Posts Tagged ‘Esperanto’

“Lingua Franca” is neither an insult nor is it a Spanish phrase. It’s actually an Italian phrase for “Frankish Language”. The term has its origins from before the crusades when the Arabic culture referred to all Europeans as “Franks”.  According to the website wikipedia.com, a “Lingua Franca” is any language (constructed or natural) used as a means of communication between two parties that do not speak the same language. A “Lingua Franca” would be a third language that both parties know how to speak. In most cases, this third language is also known as a “vehicular” language. That is because the language acts as a transport through the communications of these two disparate parties using a common tool. “Lingua Francas” have been used throughout the ages in the dominant tongues’ global trade, industry, technology, science, art and literature, and philosophical societies.  Read more... (263 words, estimated 1:03 mins reading time)