Lingua Franca and Francais Tirailleur: From Sea Jargon to Military Order?

The book explores how Lingua Franca was recognized as a potential linguistic template for future military and colonial pidgins, tracing the career of General Louis Faidherbe and his artificially constructed military pidgin, Français Tirailleur. It demonstrates the direct link between the two languages and connections with other colonial pidgins in Asia.

Format: Hardback
Length: 94 pages
Publication date: 04 July 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

This captivating book delves into the fascinating journey of the eponymous and pioneering Lingua Franca, exploring its potential as a linguistic template for future military and colonial pidgins. The author takes us on a captivating journey through the career of General Louis Faidherbe, a prominent member of the French colonizing force in Algiers in the early 1830s. Faidherbe, renowned for his linguistic expertise, ascended the ranks in various African colonies, ultimately founding regiments in West Africa, including the celebrated Senegal-based tirailleurs.

The author's meticulous research unveils the remarkable connection between the Lingua Franca and the artificially constructed military pidgin known as Français Tirailleur. This pidgin, modeled on the reduced grammar and lexicon of Lingua Franca, served as a means of communication between the French colonizers and the indigenous populations they encountered. The book meticulously demonstrates the direct link between these two languages, as well as the intriguing connections with other colonial pidgins in Asia that drew inspiration from Lingua Franca.

For students and scholars of language contact and language history, pidgins and creoles, and military and colonial history, this book offers a wealth of insights and knowledge. It sheds light on the complex dynamics of language evolution, the role of colonialism in shaping languages, and the enduring impact of Lingua Franca on the world's linguistic landscape. Through its detailed analysis and engaging narrative, this book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complex interplay between language, culture, and history.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 217 x 152 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031305542
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023