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A Francophile in the Francophonie

Posted in : Blog
Posted on : May 21, 2025

By Megan Wishart 

May 21 is the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, a UNESCO initiative focused towards protecting the diversity of cultural expressions of all the ethnic and linguistic peoples without distinction. When talking about language diversity in Canada, my thoughts tend to be drawn towards our two official languages and our many diverse Francophone communities across the country who work to preserve and innovate with their language and cultures.

In spite of this, I don’t often see included in this discussion is the ways in which French language learners, or Francophiles,[1] contribute to this work. I’ll admit, it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve begun to consider my own contribution to Canada’s linguistic diversity, despite speaking and working in both official languages, simply because I come from an Anglophone home.  

For some context, my French education was through Ontario’s French Immersion program which I started in the first grade and continued right through my studies at the University of Ottawa.[2] Despite being able to speak French from a young age, I’ve never considered myself Francophone. I didn’t grow up speaking French at home or in my community, and for most of my life have only used the language in a classroom, one that was filled for the most part by French speaking Anglophones like me. When it comes to the Francophonie, I’ve spent most of my life feeling like an outsider looking in.  

It wasn’t until my studies at the University of Ottawa that I was truly able to immerse myself in French Canadian cultures, since this was the first time that I studied alongside Francophone students. I remember struggling at first with this, having spent my academic career up to that point surrounded by French language learners like me. I remember leaving my first French lecture with a headache from trying to keep up and going home to learn about the different references made in class that had flown right over my head. But I persevered, and by the end of my degree felt that I had not only improved my French but that I had been given the opportunity and ability to experience cultures at a depth that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to access.

For example, I’ve read books written by Haitian and West African authors that haven't been translated into English. I have watched theatre pieces created by French Canadians and have overall been exposed to different perspectives in being able to attend courses delivered to Francophone students. 

I find having the opportunity to experience cultures in their own language important precisely because language is often such an integral part of a culture that usually loses elements when translated. When pieces are translated, it’s not always just the language that is adjusted – sometimes it’s also the cultural context through which certain things are communicated. This can be in altering certain phrases or gestures which simply don’t translate because there is no cultural context behind them in the language into which it is being translated. Certain elements can be altered to prioritize comprehension above the transfer of cultural elements. This is why we so often hear that something was ‘lost in translation’.

Experiencing different cultures in their own language means that I am able to catch those nuances. As a result, I learn more about the culture and history behind them as I try to understand not just what is communicated, but why and how those elements came to be. Doing so has helped to fuel my own curiosity – not only about different cultures, but also different people, perspectives, and experiences. It has also helped to foster my own humility and respect when faced with those same things. There is always a different perspective or experience from which to learn. 

I’ve come to realize that I’m not really an outsider looking into the Francophonie. Thinking back, the French Immersion program allowed students to develop our own collective identity through shared experiences as Francophiles. Just because we didn’t speak French at home doesn’t mean that we don’t have our own place in the Francophonie or that we don’t contribute to it. The only requirement is to live in the world speaking French.

The French-speaking world is filled with a large range of cultures, traditions, dialects, and experiences, and that my own experiences and that of my fellow Francophiles not only have a place in the Francophonie but make valuable contributions to it. In fact, the efforts of Francophiles in striving to live at least partially in French help to ensure the continuation of the various rich Francophone heritages in Canada.[3]  

The lessons that I’ve learned as a life-long Francophile have helped to bring me to DEIA work in a couple different ways. While trying to navigate spaces using my second language has provided me with empathy and patience for other people doing the same, this experience has helped me to appreciate the broad diversity of identities and experiences around me and helped me to develop a sense of humility when faced with ideas that differ from my own.

There is not simply one way to be a part of or to come to any given community, and my experiences as a Francophile have helped me to understand the immense value of bringing together different perspectives and ways of thinking. My journey as a student of both French language and cultures, from feeling like an outsider looking in to recognizing that I occupy my own space within the Francophonie, has also helped bring me to this work. 

In reflecting on the ways in which Francophiles are often left out of the conversation and the many ways in which people can become a part of the French-speaking world, I’ve found myself asking: who else is left out of conversations and celebrations surrounding the communities to which they belong? This World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development offers a reminder to consider how we can bring those who are often excluded into our conversations and recognize their belonging and contribution to their communities, no matter what their journey was like to get there. Such questions deserve a deeper reflection… What do you think?

 

References (click here to review the sources)

 

Tags CDNdiversity CCDI Diversity Inclusion Equity Accessibility DEI DEIA IDEA Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion