FRENCH: a language of France

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: FRN

ISO 639-1: fr

ISO 639-2(B): fre

ISO 639-2(T): fra

Population 51,000,000 first language speakers in France. Population total all countries 77,000,000 first language speakers (1999 WA), 128,000,000 including second language speakers (1999 WA).
Region Also spoken in 53 other countries including Algeria, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, CAR, Chad, Comoros Islands, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, DRC, Djibouti, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon.
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Dialects STANDARD FRENCH, NORMAN (NORMAND), PICARD (ROUCHI, CHTIMI), WALLON (WALLOON), ANGEVIN, BERRICHON, BOURBONNAIS, BOURGUIGNON, FRANC-COMTOIS, GALLO, LORRAINE, POITEVIN, SANTONGEAIS.
Classification Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.
Comments 89% lexical similarity with Italian, 80% with Sardinian, 78% with Rheto-Romance, 75% with Portuguese, Romanian, and Spanish, 29% with German, 27% with English. Investigation needed: intelligibility with Walloon, Picard Jèrrais. National language. Dictionary. Grammar. SVO. Deciduous forest. Intensive agriculturalists, industry, business. 80 meters. Christian. Bible 1530-1995.

Also spoken in:

Algeria   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 110,600 in Algeria (1993).
Comments 20% of the population can read and write French, and more can speak it. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Andorra   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 2,400 in Andorra, 6% of the population (1986).
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Belgium   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 4,000,000 in Belgium (M. Harris in B. Comrie 1988), 33% of the population (1990 WA).
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Dialects WALLOON (WALLON), PICARD.
Comments The eastern subdialect of Walloon is considered to be more difficult to understand within Belgium. The following municipalities have minority rights for Dutch-speaking persons: Comines-Warneton, Mouscron, Enghien, Floubecques; and for German-speaking persons: Malmèdy, Weismes, Welkenraedt. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Benin   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 16,700 in Benin (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Burkina Faso   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Burundi   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Cameroon   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Canada   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 6,700,000 mother tongue speakers in Canada, or less than 24% (1998 Statistics Canada). Mother tongue of over 80% of Quebec's population (1997 DiverCite Langues). 300,000 speak Acadien, 500,000 speak Franco-Ontariens.
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Dialects QUÉBÉICOIS, FRANCO-ONTARIEN, ACADIAN (ACADIEN).
Comments Difficult intelligibility between speakers of Québécois and Acadian for speakers not fluent in Standard French. National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Central African Republic   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 9,000 in CAR (1996).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Chad   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 3,000 in Chad (1993).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Comoros Islands   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 1,700 in Comoros Islands (1993).
Comments Language of all formal education except Koranic. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Congo   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 28,000 in Congo (1993).
Comments Sole language of formal education. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Côte d’Ivoire   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 17,470 in Côte d'Ivoire (1988 census).
Comments Official language. Grammar. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Democratic Republic of Congo   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Djibouti   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 15,440 in Djibouti, 2.84% of the population (1988).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
French Guiana   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
French Polynesia   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 15,338 first language speakers in French Polynesia, foreign born (1977). 50,215 attending French schools, second language users (1978).
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Gabon   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 37,500 in Gabon (1993 Johnstone).
Comments The only language of formal education. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Guadeloupe   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments There is a variety on the northwest end of St. Barthélemy, west of but not including Gustavia, similar to Cajun French of the USA, which may or may not be a French dialect (Julianne Maher 1997). National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Guinea   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Haiti   
Language name   FRENCH
Population Second language speakers in Haiti: 400,000.
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Italy   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 100,000 in Italy (M. Harris in B. Comrie 1987).
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Lebanon   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments An estimated 20% of the population speak French in their daily lives, and up to 65% of the population can read and converse in French. A number of government and private universities teach in French. Official language. The language of instruction in most schools. Newspapers, magazines. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Luxembourg   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 13,100 or more (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Used mainly by intellectuals, professionals, authorities. Taught in school as a third language. Used for streets, shops, travel tickets, hotel registries, menus. National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Madagascar   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 18,000 in Madagascar (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Mali   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 9,000 in Mali (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Official language for instruction in schools. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Martinique   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Mauritius   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 37,000.
Comments Used in stores. Widely used by young people as second language. The elderly tend to use creole. Newspapers, radio programs, TV. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Mayotte   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 2,450 in Mayotte (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Monaco   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 17,400 in Monaco, 58% of the population (1988).
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
New Caledonia   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 53,400 first language speakers in New Caledonia (1987), 35.6% of the population.
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Niger   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 6,000 in Niger (1993 Johnstone).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Reunion   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 2,400 in Réunion (1993 Johnstone). Including second language speakers: 160,500 in Réunion, 30% of the population (1986).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Rwanda   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Senegal   
Language name   FRENCH
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Seychelles   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 977 in Seychelles (1971 census).
Comments Spoken by the French settler families, 'grands blancs.' Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
St. Pierre and Miquelon   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 5,114 out of 5,235 population in St. Pierre and Miquelon (1967 census).
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Switzerland   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 1,272,000 in Switzerland, 19.2% of the population (1990 census).
Alternate names   FRANÇAIS
Dialects FRANCHE-COMTOIS (JURASSIEN, FRIBOURGOIS).
Comments 33% of the population of Switzerland speak French every day (1990 census). Official language. Used for education in French-speaking areas. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Togo   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 3,000 in Togo (1993).
Comments Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Tunisia   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 11,000 in Tunisia (1993).
Comments Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
United Kingdom   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 14,000 in England (1976 Stephens).
Dialects JERRIAIS, DGERNESIAIS.
Comments French is only spoken by about 11% of the population of Channel Islands, mainly older people. Official language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Vanuatu   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 6,300 in Vanuatu (1995), 3.8% of the population.
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
Wallis and Futuna   
Language name   FRENCH
Population 120 in Wallis and Futuna (1993 Johnstone).
Comments National language. Bible 1530-1986. See main entry under France.
 
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