What is a 'Lingua Franca'?

What is a "lingua franca"? In my videos I use that phrase a lot, and I often get questions in the comment section asking me what it means. So here`s a video that explains and gives some examples.

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[wellamaymasado]

This vedio was four years ago but I can say that learning things never get old. Thank for the very informative explanation.

[realmenchangediapers]

An idea for a future video: the benefits of learning a dead language, such as Sumerian, Akkadian, Classic Greek, Latin, AngloSaxon, Sanskrit, Gothic, Egyptian, Aramaic, etc. Just the magic of hearing voices from thousands of years ago seems amazing to me. I have promised myself to learn Akkadian before I die. They say it's the latin of the semitic languages.

[IgobyOwen]

I liked that you used the Philippines as an example because although I now live in the US I basically follow the same guide or rule that you explained. If I meet someone from the Ilocandia regions I am normally spoken to in Ilocano. If they are from the same province and the same ethnicity I use Ibanag but if they're from anywhere else in Luzon I speak to them in Tagalog and if their Tagalog is no good I just use English. HeHe. Having a diversity of languages is awesome!

[fabiogerussibueriis]

We have a Lingua Franca in Italy.... Italian.

[Engr.Falguera]

I'm a Filipino and you explained lingua franca well! Thank you and God bless. More power to your channel.

[trilion]

And Russian is lingua franca in post-soviet countries.

[Dalmata]

Lingua Franca means 'the language of Franks' as Arabs used to see all Europeans as Franks during the middle ages, and called them so.
However as said in video it has been a combination of Arabic, Greek, Italian and all that has been around in the East Med during middle ages. Later it moved with trade more to the West Med when Spanish and a bit less French influence became more present. It was also called Sabir in West Med and Moliere used it in his Burgeois Gentilhomme as a communication language between Turks and French. A language with rather large vocabulary but practically no grammar at all, so everybody could master it as much as necessary.

[hoortahirjan]

You're an amazing teacher. God bless you.

[langbard]

an example of lingua franca is russian which was the USSR' s lingua franca and also now it is widely spoken in ex USSR countries as a second language and it is still the native language of millions of people of those countries

[lizadefasquelle]

love your videos, thanks for so interesting and important info

[rifkynda]

Indonesian is Lingua franca in Indonesia because Indonesian unites 747 regional languages ​​in Indonesia no wonder if Native speaker Indonesian only 53 Million but the non native is 156 Million, proud be Indonesian🇮🇩🇮🇩🇮🇩

[glennextics]

I am of Chinese descent, and I speak Mandarin Chinese fluently. The lingua franca of China is Mandarin because there are many different regional dialects in the country. People everywhere in China communicate Mandarin the best for professional purposes.

[direwolf]

I was just thinking of a example in our country, and you just mentioned it right after . Love from Pakistan . ♥️

[battennagasaki]

Thank you Paul, the name lingua franca is kind of new to me but I now understand what it is. Very educational.

[saady]

There is a constructed language (like Esperanto) called Lingua franca nova aka Elefen mix of all romance languages and easy to learn

[ognenb]

Paul I love you you're definitely my favorite channel you do everything so well and explain so well good job

[Rongaryen]

I believe the actual term "Lingua Franca" was coined some time between the 6th and 8th century A.D. in the Mediterranean as the language sailors and merchants used to communicate between the different ports. I think the term can be translated as "The Language of the Franks." But, Franks was a general term for Western Europeans by the East. Kind of how Yankee is a general term for Americans outside of America. Of course, I could be wrong.

[amaninao]

Malay used to be a lingua franca for trading in the early 15th century 😁 im so proud

[narata]

I remember hearing that phrase while I was studying French and thought it had something to do with the French language because of the "Franca" word. Haha, I was silly. :-P

Another excellent video by the way and thanks for posting it!

[idraote]

That was a nice "quick", Paul.
Lingua francas are interesting and the Mediterranean lingua franca even more so as it lasted centuries, evolved and split into dialects.