French as the lingua franca of Russian education of the XVIII – first half of the XIX centuries

Abstract

The article examines the role of the French language as a lingua franca in Russian education of the XVIII – first half of the XIX centuries. Various approaches to understanding the phenomenon of lingua franca have been investigated. The socio-political conditions that contributed to the popularization of the French language are analyzed. The external factors that were prerequisites for granting the French language the status of the lingua franca of national education are investigated. The article reveals the role of the French lingua franca in strengthening Russia's position in the international arena, the development of public discourse, including the development of the national education system. The article considers the manifestations of natural bilingualism acquired in the family as the basis for mass bilingualism among the nobility. The article analyzes individual manifestations of Gallomania as factors that contributed to the development of foreign language education in secular educational institutions, seminaries, as well as the dissemination of the informal educational process through the involvement of foreign governesses. The pedagogical potential of the French-language educational book in the Russian educational process of the considered period of time is investigated. The conclusion is made about the leading position of the French language in Russian foreign language education in the era of the Russian Enlightenment.