What is the difference between 'lingua' 'idioma' and 'lenguaje'?

Question

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"lengua" = "tongue" - ian-hill, May 9, 2011

??? - el_jefe, May 14, 2011

Answer 1

Read up a bit on this one and came across this explanation (in Spanish no less) which I felt was fairly accurate:

LENGUAJE:

1... Facultad humana que permite la comunicación y la expresión del pensamiento:

"Una lesión cerebral puede impedir el desarrollo del lenguaje. "

2... Sistema utilizado por una colectividad para comunicarse, p.ej., el lenguaje de las abejas.

LENGUA:

Sistema de signos orales que utiliza una comunidad humana para comunicarse:

"Después de vivir varios años allí, llegó a dominar la lengua del país."

IDIOMA:

Lengua de un pueblo o nación:

"El idioma oficial de Francia es el francés."

Hope that helps = ¡Espero que sirva!

Thats in the right direction - pacofinkler, May 9, 2011

:-) - el_jefe, May 14, 2011

Answer 2

Here is what I found. " Lenguaje" is translated to" Language" .It is often used to refer to body language or sign language ,that sort of thing. " Idioma" is translated to" Language." "Lingua" is also simply " Language" ,often in the sense of linguistics. Hope that helps . Buena Suerte.( Wait for more responses from the veterans,who will have a better grasp of this.

Thanks for trying lol - el_jefe, May 14, 2011