A language used widely outside its native country to facilitate international communication is called what?

• A. Lingua franca
• B. Dialect
• C. Pidgin
• D. Creole

Answer: (A)

A lingua franca is a language used as a common means of communication between people who do not share a native language. It serves as a bridge for international interaction, which is exactly what this question describes—a language used widely outside its homeland to facilitate communication across different language groups.

A dialect is a regional or social variety of a language, not a separate tool for international communication. A pidgin is a simplified language that develops for specific contact situations between groups, usually lacking full structure and native speakers. A creole is a fully developed language that often arises from a pidgin and may have native speakers, but it isn’t the general term for a widely used international bridge language.