Discussion Why are the Romance Languages romanticized so much? self.languagelearning

 

Inviato 8 ore fa da TatumPaxley

 

As many of us on this subreddit already know, the term Romance languages refers to the fact the languages in this family are derived from Latin, the language of the Romans. Some of the languages in this family are frequently described as "the language of love." French, Italian and Spanish are often labelled in such a manner. Does the average person know that the term Romance language has nothing to do with love? Do you think this misunderstanding contributes to the perception of these being beautiful?

 

It seems to me that many English-speaking countries romanticize French in particular. In the United States, French is often romanticized in fiction and Paris is seen as a city rich in culture and a trendsetter in the fashion industry. The infamous Emily in Paris series comes to mind. French is also one of, if not the most studied foreign language in the UK. Spanish has also become another language that is popular in English countries and is romanticized like French for the way that it sounds. Is this view exclusive to English-speaking countries or is it a worldwide phenomenon? I understand why many English speakers feel an affinity to Romance languages because much of its vocabulary originates from Latin, but Greek and Sanskrit (among many other languages) have also greatly influenced the English language and are not romanticized to the extent that French is.

 

The thing that bothers me with the romanticization of the Romance languages is that it causes some people to hate on languages they perceive as "rough sounding." Languages like Mandarin, German, and Russian are some of the languages that are most commonly derided for sounding harsh. Often times people will hate on these languages without giving them a shot. At the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Why does it matter to some learners how a language sounds anyways? I think that romanticizing something too much can also be detrimental. If you romanticize something and it does not meet your expectations, it is likely that you could feel burnt out and disillusioned when reality does not meet your expectations.