Franponais

Franponais (a portmanteau of French and Japanese, using the French forms français and japonais), is the misuse of French words or phrases in Japan. Along with the term franponais, one may see "framponais", "flançais" or "flanponais", which makes a reference to the stereotypical confusion of L and R in Japanese English (see Engrish/Japlish).

In Japan, not unlike in the English-speaking world, it is seen as stylish to use French words in areas related to France and French high culture, like fashion, cuisine, hairstyles, or pastry. French appears most frequently on signs at stores, on t-shirts, on menus, and other places where franponais can be used to make a product seem more of a high culture item than a mass culture item. The Japanese word for the French language is フランス語 furansugo.

Because very few Japanese people can speak French fluently, mistakes easily recognizable to native French speakers are frequently overlooked. The prevalence and frequency of these mistakes sometimes resemble a separate language, hence the term Franponais. It uses French words, but with many spelling errors and grammatical faults (to varying degrees; sometimes the language may closely resemble true French). In many cases, phrases in Franponais seem to represent a word-for-word translation from one language to the other. Ordinarily, there is little incentive for manufacturers to correct persistent errors, since the target audience of these words and phrases is primarily Japanese, and not Francophone.

French-speaking tourists exhibit varying reactions to Franponais. Some consider it shocking or disorienting, whereas others consider it entertaining or humorous. Some may consider it a charming affectation of Japan and its people.