Erik a écrit:
I'm just curious how many people here have studied English. I know it was probably a mandatory subject for lots of people, but there must be some here and there that enjoy it as a hobby like I do French :)
English, for most French people, is more of a necessity, a fact or a tool than a hobby (a hindrance for some, maybe). It's too ubiquitous to be considered a "fun" thing to learn, and people looking for something more exotic will turn to Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi, Italian...
Along with English, Spanish and German are the most common languages taught in school, the latter being more popular in the North and East, as well as with some people who consider it more prestigious. In the general (academic) school system, students choose one mandatory first foreign language upon entering the equivalent of junior high school (
collège), and an optional second foreign languages two years later (
si je me trompe où si ça a changé depuis, dites-le moi). One of these must be English - so, most people who graduated from high school will speak some form of English. In addition, where university admission tests exist, English is most often involved. Most university graduates will speak at least basic English.
And, contrary to popular belief, most French people don't mind speaking English with tourists - many just don't like being
addressed in English right away, as it makes them feel like they're
expected to speak it. Like anywhere in the world, a few words of the local language (hello, please, excuse me do you speak English ?) will do wonders: as you visibly struggle just trying to say hello, people will naturally turn to English to relieve you from your misery, and they'll feel good for doing it, too!
Nice to meet you, by the way :)
)
