<p>Auxlang is a short word for &quot;auxiliary language&quot;, i.e., a language that is designed and promoted as a bridge language between people of different languages.</p>
<p>There are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_auxiliary_language" rel="nofollow noreferrer">International Auxiliary Languages (IALs)</a> aiming at the whole world as a target, and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zonal_auxiliary_language" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Zonal Auxiliary Languages</a> aiming at a group of linguistically or culturally related people.</p>
<p>Examples for international auxiliary languages are Volapük, Esperanto, or Interlingua; examples for zonal languages are Interslavic or Afrihili.</p>

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2022-06-04T23:07:57.700Z
2022-06-05T21:15:26.653Z
2022-06-05T21:15:26.653Z
Sir Cornflakes
<p>According to Wikipedia, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_auxiliary_language" rel="nofollow noreferrer">auxlangs</a> are languages intended to facilitate international communication. Some notable examples include <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Esperanto</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia." rel="nofollow noreferrer">Interlingua</a>. Of these, Esperanto is the most well-known and successful. Zamenhof created it in the 1880s.</p>
<p>Edit: As pointed out in the comments by @RadovanGarabik, these are only some notable examples of constructed auxlangs. See the comments for examples of natural ones.</p>

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2022-06-05T12:04:54.167Z
By far more notable auxlangs are English, Latin, French, Chinese, Greek, to name just a few. Of course, these are not conlangs.
Radovan Garabík
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2022-06-06T18:48:16.457Z
@RadovanGarabík, based on time period, of course. Looking at the world today, it's English and then anything else.
Keith Morrison
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2022-06-07T15:18:29.353Z
@KeithMorrison I'm sure there are regions where this doesn't apply. E.g. in Central and Eastern Europe, more people will be able to speak Russian than English, especially among the older population. But I agree that globally and among younger people it would probably be English.
Oliver Mason
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2022-06-07T16:15:33.593Z
@OliverMason, let's put it this way: if you were told you were going to be placed in a populated area chosen at random somewhere on Earth, and you were only allowed to speak in one language, what language would provide you the highest probability of finding someone who could understand you in the shortest amount of time?
Keith Morrison
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2022-06-04T23:04:22.607Z
2022-06-07T16:05:19.910Z
2022-06-07T16:05:19.910Z
Qaziquza
<p>I often hear certain conlangs (e.g. Esperanto) referred to as auxlangs. What exactly is an auxlang? How can I tell if a conlang is an auxlang? What are some examples of auxlangs?</p>

<list-of-languages><terminology>
What are auxlangs?
# What are auxlangs?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-06-04)

I often hear certain conlangs (e.g. Esperanto) referred to as auxlangs. What exactly is an auxlang? How can I tell if a conlang is an auxlang? What are some examples of auxlangs?

**Tags:** list-of-languages, terminology

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-06-04. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Auxlang is a short word for "auxiliary language", i.e., a language that is designed and promoted as a bridge language between people of different languages.

There are [International Auxiliary Languages (IALs)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_auxiliary_language) aiming at the whole world as a target, and [Zonal Auxiliary Languages](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zonal_auxiliary_language) aiming at a group of linguistically or culturally related people.

Examples for international auxiliary languages are Volapük, Esperanto, or Interlingua; examples for zonal languages are Interslavic or Afrihili.


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### Answer by username_0 on 2022-06-04. Score: 2

According to Wikipedia, [auxlangs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_auxiliary_language) are languages intended to facilitate international communication. Some notable examples include [Esperanto](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto) and [Interlingua](https://en.wikipedia.). Of these, Esperanto is the most well-known and successful. Zamenhof created it in the 1880s.

Edit: As pointed out in the comments by @RadovanGarabik, these are only some notable examples of constructed auxlangs. See the comments for examples of natural ones.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: By far more notable auxlangs are English, Latin, French, Chinese, Greek, to name just a few. Of course, these are not conlangs.  
> **username_3**: @RadovanGarabík, based on time period, of course. Looking at the world today, it's English and then anything else.  
> **username_4**: @KeithMorrison I'm sure there are regions where this doesn't apply. E.g. in Central and Eastern Europe, more people will be able to speak Russian than English, especially among the older population. But I agree that globally and among younger people it would probably be English.  
> **username_3**: @OliverMason, let's put it this way: if you were told you were going to be placed in a populated area chosen at random somewhere on Earth, and you were only allowed to speak in one language, what language would provide you the highest probability of finding someone who could understand you in the shortest amount of time?  

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