What is English like to French speakers?

[beeee]

English is really good for songwritting, as it has very short words, which make rhyming easier.

Example : bay, day, say, ray.....gay

[Johnston]

Maybe the French will never stop viewing English as a peasant language? English view French as an aristocratic language, just as Latin is a clerical language.

[beeee]

Maybe the French will never stop viewing English as a peasant language? English view French as an aristocratic language, just as Latin is a clerical language.

Languages have many levels.
A reason may be the French only understand "peasant" English

I wanted to read Shakespeare not long ago, I closed the book after one minute, as I would not understand a single line.
It is the same in France, few people speak proper French. Not even talking about the very few who know how to write it correctly.

[Albion]

I see here that the stereotype of the rude Frenchman is not lost on the likes of Ouistreham and others on this post with their slurs.
To be honest I'm annoyed that so many respondants to this thread are simple minded plebs bringing nothing to the discussion but schoolyard insults instead of actually contributing something constructive to the thread.

Ouistreham, your language is seen by many as amongst the most poncy in the world and you have the gall to call English gay. What sort of reverse logic is this? Do you have down syndrome or something?

[Albion]

Languages have many levels.
A reason may be the French only understand "peasant" English

I wanted to read Shakespeare not long ago, I closed the book after one minute, as I would not understand a single line.
It is the same in France, few people speak proper French. Not even talking about the very few who know how to write it correctly.

Shakespeare wrote in Middle English which was a very variable, transitional stage of English and when it absorbed most French and Latin.
The earliest texts in Middle English look very Germanic still, but they are understandable to a native speaker. Shakespeare wrote much closer to Modern English and is easy enough for native speakers, if a little archaic.
He actually invented a lot of his own vocabulary though, that's perhaps why it's strange reading it.