The main distinction between a pidgin and a lingua franca is that a pidgin is a simplified form of a language created for communication between people who have no shared language, while a lingua franca is a language used for communication between people who do not speak each other’s native languages. Pidgin is a new language created from two existing languages as the speakers do not share a common language, whereas a lingua franca is an existing language that is spoken by all parties involved. A pidgin can serve as a lingua franca, but not all pidgins are lingua francas, nor are all lingua francas pidgins.
Key Takeaways
- A pidgin is a simplified form of a language created for communication between people who speak no common language.
- A lingua franca is a language used for communication between people who do not speak one another’s native languages.
- A pidgin can serve as a lingua franca, but not all pidgins are lingua francas, nor are all lingua francas pidgins.
What is a Pidgin?
A pidgin is a simplified form of a language used for communication between people with different languages. A pidgin develops from a mixture of two languages; therefore, it contains borrowed vocabulary and simple grammar. A pidgin usually develops when two groups of people who do not speak the same language need to communicate with each other. It is common in situations such as trade. Moreover, a pidgin will contain words, sounds, or body language from various languages. Some examples of English pidgins include Chinese Pidgin English, Hawaiian Pidgin English, Nigerian Pidgin English, Queensland Kanaka English, and Bislama.
What is a Lingua Franca?
A lingua franca is a language or way of communicating between people who do not speak one another’s native language. Bridge language, link language, and common language are alternative names for lingua franca. For example, imagine a conference for which experts all over the world attend. Since there are attendees with various native languages, the conference will be conducted by a language (or few languages) that is understood or known by most of them.
Furthermore, it is important to note that lingua franca refers to any language that serves as a common language between people who do not share a native language. Therefore, a pidgin can also serve as a lingua franca. A lingua franca can also be a vernacular language; for example, English is the vernacular language in the United Kingdom, but it is also used as a lingua franca in South Asian countries. Languages like English, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin Chinese are the main languages that serve as a lingua franca in the modern world.
What is the Relationship Between Pidgin and Lingua Franca?
Pidgin and lingua franca help people with different native languages to communicate with each other. A pidgin can serve as a lingua franca.
What is the Difference Between Pidgin and Lingua Franca?
Pidgin is a language that has developed from a mixture of two languages and used as a way of communicating by people who do not speak a common language. On the other hand, Lingua franca is a language that serves as a tool for communication between groups of people who speak different native languages. Therefore, this is the key difference between pidgin and lingua franca. A further difference between pidgin and lingua franca is that while pidgin is not a native language of any community, lingua franca may be a native language of a particular community.
Moreover, the birth of a pidgin language involves creating a new language from two existing languages as speakers do not speak a common language. However, lingua franca is not a new language (when it is not a pidgin); it is usually an already existing language all parties present speak. So, this is also a difference between pidgin and lingua franca.
Summary – Pidgin vs Lingua Franca
A pidgin is a simplified form of a language created for communication between people who speak no common language. A lingua franca is a language for communication between people who do not speak one another’s native language. Therefore, this is the key difference between pidgin and lingua franca. While a pidgin can act as a lingua franca, not all lingua francas are pidgins.
