French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world,with over 220 million people speaking it across all five continents .International Francophonie Day (French: Journéeinternationale de la Francophonie) is observed within the International Organization of La Francophonie’s 77 member states every March 20 to celebrate the French language and Francophone culture. The French language comes from Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. France was known as Gaul during that time and they were conquered by the Romans in the first and second century BC. At that time, they spoke Gaulish which is a Celtic language, but that was replaced by Latin from the Romans.

Old French was spoken by the ninth century to the thirteenth and it was different from Latin. The Oaths of Strasbourg is the oldest known document that uses Old French and it had varying dialects including Francine, a dialect that was used near Paris. In the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, Middle French was used with expressions from Latin, Greek, and Italy. A group of French poets known as the Pléiade, inspired the French to strengthen their language and literature.

The purpose of the day is to raise awareness and respect for the culture, history and achievements of the six major languages of the people of the world. The other five official languages of the United Nations include Arabic, Russian, Chinese, English and Spanish. Here are some of the best ways to celebrate the French Language Day. They are try speaking French, watch a film, language workshops, French cuisine tastings, book clubs and listen to French music. 

Frencophonie Day brings together people from different backgrounds who share a love for the French language and culture. It creates a sense of unity and understanding among diverse communities, fostering friendships and connections globally. There is a timeline of the French Language Day.

✓ 1962-1970 – The Pre-Francophonie Day

✓ 1990 – Conceptualizing Francophonie Day

✓ 1998 – First official International Day

There are unveiling 5 Facts about French Language Day

✓ French is one of the “Romance languages”, derived from the Latin of the Roman Empire, alongside Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Romanian.

✓ French is considered as one of the world’s most romantic languages.

✓ French is the fourth most commonly used language on the Internet and the third most widespread language in the scientific world.

✓ France has contributed significantly to global culture, cooking, fashion and theatre.

✓ French is spoken and studied on every continent, making French a truly global language.

So, French Language Day offers a perfect opportunity to show appreciation and love for this language that is often as pleasing to the ear as it is to the heart.

Written by: Rtr. Sithmi Nimasha

Graphic design by: Rtr. Sathmi Dinanja