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Power Language Index (May 2016) Kai L. Chan, PhD FRENCH EXPERT OPINION FRENCH PLI rank: 3 PLI score: 0.339 Language family: Romance Geographic coverage: Africa, Europe, North America French is the third most powerful language, buttressed by its strong standing in diplomatic circles. Indeed, French retains an air of sophistication and is the go-to second language people acquire when they wish to appear educated or sophisticated. The language of De Gaulle holds official status at most major international organisations (and all tracked in the PLI), even if English happens to be the de facto working tongue. Nevertheless, where English and French once vied against each other to be the global lingua franca, French has clearly slipped behind its cross-channel rival. French punches above its weight relative to its small base of native speakers. The language counts just 80 million speakers, the smallest of any of the top-10 languages. But the power of French can be seen in its high number of L2 speakers (trailing only English and Arabic). Indeed, French is the lingua franca or the language of the elite in many African nations even if it is not the mother tongue of the population at large. 30 world monitor PLI rank: 3 PLI score: 0.339 Language family: Romance Geographic coverage: Africa, Europe, North America IND # 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 INDICATOR GEOGRAPHY Countries spoken Land area (mn km2) Tourists-in (mn) VALUE 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 ECONOMY PPP GDP (Int$BN) PPP GDP/cap (Int$) Exports ($BN) FX mkt share (%) SDR composition (%) 4,949 12,877 1,434 7.8 7.2 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 COMMUNICATION Native speakers (mn) L2 speakers (mn) Family size (mn) Tourists-out (mn) 80 140 773 68.9 24.5 13.6 125.0 IND # 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 5 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 INDICATOR KNOWLEDGE & MEDIA Internet content (%) Feature films Top-500 universities Academic journals DIPLOMACY IMF (indicator) UN (indicator) WB (indicator) Index of 10 SNOs OPP # OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNIY 1 Geography 2 Economy 3 Communication 4 Knowledge & media 5 Diplomacy VALUE 4.0 272 44 76 1 1 1 1.0 RANK 2 6 5 5 1 French is the third most powerful language, buttressed by its strong standing in diplomatic circles. Indeed, French retains an air of sophistication and is the go-to second language people acquire when fifth holds mostofficial powerful Spanish just behind French, The Arabic they wishplaces to appear educated or sophisticated. language is of the De Gaulle status at language. It is spoken primarily inbeMiddle butmost itsmajor trajectory going forward may international organistions (and all tracked in the PLI), even if English happens to the de factoeclipse working the tongue. Nevertheless, where English and French once vied against each other be the East North Africa (MENA), but its to status soon Romance-language global lingua franca, French has clearly slipped behind its cross-Channel rival. as the language of the Quran compels rival as Latin America grows. In Frenchofpunches above itsof weight relative to its smallmany base ofMuslims native speakers. The language counts worldwide to study it. terms the number native just 80 million speakers, smallest of On any of the top-10 languages. power250 of French canL2 be For this reason,Butitthe counts million speakers it trails justthe Mandarin. seen in its high number of L2 speakers (trailing only English and Arabic). Indeed, French is the lingua speakers, second only to English. The thefranca global diplomatic stage it trails or the language of the elite in many African nations even if it is not the mother tongue of the strength of Arabic is also supported by just Englishatand population large.French in facilitating thePhD prosperous economies of oil-rich Kai L. Chan, global communication. Nevertheless, Distinguished Fellow, Arab INSEAD nations, a phenomenon that may its global reach is limited by its E: [email protected] W: www.KaiLChan.ca M: [phone] retreat as the price of oil has fallen geography as it is spoken only in sharply since peaking in 2014. Europe and Latin America. Amongst the five opportunities Spanish fares worst on Knowledge & Media. But this is more an artefact of the dominance of English in this sphere rather than shortcomings, per se, of the Spanish language. Nevertheless, the quality of intuitions of higher learning – and ergo the research and knowledge they embody – in the Spanish-speaking world lag those with English, French or German roots. Amongst the top-10 languages, Arabic is the laggard in the Knowledge & Media opportunity, and primarily on the aspect of Knowledge. Modern higher education and research are still nascent in the region, and the political and cultural climates currently are not as conducive to the modern research university. Colonial legacy has also given rise to French (and in modern time to English) as the prestige language in some Arabic countries.