure out the passé composé (believe us, we can relate to the pain). Are you ready to become bilingual? Bien sûr que oui! A private tutor from Superprof will be the best support for you to improve your French as smoothly as possible.
How does Superprof work?
Superprof works in the easiest way! Follow the steps below:
- Go to the official Superprof Canada website and enter that you want to learn French.
- Enter your address or the province where you live. With Superprof, your postal code no longer matters because you will always find the best tutors near you.
- Click on face-to-face lessons or choose the online tuition.
- Are you a beginner? No problem! Don't forget to choose your current level of French to find more accurate results.
- You will have access to more than 1800 French tutors throughout Canada!
- You can visit each tutor's profile and verify that they match your needs and pocket.
- To choose the perfect tutor, you can check other students' reviews about a specific teacher and make better decisions.
- Get in touch to book a class!
- Enjoy your learning journey, mon ami!
Welcome to the Superprof family!
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