From 17th century Italian, the term lingua franca literally means “Frankish tongue.” Historically, it was a composite language, made up of elements of Arabic, Greek, French, Italian, and Spanish. It was used as a means of communication in Mediterranean ports, which were bustling centers for trade between people from many different countries. Today, a lingua franca is any language that two or more speakers have in common and by which they can communicate efficiently.
At International School of Brooklyn, we are proud of the spaces we have dedicated to immersion in French and Spanish, as well as our community of passionate, internationally-minded learners who flourish in those spaces. The Lingua Franca serves as a publication where everyone can go to find out what is happening in school and in the larger community, delivering all ISB-related news in a common tongue.
