French is second only to English for the number of countries where it is spoken officially and has 2 million teachers and 100 million students worldwide. The number of speakers of French has actually tripled in the past 50 years. This book spans the time of Charlemagne to the birth of Cirque du Soleil. It unravels the mysteries of a language that has maintained its global influence despite the rise of English and shows how French acquired its own peculiar culture. Explains how the culture of the language spread among Francophones the world over and why it still remains curiously centered in Paris. French is not only thriving -- it still has a surprisingly strong influence on other languages such as English. Maps. ¿Fascinating and easy to read.

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