For quite a while Pdx have said over and over that culture in-game is not language (with some exceptions such as the Russian split). Francien, however, is a particular example of Pdx using a purely linguistic term to refer to culture - which I'm not always against as language/dialect names are often good to use in absence of anything else but often they still sound natural, even the Russian split makes sense in the terms of individuals calling themselves Muscovites or Novgorodians. Francien is not one of these. It's a term for a linguistic grouping within the langues d'oil. The EU4 culture map of Francien is a bit more broader than the linguistic zone but this is fine. It's bounded by Burgundian, Walloon, Occitan, Breton and Norman and that works.
Therefore as Francien is a linguistic term and not a cultural one. So what's a good cultural term for the heartland of France? Well, French. But if we name Francien to French what of the culture group? Isn't that French also? Well, yes, and Pdx may not wish to have them the same (though I don't think it's the biggest deal) but if we do need a different term for the group then how about Gallic? Both historically and sometimes in modern day it is used as a synonym for French and whilst one could argue nobody was calling themselves Gallic the same is true for most culture group names: nobody in EU4's time frame would call themselves Celtic, Carpathian or West Slavic, for example.
Therefore we can have a nicer, more accurate culture name for one of the most important cultures of the game's period as well as avoiding having it show as French (French).
Therefore as Francien is a linguistic term and not a cultural one. So what's a good cultural term for the heartland of France? Well, French. But if we name Francien to French what of the culture group? Isn't that French also? Well, yes, and Pdx may not wish to have them the same (though I don't think it's the biggest deal) but if we do need a different term for the group then how about Gallic? Both historically and sometimes in modern day it is used as a synonym for French and whilst one could argue nobody was calling themselves Gallic the same is true for most culture group names: nobody in EU4's time frame would call themselves Celtic, Carpathian or West Slavic, for example.
Therefore we can have a nicer, more accurate culture name for one of the most important cultures of the game's period as well as avoiding having it show as French (French).
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