The French language, like that of any former colonial power, has spread far and wide thus becoming a reminder of its sovereignty even centuries after the fact.
Switzerland is just one of the countries to bear French as an official language, but its other three national languages in addition to French make it a fascinating case study for the relationship between language and culture. In this video, Easy Languages goes to Lausanne, Switzerland to interview everyday folks about their perception of the French language and how having multiple national languages affects the Swiss as a society.
A few interesting things come up, such as the fact that most of Switzerland’s cities are in French-speaking parts of Switzerland, which affects the voting power of left-leaning French speakers in the overall political realm. French-speaking Switzerland is also at a financial advantage over German- and Italian-Switzerland, and has more universities, making not only French language but French culture a driving force in the Swiss socio-economic landscape.
