Francophone

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The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person.^[1][2]

Linguistic nuance

In a narrower sense, the notion of "francophone" reaches beyond the dictionary definition of "French language speaker". The term specifically refers to people whose cultural background is primarily associated with French language, regardless of ethnic and geographical differences. The francophone culture beyond Europe is the legacy of the French and Belgian colonial empires. This is sometimes referred to as the francosphere.

Geography

Mainly or partially francophone or francosphere countries include France, Belgium (Wallonia is almost entirely francophone, and there is a large French-speaking community in the Brussels-Capital Region and a few bordering municipalities), Canada (the province of Quebec is francophone, and there are large French-speaking communities in Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and other Canadian provinces), Switzerland, Haiti, the French West Indies and several countries in Africa, including Congo, Burundi and Rwanda, that are former French or Belgian colonies. These countries are members of the Francophonie organization.^[3]

Map of francophonie

  native language

  administrative language

  cultural language or Creole

   Francophone minorities

See also

• List of countries where French is an official language
• French language: Geographic distribution
• List of French possessions and colonies

References