French? Oui!

BY NOLAN GANNAGE, GRADE 12

Did you know that about 45 percent of all words in English are of French origin? This means that our national languages have much more in common than you may initially think.

I have been taking French since grade 4 and knew early that I wanted to pursue it throughout high school. I started seeing the benefits of it much more clearly in grade 9 when it got more difficult and I took it more seriously.

I think that while the advantages of learning another language aren’t immediately evident to everyone, they become more obvious the more time you spend developing this additional language.

For example, French is especially useful in Canada where it can greatly expand job and career opportunities. Do you want to be a federal or even provincial politician? French is required. Want to have a job in international business? You will very likely need French. Dream of being a lawyer or working in the legal field? Well, you don’t require French, but it will make you much more hirable and desirable!

Additionally, I think that learning another language, especially one similar to English, helps to improve your English skills. I think that writing in any other language helps one develop better sentence structure and vocabulary. I find translating between English and French is fun and thought-provoking as it’s an interesting challenge to get the most accurate translation without losing the text’s original meaning.

Overall, I think that learning another language, especially French in Canada, has many benefits, particularly as I start to think how useful bilingualism could be for me in the job market. Plus, nowadays, it’s easier than ever to pick up another language, especially with the aid of technology. So, stop reading this article and pick up a French-English dictionary ASAP!