ONFR - Nomades

In Japan, the French language has become a marketing tool. The language is used in all kinds of sauces, and it can lead to quite strange results. Storefronts, food products and clothing brands have French names, often absurd. A clumsy Frenchman named franponais. Is this the result of bad translations? And why the Japanese obsession…

Although the French heritage is still present in Vietnam, the use of the language is becoming increasingly rare. The journalist Étienne Fortin-Gauthier travels the country in search of Francophones and tries to understand why the language of Molière is no longer what it used to be.

In Cambodia, speaking French can open doors and allow access to the highest spheres of power. Prime Minister Hun Sen dreams of a country where young people return to French, but it is not a foregone conclusion. More than 60 years have passed since Cambodia's independence from France, and some people doubt the relevance of…

French is not an official language in Romania, but many still choose to study at university in the language of Molière. And in Romania, it's not complicated. Most universities offer entire study programs in French in almost all disciplines. How do you explain the popularity of French-speaking academics in this Eastern European…

In the Flemish region of Belgium, the majority language is Dutch. There are, however, communities where access to French is protected, but some anti-Francophone groups do not accept this reality. The journalist Étienne Fortin-Gauthier visited these communities to try to understand what is behind this language conflict.

The international Francophonie celebrates its 50th anniversary. Before the coronavirus crisis, our journalist met with Canadian Catherine Cano, administrator of the Organisation internationale de la francophonie, in Paris. A rare foray into the heart of the OIF.