Question: If French was the language of Enlightenment, why does my dictonary only lists "Enlightenment" as second option and puts the German term "Aufklärung" top?

(Answer: Because German philosopher Kant was already back then so important that English speakers used his expression)

Nothing against the French, but besides Kant was that the time of Herder, Schiller, Goether in literature, Bach, Haydn, Mozart in music... yes, politicians spoke French, but dare I say that politics were not the most enlightened part of society - back then as well as now....

I thought maybe it was because you were Googling it from Zürich and your default responses were in German.

That would not make a lot of sense for a German-English dictionary...

Aufklärung

Is it possible to have French Lumières and German Aufklärung at the same time without forgetting Hume who wrote in English ? Is it?

If you talk about who's got the biggest one, then please procede...

I don't. I just argue that not the entire world was speaking French... and that it wasn't as in the title the language if enlightenment. Adding that some important writers wrote in English actually supports that point.

And it was even quite the opposite - the enlightenment in Germany and Austria gave a strong impulse to the own language and culture - before that time was French the standard, not then anymore.

On the other hand, the Age of Enlightenment came to end with the French Revolution. One can only assume the French weren't cut out for it

Here's what Wiki says: