As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 16th century onward, French was introduced to new territories in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Most second-language speakers reside in Francophone Africa, in particular Gabon, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritius, Senegal and Ivory Coast.
Why do Africans speak French?
More than 20 of the countries in Africa speak French, largely due to France’s vast colonization on the continent. These include countries such as Algeria, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Morocco, Rwanda, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Tunisia.
Is French spoken in Africa?
the French spoken by people in West and Central Africa – spoken altogether by about 97 million people in 2018, as either a first or second language. … the French varieties spoken in Eastern Africa (Madagascar, Comoros, Mayotte), which have 5.6 million first and second language speakers in 2018.
Which African country speaks French?
Like many African nations, Mali is a multilingual country. The official language is French, Bambara is the lingua franca, the national language, and the most widely spoken language. English and French are de facto official languages.
Which country has the most French speakers?
Unsurprisingly, France boasts the highest number of native French speakers, although its not the most populous country to have French as an official language: The Democratic Republic of Congo has a population of 77 million, compared to 62 million in France.
Is French growing in Africa?
French is now the fifth most spoken world language and growing—thanks to Africans. … The number of people speaking French has shown a steady increase: up nearly 9.6% since 2014. Measuring from 2010 to today, 22.7 million more people speak French: 68% of these are sub-Saharan Africa, while 22% live in North Africa.
Is French dying?
It’s not that French is dead or even dying on the global stage. French is still one of the official languages of the UN, Nato, the International Olympic Committee and Eurovision. But the days of its global pomp, when it was the language of international diplomacy and spoken by much of the global elite, are long gone.
Is French useful in Africa?
French is official language in most West African countries and it is spoken at national and functions as well as in the media. Each country may have its own way of pronouncing of some french words but on the whole French serve as a unifying factor among all these Francophone countries.
What is the most powerful language?
English is by far the most powerful language. It is the dominant language of three G7 nations (USA, UK and Canada), and British legacy has given it a global footprint. It is the world’s lingua franca. Mandarin, which ranks second, is only half as potent.
What are the 22 countries that speak Spanish?
There are many Spanish speaking countries in the world, as Spanish is the official language of the following 20 countries, as well as Puerto Rico: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, …
What is the most spoken language in Africa?
The most spoken language in Africa is Swahili which is said to have between 100 and 150 million speakers. Known as a ‘Bantu’ language, Swahili apparently originated from other languages like Arabic.
How many countries in Africa are French?
French in Africa: 29 Countries Where French is Spoken. French is the official language of 21 countries in Africa.
Which country has the most English speakers?
Which Countries Have the Most English Speakers?
- #1 United States of America. The United States of America is the world’s largest English-speaking country. …
- #2 India. India is next on the list, with 125 million English speakers. …
- #3 Pakistan. Surprised? …
- #4 Philippines. …
- #5 Nigeria. …
- #6 United Kingdom. …
- (Bonus) Countries with the Highest English Proficiency. …
- #1 Netherlands.
6.04.2017
Is French declining in Africa?
French has been most visibly hurt in the last few decades in Africa. … Its decline has continued, including the recent closure of French schools, as Arabic and English become the standard. More dramatically, in Zaire, in 1997, fueled by anti-French sentiment, the French language was replaced with native languages.
What’s easier French or Spanish?
Spanish is arguably somewhat easier for the first year or so – beginners may struggle less with pronunciation than their French-studying colleagues, and one of the most basic Spanish verb tenses is easier than French.