A Napoleonic Victory is certainly the easiest. French was still basically a global lingua franca until WWI. Why you have the King of England, the German Kaiser, and the Russian Czar all writing to each other in French although none of them are French.A win by Napoleon in 1812 would do it. Perhaps better Trafalgar even leads to an invasion of Britain? (19th century)
If earlier... Louis XIV does better in his wars in the 1600s?
Even earlier
Charlemagne-wank. He somehow marries Empress Irene and his descendants inherit both empires. Something similar to French becomes the dominant language? This empire continues to expand and spread its culture... ec cetera.
Why you have the King of England, the German Kaiser, and the Russian Czar all writing to each other in French although none of them are French.
The first condition does not demand much more than what France under the Bourbons managed to do, giving the language a strong reputation throughout Europe. If Germany comes together in a different manner then I expect it to be even stronger.For France to became lingua franca (franca? From were this term come?) at least two things are needed:
- France to remain the dominant European power
- to beat the British in the colonial game to a large marge
I think that was in English. The Willy-Nicky Telegrams, by William II and Nicholas II, was in English.
That would be cool, but almost inconceivable due to the low population of French speakers in the US. Even adopting German would be a stretch, and that had an actual significant population of speakers in Pennsylvania.The USA, thankful for French help in the ARW, and hopeful for eventual rebellion in Quebec and their joining, the Articles of Confederation are written declaring that French will become the official language and all government documents are to be bilingual for 10 years and then only in French. The US Constitution is then written in French, and an official English translation but it's clear the French original is dominant for court decisions if the English translation, translations often being imperfect, perhaps has a wording implying something different than the original. With French dominance of the US, one sees French spread worldwide and possibly even stronger in western Canada. This could even cause changes to history in Mexico 1860s and French is a common second language there today.
The USA, thankful for French help in the ARW, and hopeful for eventual rebellion in Quebec and their joining, the Articles of Confederation are written declaring that French will become the official language and all government documents are to be bilingual for 10 years and then only in French. The US Constitution is then written in French, and an official English translation but it's clear the French original is dominant for court decisions if the English translation, translations often being imperfect, perhaps has a wording implying something different than the original. With French dominance of the US, one sees French spread worldwide and possibly even stronger in western Canada. This could even cause changes to history in Mexico 1860s and French is a common second language there today.
What makes a global lingua franca is not being the language of the greatest economy. Being the language that two or more nations, in communicating officially, decide to use a language that is not dominant in any of those nations or the nation they are summiting in. Greatest example is that OPEC meets in Vienna, but use English as their official language when realistically using Arabic would probably be easier.Send a lot more people to New France. The dominant language of North America will be the global lingua franca.
What makes a global lingua franca is not being the language of the greatest economy. Being the language that two or more nations, in communicating officially, decide to use a language that is not dominant in any of those nations or the nation they are summiting in. Greatest example is that OPEC meets in Vienna, but use English as their official language when realistically using Arabic would probably be easier.
There's no reason to suggest New France would impose their will on the world culturally similar to the USA wank of OTL.
French was already the Lingua Franca for much of OTL modern history.Exactly what it says on the tin!
France with a larger colonial interests would definitely dominate, plus remember that having a powerful nation with a stronger economy speaking English led to English becoming quite important in the post-war world (and this country is not the UK).Actually I'd argue that it is. It's not only an issue of economics, though; the United States has enormous military and cultural influence ("hard" and "soft" power) so it is in the interests of people elsewhere to learn its language - especially since Americans rarely speak other languages (partly due to being isolated geographically, in North America). If you need to do business with Americans and you can't expect them to know your language, you'll have to learn theirs. Nowadays, English is studied in every country in the world, so it's a logical choice for a global lingua franca. In the case of OPEC, while many of its members speak Arabic, others (like Venezuela) don't speak it at all.
French was the dominant language of diplomacy for the same historic reason. France once was the demographic powerhouse of Europe and the dominant military power. It had enormous prestige, and so aristocrats across the continent learned its language (sometimes better than their own national language, as in the case of the Prussian/Russian royal houses). French remained a dominant language in Europe well into the 20th century; it was the main language of the EEC before the UK joined. If a powerful francophone nation had emerged in North America, French could have kept this advantage to the present day.
I disagree about your assumption that the largest economy will by default be the lingua franca. Lingua franca of the Persian Empire wasn't an Iranian language, it was Aramaic (at that point Persia and majority of the world are pretty much the same thing, even China has never had as large of a percentage of the world's people or GDP as the Persians did at their heyday).Actually I'd argue that it is. It's not only an issue of economics, though; the United States has enormous military and cultural influence ("hard" and "soft" power) so it is in the interests of people elsewhere to learn its language - especially since Americans rarely speak other languages (partly due to being isolated geographically, in North America). If you need to do business with Americans and you can't expect them to know your language, you'll have to learn theirs. Nowadays, English is studied in every country in the world, so it's a logical choice for a global lingua franca. In the case of OPEC, while many of its members speak Arabic, others (like Venezuela) don't speak it at all.
French was the dominant language of diplomacy for the same historic reason. France once was the demographic powerhouse of Europe and the dominant military power. It had enormous prestige, and so aristocrats across the continent learned its language (sometimes better than their own national language, as in the case of the Prussian/Russian royal houses). French remained a dominant language in Europe well into the 20th century; it was the main language of the EEC before the UK joined. If a powerful francophone nation had emerged in North America, French could have kept this advantage to the present day.