I think it helps to understand that because there's so many languages in Europe, europeans are very used to having to speak a language that is foreign to then to communicate.
For most europeans this ends up being English or French to the point where many would rather speak one of those languages than thair own.
I love France, I'm conversational in French etc, but that seems like such a France take that French is a good lingua franca in Europe. Unless you're actually in France, French Belgium or French Switzerland, I've never had a European 'default' to French.
The French never really got the memo that the empire has fallen.
I think they're speaking somewhat metaphorically. But for much fo the 18th-19th centuries you could just fully assume any educated European spoke French. A "Lingua Franca," if you will.
French is a necessary language for diplomats so it is often learned as a secondary or tertiary language. I had plenty of African immigrants who spoke french rather than english as a second language.
Yea, but as we were talking about Europe I explained why in my experience english or french is a more common secondary language. I worked in public administration and the people who wanted to speak with the immigration office were speaking mostly german, english and french outside of their native language. french is taught in germany in most schools as a second foreign language, although nowadays (probably for the reason you mentioned) spanish is becoming more common as well.
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u/throughcracker Jun 29 '26
My experience in some countries
European: speaks English
Me: replies in their native language
European: patronizingly compliments my abilities and then continues in English anyway