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French language
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French (français, pronounced [fʁɑ̃sɛ]) is today spoken around the world by 72 to 130 million people as a native language, and by about 190 to 600 million people as a second or third language,[5] with significant speakers in 54 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France, where the language originated. The rest live in Canada, Belgium and Switzerland.
French is a descendant of the Latin language of the Roman Empire, as are languages such as Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Catalan and Romanian. Its development was also influenced by the native Celtic languages of Roman Gaul and by the Germanic language of the post-Roman Frankish invaders.
It is an official language in 29 countries, most of which form what is called in French La Francophonie, the community of French-speaking nations. It is an official language of all United Nations agencies and a large number of international organizations. According to the European Union,
129 million (26% of the 497,198,740) people in 27 member states speak
French, of which 59 million (12%) speak it natively and 69 million
(14%) claim to speak it as a second language, which makes it the third
most spoken second language in the Union, after English and German
respectively.
Geographic distribution
Europe
Legal status in France
- See also: Toubon Law and Languages of France
Per the Constitution of France, French has been the official language since 1992[6] (although previous legal texts have made it official since 1539, see ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts). France mandates the use of French in official government publications, public education outside of specific cases (though these dispositions are often ignored) and legal contracts; advertisements must bear a translation of foreign words.
In addition to French, there are also a variety of regional
languages. France has signed the European Charter for Regional
Languages but has not ratified it since that would go against the 1958
Constitution.
Switzerland
- Further information: Demographics of Switzerland and Swiss French
French is one of the four official languages of Switzerland (along with German, Italian, and Romansh) and is spoken in the part of Switzerland called Romandie. French is the native language of about 20% of the Swiss population.
Belgium
- Further information: Languages of Belgium and Belgian French
Bilingual signs in Brussels.
In Belgium, French is the official language of Wallonia (excluding the East Cantons, which are German-speaking) and one of the two official languages—along with Dutch—of the Brussels-Capital Region where it is spoken by the majority of the population, though often not as their primary language.[7] French and German are not official languages nor recognised minority languages in the Flemish Region, although along borders with the Walloon and Brussels-Capital regions, there are a dozen of municipalities with language facilities
for French-speakers; a mirroring situation exists for the Walloon
Region with respect to the Dutch and German languages. In total, native
French-speakers make up about 40% of the country's population, the
remaining 60% speak Dutch, the latter of which 59% claim to speak
French as a second language.[8] French is thus known by an estimated 75% of all Belgians, either as a mother tongue, as second, or as third language.[9]
Monaco and Andorra
- Further information: Languages of Monaco and Languages of Andorra
Although Monégasque is the national language of the Principality of Monaco, French is the only official language, and French nationals make up some 47% of the population.
Catalan is the only official language of Andorra; however, French is commonly used due to the proximity to France. French nationals make up 7% of the population.
Italy
- Further information: Languages of Italy
French is also an official language, along with Italian, in the province of Aosta Valley, Italy. In addition, a number of Franco-Provençal dialects are spoken in the province, although they do not have official recognition.
Luxembourg
- Further information: Languages of Luxembourg and Multilingualism in Luxembourg
French is one of three official languages of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg ;
the other official languages of Luxembourg are
Luxemburgish is the natively-spoken language of Luxembourg ;
Luxembourg's education system is trilingual: the first years of primary
school are in Luxembourgish, before changing to German, while secondary
school, the language of instruction changes to French.
[10]
The Channel Islands
- Further information: Languages of Jersey and Languages of Guernsey
Although Jersey and Guernsey, the two bailiwicks collectively referred to as the Channel Islands, are separate entities, both use French to some degree, mostly in an administrative capacity. Jersey Legal French is the standardized variety used in Jersey.
The Americas
Legal status in Canada
- See also: French language in Canada, Spoken languages of Canada, and Official bilingualism in Canada
About 7 million Canadians are native French-speakers, of whom 6 million live in Quebec,[11] and French is one of Canada's two official languages (the other being English). Various provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
deal with Canadians' right to access services in both languages,
including the right to a publicly funded education in the minority
language of each province, where numbers warrant in a given locality.
By law, the federal government must operate and provide services in both English and French, proceedings of the Parliament of Canada must be translated into both these languages, and most products sold in Canada must have labeling in both languages.
