Bonjour, mes amis! Comment ça va? (Hello, my friends, and how are you?) Today, let’s dive into something that we all might have thought about at some point in our lives. We live in a world where everyone tends to hang on to their own beliefs without questioning whether they stem from actual truths or just some far-fetched misconceptions.
Let me give you some instances.
Upon informing one of my teachers that I was studying French, her initial inquiry was, “Is this limited to learning French, or are there other romantic languages as well?” I was dumbstruck because, for me, French had always been quite cultured.
Whenever I come across a beginner aspiring to learn French, their most frequently asked questions are always something like, “Is it too difficult?” or “Does French have a lot of rules, regulations, and exceptions?”
So, you see, everyone has these daunting misconceptions or preconceived notions when it comes to learning a new language.
Many have found French to be captivating as a language of culture and love. Despite the allure, it still brings up quite a few queries or mythical thoughts in one’s mind.
Let’s break these common French myths and learn the wonders of the French language on the go!
Whenever I talk to my students about French pronunciation, they all seem to be stuck at the letter “R,” finding it quite intimidating.
Truth: While there might be some truth there, nothing is impossible with some practice. French pronunciation is considered to be quite consistent. One only needs the right approach to understand basic phonetics. There are many techniques available to help French beginners overcome the fear of “R.” With the right resources, proficiency in French will be an achievable task.
Truth: Being a language, it is true for French to have a vocabulary of its own, but it doesn’t end there! Have you ever seen words like restaurant, bureau, courage, etiquette, and competence, vis-à-vis? Have you ever thought about where these words might have been influenced from? In today’s time, a lot of English vocabulary is either derived from or shared with French, and vice versa. So, if you are new to the French language, you might be aware of some of the French vocabulary already.
Truth: This is totally an absurd statement because my experience so far has been quite the opposite. Despite the general belief, I have always seen French people appreciate anyone who respects their language and culture. There are quite a few communities welcoming new learners who are ready to make an effort to learn the highs and lows of the French language.
However, there might be some truth to it as well, due to varying cultural differences. French natives believe in providing space to others. They might interrupt you while speaking, but only to correct you and help you learn better as a budding French speaker.