Lingua Franca (Noun)
Meaning
A common language used by speakers of different languages; "Koine is a dialect of ancient Greek that was the lingua franca of the empire of Alexander the Great and was widely spoken throughout the eastern Mediterranean area in Roman times".
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- English is often used as a lingua franca for international business communications.
- The use of Portuguese as a lingua franca in several countries in Africa and Asia is a legacy of the Portuguese Empire.
- Patois was used as a lingua franca among enslaved Africans in the Caribbean.
- During the Roman Empire, Latin served as a lingua franca for trade and commerce.
- In Southeast Asia, Malay was historically used as a lingua franca for communication between different ethnic groups.