“BILINGUALISM” BY AGNES LAM

RESPECTED SIR,

            “BILINGUALISM” BY AGNES LAM

What is Bilingualism?

Definitions of bilingualism range from a minimal 

proficiency in two languages, to an advanced level of 

proficiency which allows the speaker to function and 

appear as a native-like speaker of two languages. A 

person may describe themselves as bilingual but 

may mean only the ability to converse and 

communicate orally.

Bilingual Individuals:

Bilingual individual is someone who has the ability to 


communicate two languages alternatively, even when one 


language is being used in a monolingual context. 


(Bialystok, 2007, 2010)


Such an ability or psychological state of an individual has 
been referred to as 'bilinguality'. (Hamers and Blanc 2000)

Bilingual individuals don't find it difficult to communicate in 
two languages and switch between two languages 
alternatively.



                      Bilingual Society:

A bilingual society is one in which two languages are used in 

communication. In bilingual society it is possible to have large 

number of monolinguals provided that they are enough 

bilinguals to perform the functions requiring bilingual 

competence in that society.

        Individual Bilingualism

Individual psychological state of mind who uses two 
 languages for communication purpose.

       Societal Bilingualism

In societal bilingualism community and that number of 

individual can use two languages.

Monoliguals :-

Those who Speaks only one of the tow language used in society.

Several Question Have been asked :-

 

Monolingual or Communicative norms :

Do we measure the competencies of bilingual persons 

against the respective competencies of monolingual persons 

?

If so we end up with labeling some bilinguals as perfect 

bilinguals and other as imperfect bilinguals. Another 

approach is not to apply monolingual norms in measuring 

bilingual abilities but just to evaluate the communicative 

competence of the bilingual as a Whole ( Grosjean 1992

 

Relative Competencies in two languages :

 

Is the bilingual better at one language than the other ?

If so the person has dominant bilinguality . If he or she is 

equally good at both language then the term balanced 

bilingual is used .

Domains :

can someone be considered a bilingual if he or she can only 

function in one language in a few domains (e.g. home ) ?

 

Essentially the person only has the registers or varieties of 

language associated with particular mains for different 

languages . his or her communicative abilities in one 

language complement those of the other. I would call this 

complementary bilinguality.

 

Components:

Can linguistic competence be subdivided into smaller 

components ?
 

for e.g can someone be considered a bilingual if he or she 

can comprehend both two languages but speak and write 

only one of them ? 

In such circumstances, the person can be described as a 

receptive bilingual having the ability to understand both 

languages . Otherwise .the ability to produce both languages 

in some manner is usually assumed when a person is 

identified as a bilingual.

 

Bidialectal and Bircriptural abilities are also important for individuals .

                         Approaches:

 

Linguistic Approach: Linguists differ in the importance they 

accord to bilingualism. They study the structure and 

development of the two languages.

Socio linguistics: It is a study as a whole. It looks at how 

cultures and social groups affect language performance.

Language Choice


 Language Planning

                                       Conclusion

The multifaceted nature of the phenomenon of 

bilingualism needs to be fully appreciated for any 

pedagogical programme designed to foster bilingual 

development to succeed. And the study interaction 

between linguistics, psycholinguistics, 

sociolinguistics, pedagogy and the real world of 

language politics and policy.

                                                 THANK YOU.....