While we are likely to think of film, food, fashion, and perhaps fiction when we think of French, we’d do well to add both fun and family. On the one hand, we may enjoy Paris Fashion Week and the new French restaurant in town, but on the other hand, French is enjoying a real resurgence in the US, in classrooms and beyond, with immersion and traditional French classes popping up all around us.
French is, of course, the language of France, Canada, and a whole host of countries in Africa and beyond, and of the United States. People have been speaking French in North America, including a large part of what is now the US, since the earliest years of the European presence, and about 33 million Americans are still speaking French.
Many Americans are unaware of the Huguenot history of northern New Jersey and the New York area—New Rochelle and Rochelle Park are just two of many examples. Did you know that Los Angeles has had not one but two French-Canadian mayors? Many of us fail to give a second thought to the presence of French place names and family names across the US—Boise, Detroit, and Vermont, among others. Including French-speaking newcomers from around the world, Franco-Americans in northern New England, French heritage throughout the Mississippi Valley, and vibrant French-speaking communities in South Florida, Louisiana, and beyond, French is spoken throughout the US and is the most common language other than English in Maine and Vermont.
French in the Classroom, Online, and Beyond
French is the second most popular language in US schools, and French immersion programs are available across the country.
Authentic French and Francophone language and media are more readily available than ever before, with French movies, television shows, news, and music accessible online, alongside French courses and learning opportunities.
Community initiatives work to support French language and use and Francophone culture across the country.
The Alliance Française, with over 100 locations around the country, offers classes for learners of all ages and all levels of French online and on site, along with ongoing cultural events. The Franco-American Centre, in Manchester, New Hampshire, offers a wide range of learning, cultural, and social activities for all ages and interests. The Nous Foundation in New Orleans offers a wide range of cultural, learning, and creative activities, receiving a Library of Congress grant for its work on Louisiana music in French and Creole.
Current Trends
- French as an individual decision
Choosing French for personal reasons: It is important to remember that, while educational institutions and cultural and community organizations can play a role in encouraging the learning and use of French, choosing a language to learn is intensely personal. Even within the same family, individuals and generations decide which language(s) to use and to learn, and which traditions to retain.
In alignment with the decision to learn and to use an additional language as a personal and individual choice, Francoresponsabilité, which highlights the role and importance of the individual in encouraging and promoting the learning and use of French in all aspects of our daily lives, is the overarching factor driving sustainable French programs in the US and in North America.
French language advocacy builds on Francoresponsabilité in actively promoting, encouraging, and defending the learning and use of French through Franco-activism by organizations and by motivated individuals.
While, historically, French classes focused on language, culture, and literature through the lens of France, today’s French language learning views French language and Francophone culture through a global lens, highlighting the worldwide use of French as a language of ideas, culture, and literature, of communication, and of business and international relations.
- French for everyone—adult learners, gifted learners, those with disabilities, and those with nonclassroom interests
In addition to students who are enrolled in K–16 educational institutions, French language learning and use includes adult learners through community groups and programs for adult learners, such as the Franco-American Centre, the Nous Foundation, and the Alliance Française. Adult and nontraditional learners who may not be able to attend traditional onsite classes due to work schedules and other responsibilities have an increasing number of learning options available, including synchronous and asynchronous online courses. Learning environments that allow gifted learners to progress at their own pace can let these learners advance more quickly. Learners with disabilities who might have in the past been “waived” from language requirements and courses are able to access authentic language through media and to achieve success through multisensory and communicative methods and in online learning environments, which are increasingly accessible to all. It is also necessary to remember that many people of all ages have interests beyond the classroom, and a wide range of sociocultural events and programs can effectively respond to these interests—often leading to a desire to actively learn the language. The French Football Academy in NYC and the PoutineFest are among the many examples of activities that lead to active engagement with French and Francophone culture.
- The appeal and soft power of the French language and Francophone culture
In encouraging, promoting, and supporting the learning and use of French, educators, advocates, and stakeholders are inspired by the appeal and soft power of the French language and Francophone culture. In addition to history, literature, and the arts of France, the culture and lifestyle of Francophones worldwide help to support sustainable motivation for French language learning and use.
- French as an American language/French as a global and local language
In addition to being a global language, French has been an American language since the earliest years of the European presence, and this enduring presence of French is part of its appeal. The New England Franco-Route Geocaches, Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park, and the French Heritage Corridor are just a few of the many examples of local initiatives highlighting the French presence in what is now the US.
- French as a heritage language
French is a language spoken in the home or as a heritage language for millions of Americans, and the appeal of a family or heritage language cannot be overstated. Heritage-language programs exist in schools and communities and reach audiences of both native and near-native speakers as well as those who may be trying to reconnect with their roots.
- French in higher education
Although French enrollments may have declined at the postsecondary level in recent years, French language educators are developing K–16 partnerships, multidisciplinary approaches to the major, and courses to respond to student interests.
- The benefits of language learning and use
There is more awareness than ever before of the benefits of language skills and the use of an additional language on a regular basis in our personal and professional lives, in our increasingly multilingual society, and in the globalized world as global citizens.
In the US, over 70 million speak a language other than English, of whom well over 40 million speak Spanish, a Romance language. The ease of learning additional Romance languages for someone who already speaks a Romance language, either as a native or a proficient speaker, is increasingly well known.
- French as a research language
All of us who may be doing research on any topic across the disciplines can benefit from the importance of French as a research language, with many research journals freely available through the French National Library’s Gallica database and other sources.
Technology plays a major role in our lives and in language learning and use. We use online and social media to communicate and online resources to be informed, to learn, and to do research. Online learning platforms are used throughout our educational institutions, and many are available for the individual learner. In addition, language-learning apps and conversational AI offer individual and customizable learning. A wonderful example of technology is the media initiative Les grandes, grandes vacances, an animated series depicting life for children in France during World War II, developed at the time of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Initially available through schools and for students, it is now available through TV5Monde in the US.
Future Directions
While it is important to continue to learn about and to be inspired by the French language and Francophone culture in the past and present throughout history and around the world, it is essential to learn French, to communicate in French, and to engage in creative activities in French. By living in French, through our learning activities, our conversations and communications with others, and our personal and individual creativity that pervades every facet of our lives, we can best flourish and thrive as individuals while at the same time ensuring the future of French in our individual lives, in our society, and in the world. The good news is that it is easier than ever for almost all of us to access authentic language online and via social media.
Conclusions: Ensuring a Sustainable Future for French Through Supporting Our Local Schools and Community Organizations
French is a global language and a local language. With a global footprint and a local presence and history across the US and throughout the Americas, French is here to stay. It is essential that we all work together to support this vibrant and significant part of our past, present, and future as both a heritage and additional world language and a local version of a global culture. The good news is that dedicated and knowledgeable educators, organizations, communities, and individuals are doing wonderful things in our schools and communities to empower all those who are interested in exploring the French language and Francophone culture. L’Union fait la force!
Joyeuse Journée Internationale de la Francophone—le 20 mars—à toutes et à tous!
References
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Kathy Stein Smith, PhD, is associate university librarian and adjunct faculty in foreign languages and related areas at Fairleigh Dickinson University–Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, New Jersey. She is chair of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French) Commission on Advocacy. She is Officier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques and a member of Pi Delta Phi, the national French honor society. She is the author of three books and several articles about the foreign language deficit.