To learn a new language is like entering a portal to another world. World full of strange alphabets, pronunciation, culture, people, values and what not. From the moment a person speaks the first word of an unknown language despite the fact that he knows the meaning or not there is a sense of achievement within.
In the decade of 1990-2000 a new term of globalization was coined in India which opened the doors of opportunities in all the fields including linguistics. Prior to that same as India any foreign language was spoken by the people of any country was mainly due to the fact of colonization. But as the world became globalised no language remained foreign as there were no foreign lands on the net.
Everything was available to everyone, and opportunity does not wait for the right contender. And so, people, especially the younger generations working or wishing to pursue a career in the foreign markets tend to full their knowledge with the local language of that place. If we look closely, apart from English people are keen to learn French, Spanish, German, Chinese etc.
1. Open up: Usually, the main obstacle while learning French as a language is the similarity of alphabets and variations in their pronunciation to that of English. Like P is pronounced as PAY and G as J. So, the first and foremost thing is to unstring yourself from English pronunciation and mentally prepare yourself to pronounce those very alphabets differently.
2. Tutorial Videos: You can find videos related to spoken French language online which can be of great help as they not only provide knowledge of the grammar but also with the correct pronunciations. Some videos include exercises which can be of great help.
3. Online reading and translations: Translation and reading are one of the best methods to grab a language. No language follows word to word translation rule because translation is all about the communicating feel of the sentences. The more you read the more you increase your vocabulary which ends up in helping translating English (or any other) scripts to French. For example: the nursery rhyme Rain, Rain go away can be written as below with the same childish essence in French without any word to word translation:
| Il pleut, il pleut | It rains, it rains, |
| chaque jour, il pleut, | everyday it rains. |
| La nuage noir, | The black cloud, |
| je nevoudraipas tu demeures. | I don’t want you to stay. |
| Je voudraijouer au jardin, | I want to play in the garden, |
| avec ma soeur et mon frère. | with my sister and brother. |
| Mais, il pleut il pleut | But it rains, it rains, |
| chaque jour il pleut. | everyday it rains. |
4. Musical help: Music to ears is what honey to tongue. There are many chartbusters in French like la vie en rose, je ne veux pas travaille etc which can help you to get not only the correct pronunciation but also increase interest. If you have a problem in getting one of the French chartbusters than find the French version of your own English song especially animated (all are easily available) French version of Frozen, the lion king and many more are accessible on net.
5. Cuisine: French cuisine is famous worldwide. The term cuisine is itself French as it means kitchen. From à la carte to à la dent everything is related to French,when talk about sophisticated fine dining. From Brie on our pizza to French toast we love to eat comes from the same origin and when you relate it to the language that you are in process of learning your confidence and interest increases.
6. Culture: France is a country which saw heights of the monarchy and zeal of the peasants who ultimately torn it down when the time came. They have a culture which is followed by half of the world in Fashion, Food and Wine. It is also home of the most romantic city of the world PARIS (LA Paari) From the expensive perfumes to La tour de la France, France has it all. People here are open minded and very much in love with their language. Read and get to know about these things. Maybe if your pockets are full have a tour and I am sure you will fall in love with French as it is ‘the most romantic language of the world.‘
Introspect is the basis of online learning which includes not only hard work but research also. As I said earlier to learn a new language is like entering a portal to another world and if that world is French with correct pronunciation consider that you have just hit the jackpot, for it is the most romantic, sophisticated, and diverse of all. People like me who have learned this language or who have visited France have seen how French has made impact on all other languages and world too.
The main hitch we have while learning French is a doubt on ourselves with its technicalities especially regarding pronunciations, but as the fairy in ‘Peter Pan’ said, “just hold on to your happy thought and it will make you fly”, so here is your happy thought just hold on to it and ‘Fly with French’.
By: Farheen Syed, Assistant Professor Amity University, Lucknow
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Very well written article