Term: Francophone
Last Updated: 2012-06-21
A commonly used definition for the term Francophone is an individual who reported French as their mother tongue, who reported that French was the first official language spoken, or who reported that French was the language most commonly used in their home. This definition therefore includes Manitobans who learned French as children or who utilize it at home. It also includes a growing number of immigrants who may have a language other than either official language as their mother tongue but who communicate more effectively in French than in English. For respondents in the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) survey sample, a Francophone is defined as a respondent who reported French as their mother tongue, who reported that French was the language most commonly used in their home, or whose first official language spoken was French (last item was derived through a series of questions). For residents identified using the Repository, a Francophone was a Manitoban who indicated French as a preferred language for services, whose maternal language was French, or who attended a facility where French is the main language used (i.e., school in the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM), certain child care centres, and personal care homes).