Submitted By: Nabeel Riasat

Submitted To: Misbah Rizwan

Roll No: S2F18BSEN0029

Subject: Sociolinguistics

Assignment no: 2

Topic: Bilingualism and Multilingualism

University Of Central Punjab Sheikhupura.

 Bilingualism And Multilingualism:

Introduction:
What makes somebody multilingual? Although a very simple question, and one that is often
asked as part of Strand 4’s work, in fact,, deceptively complicated. While dwfinitions of bi- and
multilingualism have transformed over the years; it’s no longer the case, for example, that a
bilingual speaker is defined as such by equal fluency in both languages, work is still ongiong to
reach an agreement as to what constitutes accurate and appropriate terminology. Particularly,
impediments are found simply in the breadth of the field; although the use of more than one
language is simple enough in an explanatory sense, this can be viewed from, for example, a
sociolinguistic standpoint, via the lens of educational policy or in psycholinguistic terms. These
are all domains which define bilingualism and multilingualism according to their own needs and
standerds. That’s not to mention the social, cultural and poliiticacl colouring that will be
affordable to any empirical work, and thus the terms employed within it, depending on the
context in which the research is taking place.

While a redefinition of terminology is to be expected in any langugage in any emerging

discipline, certain characteristics common to approaches within bi- and multilingual research
have begun to emrge. Particularly prominent is the increasing comprehension that compounding
bilingulaism and multilingualism in a “one-concept approach” (Aronin & Jessner, 2014), as is
often thecase in more traditional studies, is to underestimate the the additional complexity that
knowledge of more than two linguistic systems imparts. Moreover, this is a recognition reflected
across the domains of research into mjultilingualism; in terms of the process of acquisition and
use of multiple languages, the plurilingual speaker will face additional challenges, but, equally,
is also required with additional resources.

Aronin & Jessner (2014), for example are just two researches to put forth convincing arguments
as to the divergences to be found betwee the processes of bi- and multilingual competency
development. Research, such as that in syntax acquisition (Strik, 2012), grammar learning
strategies (kemp,2009) and cross-linguistic influence (De Angelis, 2005) converge in their
adherence to this statements, with the essential difference being linked strongly to variations in
complexity of acquisition; multi-language systems are “complex”’ in the manner that multiple,
active interactions “lead to countless, often unpredictable, outcomes”. In contrast to bilingual
studies, the range of findings, outcomes and interconnections in multilingualism increases “as the
variation (in languages) does”.
 What is Bilingualism:
Definitions:
 Bilingualism is the ability of an individual or the members of a community to use two
languages effectively.adjective: bilingual.
 Blingualism (or more generally: Multilingualism) is the phenomenon of speaking and
understanding two or more languages. The term can refer to individuals (individual
bilingualism) as well as to an entire society ( social bilingualism). The term can also
regfer to the corresponding scientific research which studies the phonomenon itself.
 Bilingualism is the use of two languages, either by an individual speaker r by a
community of speakers. (WIKIPEDIA)
Bilingualism may also refers to:
 Bilingualism (neurology) the representation and effects of different language systems in
the brain.
 Bilingualism: language and congnition, a quarterly academic journal of linguistics.

Forms of Bilingualism:
There are basically two forms of bilingualism. These are societal bilingualism and
individual bilingualism. Let us see what each of these forms of bilingualism refers to..
a. Societal Bilingualism:
when a society has two different languages existing withing it and the two
languages are assigned similar or different functions within it, the there is societal
bilingualism or we can say such society is bilingualism.
Examples of societal Bilingualism:
Canada:
The Canadian society, which acknowledge and uses French and English, assigns
functions to the two languages. It uses both, French and English as official
languages and languages of interactions. That is, the society uses both languages
as lingua franca and national languages.
Nigeria:
Nigeria is also an example of a bilingual society which assigns different roles to
both the official language and the regional languages. Englis has role of official.

b. Individual Bilingualism:
An individual is bilingual when they have two languages in their repertoire.

Types of Bilingualism:
There are three forms of individual bilingualism. These are coordinate, subordinate and incipient
bilingualism. Let us see what each form represents.

1)Coordinate Bilingualism:
Coordinagte bilingualism occurs when an individual has or process the ability to use or speak the
two languages proficiency. Such an individual is a coordinate bilingual.

2)Subordinate Bilingualism:
An individual is a subordinate bilingual when they are proficient in one of the two languages.
This language in which they are proficient is usually the motehr language, but not with great
proficiency as the other language.

3)Incipient Bilingualism:
An incipient bilingual is just able to use one of the two languages proficiently and this is usually the mother tongue,
but with a partial understanding of the other language.

Causes of Bilingualism:
 Colonialism
 Trade and commerece
 Annexation ( this is similar to the colonialism).
 Conquest ( this leads to a bifurcation from which diglossia inevitably
results).
 Education
 Contiguity or Borderline
 Occupation
 War
 Migration

Effects of Billingualism:
Bilingualism has some effects which can either be positive or negative. Let’s begin with the
positive effects:
 It facilitates tourism.
 It helps in job acquisition.
 Bilingualism enriches the individual’s speech repertoire.
  It aids participating in democracy.
 It helps sporting activities.

While Negative effects include:

 it erodes the culture of the people; a bilingual is also bicultural.

 Interference and transference. Interference can occur at lexical (borrowing), sementic,
phonological levels.
 Linguistic incompetence. It makes people subordinate or incipient bilinguals.

What is Multilingualism:
Definition and discussion:
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a
group of speakers. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in
the world’s population. More than half of all Europeans claim to speak at least one language
other than their mother tongue, but many read and write in one language. Always useful to
traders, multilingualism is advantageousfor people wanting to participate in globalization and
cultural openness. Owing to the ease of access to information facilitated by the internet,
individuals’ exposure to multiple languages is becoming increasingly possible. People who speak
several languages are also called polyglots.

Examples and Observations:

"Majesty, the Herr Direttore, he has rempoved uno balletto that would have occurred at this
place". Italian Kapellmeister Bonno in "Amadeus".

Multilingualism as the Norm:

"We estimate that most of the human language users in the world speak more than one language,
i.e. they are at least bilingual. In quantitative terms, then, mobolingualism may be the exception
and multilingualism the norm. " Peter Auer and Li Wei.
Is there a difference between bilingualism and multilingualism:
Bilingualism and multilingualism meant the same thing (wikipedia). The difference between
bilingual and multilingual education is how the “minority” language (the language that is not
dominant within the community) is used. When you are bilingual in two languages you are able
to speak in two separate languages.when you are multilingual you are able to communicate and
interact within two separate cultural societies (Baker, 2011).