bridging language
[/ˈbrɪdʒɪŋ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/]
nounpl: bridging languages
língua de ponte
1. A language used as an intermediary to facilitate communication between speakers of different native languages, or to connect different linguistic or cultural communities
English serves as a bridging language in international business meetings where participants speak different native languages.
O inglês funciona como uma língua de ponte em reuniões comerciais internacionais onde os participantes falam diferentes línguas nativas.
2. In linguistics and education, a language used to help learners transition from their first language to a target second language
Portuguese was used as a bridging language to help students transition from Spanish to English.
O português foi utilizado como língua de ponte para ajudar os alunos a fazerem a transição do espanhol para o inglês.
3. A lingua franca or common language that enables communication among multilingual communities
Swahili acts as a bridging language across East African nations with diverse indigenous languages.
O suaíli funciona como uma língua de ponte entre nações do Leste Africano com diversas línguas indígenas.
In Brazil, the concept of 'língua de ponte' is particularly relevant due to the country's linguistic diversity and increasing internationalization. English increasingly serves this role in business and higher education. In multilingual African and Asian contexts, indigenous bridging languages have historically served this function before being supplemented or replaced by colonial languages like English or French. The term reflects modern globalization and the practical need for cross-cultural communication.
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