Interlingua
/ˌɪntərˈlɪŋɡwə/
nounC1
Definition
Interlingua is a language made by people, not naturally learned from birth. It uses simple and common words from many European languages to be easy to read and understand for speakers of those languages. Its goal is to make communication between different language speakers faster and clearer.
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See It in Action
A planned international auxiliary language based on common European vocabulary
- •Interlingua was created to help scientists and people from different countries communicate.
- •Many words in Interlingua look like words in English, Spanish, and Italian.
- •Interlingua is easier to learn if you already know some European languages.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "interlingua" like "language," but designed to be simple and shared by many people from different countries
- ✓Picture a bridge made of words connecting people who speak different languages so they can talk easily
- ✓It's the feeling of speaking a language that feels familiar even if you never studied it, because it uses common parts from languages you know
- ✓Sounds like "INTER-ling-wah" → imagine an international meeting where everyone uses one easy language to understand each other
- ✓Think about Esperanto, another simple language made for communication, but Interlingua uses more natural and familiar words from real languages
- ✓NOT like "English" or "Spanish" (natural languages learned from birth), Interlingua is made by people to help communication
- ✓NOT like "code" or "secret language" (hidden or special), Interlingua is open and meant to be easy for many people
- ✓NOT like "dialect" (local version of a language), Interlingua is a planned language designed for international use
Try Other Words
- •Auxiliary language: a language created to help communication between people who speak different languages (Use when talking about the purpose rather than the specific name)
- •Constructed language: a language made by people, not naturally grown (Use when emphasizing that the language is planned and artificial)
- •International language: a language used by many people worldwide for communication (Use when focusing on the idea of global use)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "inter-" (between, among) + "lingua" (language, tongue)
- •Etymology: From Latin roots meaning "between languages"
- •Historical development: Created in the 20th century as part of efforts to build an easy-to-learn language for international communication
- •Modern usage: Used by some international communities, especially in science and translation, to share ideas clearly and simply
- •Key insight: The word itself shows its purpose—to be a language that works between different natural languages
Reflect & Connect
•How might using Interlingua help people from different countries work together better?
•What are the advantages and challenges of using a made-up language like Interlingua compared to natural languages?
Fill in the blanks
1.Interlingua was created to help people ___ from different language backgrounds ___ each other easily.
2.Because Interlingua uses words common to many European languages, it feels ___ to speakers of those languages.
3.Unlike natural languages, Interlingua is a ___ language designed for international use.
4.People who know English and Spanish can often ___ Interlingua words without studying them first.
5.Interlingua is not a secret code but an ___ language meant to be clear for many users.
6.When scientists from different countries want to share ideas, they might use Interlingua as an ___ language.
7.Interlingua’s name comes from Latin roots meaning "___ languages," showing its purpose to connect speakers.