WHAT DO YOU KNOW

ABOUT LINGUA FRANCA?

by Perry Diana, English Teacher, Discovery Middle School

The term “lingua franca” derives opening the way for greater international
from Mediterranean Lingua Franca (also trade between countries.
known as Sabir), the pidgin language We call it “auxiliary language”,
that people around the Levant and the “bridge language”, “common
eastern Mediterranean Sea used as the language”, “trade language”,“vehicular
main language of commerce and language” or “link language”,
diplomacy from late medieval times to systematically used to facilitate
the 18th century, most notably during communication between groups of people
the Renaissance era. who do not share a native language or
"Where a language is widely used dialect, particularly when it is a third
over a relatively large geographical area language that is distinct from both of the
as a language of wider communication, speakers' native languages.
it is known as a lingua franca—a Lingua francas have developed
common language but one which is around the world throughout human
native only to some of its speakers. The history, as well for cultural, religious,
term 'lingua franca' itself is an extension diplomatic and administrative
of the use of the name of the original convenience and as a means of
'Lingua Franca,' a Medieval exchanging information between
trading pidgin used in the Mediterranean scientists and other scholars of different
region." M. Sebba, Contact Languages: nationalities.
Pidgins and Creoles. Palgrave, 1997 English indeed is a truly global
The advantages of lingua franca “lingua franca” worldwide spoken.
are mainly making easier and possible
the cross-cultural communication and