African Slang Revitalizes French Language

Honorat Aziz of Côte d’Ivoire first noticed the influence of Ivorian slang, Nouchi, in France a decade ago, and today words like goumin and la go are increasingly common in French conversation. The shift reflects a broader demographic change. Africa now accounts for 57% of the world’s 396 million French speakers, up from near-equality with Europe in 2014.

This linguistic exchange began with soldiers from French colonies in the World Wars and continued with immigration from North Africa after independence, introducing words like kif kif and wesh. Contemporary artists like Didi B and Aya Nakamura further popularize African expressions.

The growing African influence isn't without friction. Debates in France center on national identity, while in Africa, discussions focus on decolonizing language and culture. Some Francophone African nations are reassessing their relationship with French, even removing it as an official language, while others, like Côte d’Ivoire, maintain close ties but question the colonial legacy.