[quote=briansd1]Yeah, I know Dave. English is mandatory in today’s world. French is not.
But there’s a certain cachet to speaking French.
Stephen Breyer said that speaking a foreign language, any foreign language, opens up a new world and a new way of thinking.[/quote]
Brian: Unless we’re speaking of German, then “a new way of thinking” might start another world war.
Why no mention of Latin? Command of Latin opens the door to all of the romance languages, especially Italian.
As to the “cachet” of speaking French: I’d opine it’s more “snobbery” than “cachet”. It offers one the appearance of “worldliness” and hauteur without necessarily having the commensurate depth or class to accompany it. Much like your considering the Queen “the apogee of polite society”, you fancy yourself a cut above others and speaking French undoubtedly underpins that conceit.
