Why do French speak a different language?

It's not accurate to say that French people speak a "different language." They speak French, which is a language, just like English, Spanish, or Mandarin.

Here's a breakdown of why French is different from English:

* Historical Roots: French and English have very different origins. French evolved from Latin spoken by the Romans, while English developed from Germanic languages brought to Britain by Anglo-Saxon invaders.

* Language Families: French belongs to the Romance language family, which includes languages like Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. English belongs to the Germanic language family, which includes German, Dutch, and Swedish.

* Evolutionary Paths: Over centuries, French and English developed in different ways, leading to significant differences in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

So, the reason why French people speak French is simply because it's the language spoken in France and other French-speaking countries. It's their native tongue, just as English is the native tongue of English speakers.