Language adjectives

In the English language, a variety of French-derived words exist to denote a connection to a specific language. This brief article discusses a few of these words that when used as adjectives, literally mean "speaking a particular language." When used as nouns, these words can also mean a "person that speaks this particular language."

• In Canada, the following three words are used very commonly to refer to things and people relating to the nation's official languages:
  • Anglophone – refers to someone or something that is "English-speaking"
  • Francophone – refers to someone or something that is "French-speaking"
  • Allophone – when used in Quebec, refers to someone that is neither French nor English-speaking but uses another language as their primary language
• Other language words that exist but are used less commonly include:
  • Sinophone – Chinese-speaking
  • Danophone – Danish-speaking
  • Dutchophone – Dutch-speaking
  • Finnophone – Finnish-speaking
  • Gaelophone – Gaelic-speaking
  • Germanophone – German-speaking
  • Grecophone – Greek-speaking
  • Hispanophone – Spanish-speaking (also spanophone)
  • Italophone – Italian-speaking
  • Lusophone – Portuguese-speaking
  • Russophone – Russian-speaking
  • Swedophone – Swedish-speaking