Devinez quoi? Why you need to learn French

Feb 04, 2015

It is defined endearingly as the sexiest language in the world. Hearing a French person speak is similar to a climax of musical excitement.

By Gilbert Kidimu

It is defined endearingly as the sexiest language in the world. Hearing a French person speak is similar to a climax of musical excitement.

You won’t want them to stop. Words such as bouquet, en route, fiancé, petite, résumé, and crème de la crème are used frequently by English speakers.

They are pleasant-sounding as they are difficult to pronounce, because they are originally French words, which were embraced by the English.

The forefathers of the English language thought it clever to not completely excuse themselves from Marie Antoinette’s language. That is why in spite of the bludgeoning force behind English, French still thrives in five of six continents.

In Uganda, many educated people have come across French one way or the other, mostly in senior one and two. But majority drop it as soon as they get the chance, therefore, “bonjour, comment allez-vous?

Je vais bien, qu'est-ce que c'est?” are all a few of us know. If you have not a clue what they mean, you’ve got plenty of company in majority of Ugandans who have never seen a classroom hence cannot say a single French word.

Nineteen-year-olds Charif Allaoui and Iliass Dhanouni are students at Makerere University, and as you can already tell by their names, they are not from Uganda. The lads are from The Comoros at the northern end of Mozambique.

The two boarded a plane all the way to Uganda but not for a bachelor’s degree. They are here to learn English. French being their official language back home, they want to learn English to increase their opportunities worldwide. “I am here for one year. I realised that learning English besides French is important if I want to expand my international opportunities,” reasons Allaoui.

It’s been noted that while citizens of Francophone countries, for example Allaoui and Dhanouni, go out of their way to learn English, the Anglophones won’t move an inch to learn French. That is why our Ugandan dignitaries attending conferences in French-speaking countries, at all times need an interpreter.

More than 200 million people speak French on the five continents, making it a world language. The Francophonie, the international organisation of French-speaking countries, comprises 68 states and governments. French is the second most widely learned foreign language after English, and the ninth most widely spoken language in the world.

French is also the only language, alongside English, that is taught in every country in the world.

French desired for expatriate jobs

Although manifold Ugandan women are familiar with a few words in Spanish thanks to their abiding enthusiasm for Spanish Soaps, the Latin America language, actually scores very low in usefulness. The only non-Spanish speakers encouraged to learn the sassy language are Americans, and the returns aren’t all that.

But the ability to speak French and English is prised on the international job market. Knowledge of French opens doors of French companies in France and other French-speaking parts of the world (Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and North and sub-Saharan Africa). As the world’s fifth biggest economy and number-three destination for foreign investment, France is a key economic partner.

“Half of Africa counting all of West Africa speaks French. 210 million people in 77 countries all over the world speak French, so it is economically prudent that Ugandans learn French to get employment or do business with such countries,” advises Oswald Ndoleriire, Professor College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Makerere University (MUK).

The long standing scholar of French says even those who do not understand the language love the sound of French. “It sounds like a nicely written rhyme that ticks the ears, they are silent but alive,” he relays.

He explains that in most cases international jobs which Ugandans like require one to know more than the English language, and the second most important is always French. “It will be a much needed bonus if you want a UN, Red Cross, or UNICEF job,” he says adding: “For Ugandans, it is the best other international language you can learn.”

Ndoleriire reasons that the school system needs to push French harder than they have, seeing that while most modern schools have French on their syllabus, students who leave speaking the language are still a small fraction. “It ought to be simultaneous learning of both English and French right from primary school.”

He however reveals that learning French is not hard as many people might reckon. If you dedicate at least 3 hours every week to learning French, you will do well in just months.

 “Listening to French programs on radio, listening to the music; if you really want to learn, you’ll get deeper than what the classroom demands. It is easier to use entertainment to learn- listen especially to the radio. You can be perfect in 2-3 years, but basic communication is achieved within months of learning.”

He reveals that in Uganda there are about 30 schools teaching French all the way. There are 10, 000 people in Uganda who can speak French, but that is a small fraction compared the number of people who speak English in Francophone countries.

Speaking of opportunities, Hon. Yona Musinguzi, Ntungamo Miniciplaity MP has French to thank for his presence in parliament. The youthful MP got elected because he knew French. His competition didn’t. After promising to teach Ntungamo residents French, votes poured his way and the rest was an honourable pay cheque.

“Growing up, I had a liking for the French language, so I took it up as soon as I got the chance and at A. Level, I did Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and French.”

French is taught free of charge at Alliance Francaise Uganda. It takes six months to learn speaking French and a year to fluency. There are no excuses. Au revoir!

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