Introduction to the Francophone World

History of the French Language

In this course, you will be learning the French language, but have you ever wondered where French came from? How old is the French language? Why do so many people in Africa speak French? The French language is a Romance language, meaning that it originated from the Latin language of the ancient Romans. However, French has borrowed many words from other languages as well. The evolution of French is largely a story of human events throughout history. In this interactivity, you will examine a timeline that highlights the main events resulting in the development of the French language and its spread across the globe. Click the player to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

The Francophone World

French is among the most widely spoken languages in the world. Originating in Europe, the French language spread to the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Today it serves as the official language of nearly thirty countries. Additionally, French serves as the lingua franca, or shared language, for many countries whose people speak numerous regional languages. Take a moment to study a map of the major francophone countries in the world. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the location of French-speaking areas in the world and observe the French names of these countries. Click the player to begin.

View a printable version of the interactivity.

 

French and the Francophone World Review

Now that you have explored the history of the French language and where it is spoken in the world today, it is time to review your knowledge and practice what you have learned. In this non-graded activity, read the questions and select the appropriate answers. Click the player to get started.