Overall, about 13% of Canadians have knowledge of French only, while
18% have knowledge of both English and French. In contrast, over 82% of
the population of Quebec speaks French natively, and almost 96% speak
it as either their first or second language. It has been the sole
official language of Quebec since 1974. The legal status of French was
further strengthened with the 1977 adoption of the Charter of the French Language (popularly known as Bill 101),
which guarantees that every person has a right to have the civil
administration, the health and social services, corporations, and
enterprises in Quebec communicate with him in French. While the Charter
mandates that certain provincial government services, such as those
relating to health and education, be offered to the English minority in
its language, where numbers warrant, its primary purpose is to cement
the role of French as the primary language used in the public sphere.
Knowledge of French in the European Union and candidate countries
[12]
The provision of the Charter that has arguably had the most significant impact mandates French-language education
unless a child's parents or siblings have received the majority of
their own primary education in English within Canada, with minor
exceptions. This measure has reversed a historical trend whereby a
large number of immigrant children would attend English schools. In so
doing, the Charter has greatly contributed to the "visage français"
(French face) of Montreal in spite of its growing immigrant population.
Other provisions of the Charter have been ruled unconstitutional over
the years, including those mandating French-only commercial signs,
court proceedings, and debates in the legislature. Though none of these
provisions are still in effect today, some continued to be on the books
for a time even after courts had ruled them unconstitutional as a
result of the government's decision to invoke the so-called notwithstanding clause
of the Canadian constitution to override constitutional requirements.
In 1993, the Charter was rewritten to allow signage in other languages
so long as French was markedly "predominant." Another section of the
Charter guarantees every person the right to work in French, meaning
the right to have all communications with one's superiors and coworkers
in French, as well as the right not to be required to know another
language as a condition of hiring, unless this is warranted by the
nature of one's duties, such as by reason of extensive interaction with
people located outside the province or similar reasons. This section
has not been as effective as had originally been hoped, and has faded
somewhat from public consciousness. As of 2006, approximately 65% of
the workforce on the island of Montreal predominantly used French in
the workplace.
The only other province that recognizes French as an official language is New Brunswick, which is officially bilingual, like the nation as a whole. Outside of Quebec, the highest number of Francophones in Canada, 485,000, excluding those who claim multiple mother tongues, reside in Ontario, whereas New Brunswick, home to the vast majority of Acadians, has the highest percentage of Francophones after Quebec, 33%, or 237,000. In Ontario, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Manitoba,
French does not have full official status, although the provincial
governments do provide some French-language services in all communities
where significant numbers of Francophones live. Canada's three northern
territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut) all recognize French as an official language as well.
All provinces make some effort to accommodate the needs of their Francophone citizens, although the level and quality of French-language service vary significantly from province to province. The Ontario French Language Services Act,
adopted in 1986, guarantees French language services in that province
in regions where the Francophone population exceeds 10% of the total
population, as well as communities with Francophone populations
exceeding 5,000, and certain other designated areas; this has the most
effect in the north and east of the province, as well as in other
larger centres such as Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Mississauga, London, Kitchener, St. Catharines, Greater Sudbury and Windsor.
However, the French Language Services Act does not confer the status of
"official bilingualism" on these cities, as that designation carries
with it implications which go beyond the provision of services in both
languages. The City of Ottawa's language policy (by-law 2001-170)
allows employees to work in their official language of choice and be
supervised in the language of choice.
Canada has the status of member state in the Francophonie, while the
provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick are recognized as participating
governments. Ontario is currently seeking to become a full member on
its own.
Haiti
French is an official language of Haiti, although it is mostly spoken by the upper class, while Haitian Creole (a French-based creole language) is more widely spoken as a mother tongue.
French overseas territories
French is also the official language in France's overseas territories of French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, St. Martin and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
The United States
-
French language spread in the United States. Counties marked in yellow
are those where 6–12% of the population speak French at home; brown,
12–18%; red, over 18%.
French-based creole languages are not included.
Although it has no official recognition on a federal level, French is the third[13][14] most-spoken language in the United States, after English and Spanish, and the second most-spoken in the states of Louisiana, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. Louisiana is home to two distinct dialects, Cajun French and Creole French
Africa
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Countries usually considered as Francophone Africa. These countries had a population of 321 million in 2007. 
Classical
from 
