lingua franca
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See also: Lingua Franca and língua franca
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian lingua franca (literally “Frankish language”).
Pronunciation
Noun
lingua franca (plural lingua francas or lingue franche or linguae francae or (rare) linguas franca) (see usage notes)
- A common language used by people of diverse backgrounds to communicate with one another, often a basic form of speech with simplified grammar, particularly, one that is not the first language of any of its speakers.
- Synonyms: koine, link language, trade language, vehicular language
- Coordinate terms: vernacular; world language
- 2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Angara: Languages Codex entry:
- The language used by most angara across the Heleus Cluster is Shelesh, a lingua franca that was commonly used in the early days of angaran spaceflight before fading into obscurity. New connections between angaran settlements, and constant evolution of languages since their separation, means it has now seen a revival.
Usage notes
- The most common plural form in English is lingua francas; however, the plural forms lingue franche (following the Italian) and linguae francae (in the style of Latin) are both fairly common as well. Also attested, but quite rare, is the form linguas franca (treating lingua alone as the noun and taking franca as an adjective; compare attorneys general, forests primeval).
Related terms
Translations
common language
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Czech
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Italian lingua franca.
Pronunciation
Noun
- (historical) Mediterranean Lingua Franca (common language spoken in Mediterranean ports in centuries past)
- (linguistics) lingua franca (common language)
Further reading
- “lingua franca”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)
Indonesian
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Italian lingua franca.
Noun
- (linguistics) koine, lingua franca, link language, trade language, vehicular language: a common language used by people of diverse backgrounds to communicate with one another, often a basic form of speech with simplified grammar, particularly, one that is not the first language of any of its speakers.
- Synonyms: bahasa dagang, basantara, bahasa perantara, bahasa pasar
Further reading
- “lingua franca” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.
Italian
Etymology
Literally, “Frankish language.”
Noun
lingua franca f (invariable)
- the Mediterranean Lingua Franca, a common language spoken in Mediterranean ports in centuries past (consisting of Italian mixed with French, Spanish, Arabic and some Greek words and used by sailors of different countries to communicate with one another)
Polish
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from Italian lingua franca.
Pronunciation
Noun
lingua franca f (indeclinable)
- (historical) Mediterranean Lingua Franca (common language spoken in Mediterranean ports in centuries past)
- (linguistics) lingua franca (common language)
Further reading
- lingua franca in Polish dictionaries at PWN
- lingua franca in PWN's encyclopedia