Lingua franca

A lingua franca (literally, "Frankish tongue"), is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups of people who do not share a native language or dialect, particularly when it is a third language that is distinct from both of the speakers' native languages.

Lingua francas have developed around the world throughout human history, sometimes for commercial reasons (so-called "trade languages"), but also for cultural, religious, diplomatic and administrative convenience, and as a means of exchanging information between scientists and other scholars of different nationalities.

Also known as a "bridge language", "common language", "trade language", "link language" or "language of wider communication" (LWC).

Further reading

• Lingua franca, Wikipedia