Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language by individuals or groups.
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language, either by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. When only two languages are involved, it is typically referred to as bilingualism. It is widely believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers in the global population, with more than half of all Europeans reporting that they speak at least one language in addition to their mother tongue, though many may only read and write in one. The ability to speak multiple languages offers advantages in trade, globalization, and cultural openness, and the Internet has greatly increased individuals' exposure to multiple languages. People who speak several languages are also known as polyglots. The first recorded use of the word "multilingual" in English dates to the 1830s, combining "multi-" (many) and "-lingual" (pertaining to languages), but the phenomenon itself is as old as the existence of different languages. Historical evidence of multilingualism includes bilingual signs, such as the Tripolitania Punic inscriptions written in both Latin and Punic, and glosses in textual sources. In modern times, visible signs of multilingualism include public signage in multiple official languages, such as the frontage of South Africa's Constitutional Court written in eleven of its twelve official languages, a sign in Novi Sad, Serbia, in Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, and Pannonian Rusyn, and danger signs in Singapore in English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay. The definition of multilingualism is debated, ranging from native-like mastery of more than one language to minimal tourist-level proficiency. Since 1992, Vivian Cook has argued that most speakers fall between these extremes, a state she calls multi-competence. Modern research views multilingualism as a multidimensional phenomenon, noting that individuals vary widely in when they learn languages, their proficiency, and how often they use each language. There is also no consistent definition of what constitutes a distinct language; for example, scholars debate whether Scots is a language or a dialect of English, and political factors can change classifications, as seen with the creation and later split of Serbo-Croatian or the historical dismissal of Ukrainian as a Russian dialect. In many nations, schoolchildren are required to learn multiple languages due to international interactions; for instance
- First recorded use of the word 'multilin
- 1830s
- Percentage of Europeans speaking at leas
- More than half
- Number of languages required in Finnish
- At least three
- Estimated GDP increase from multilingual
- 10%
Lore & Background
Multilingualism is the use of more than one language by an individual or a group, with bilingualism referring specifically to two languages. It is believed that multilingual speakers outnumber monolingual speakers globally. More than half of all Europeans report speaking at least one language besides their mother tongue, though many only read and write in one. The first recorded use of the word "multilingual" in English occurred in the 1830s, combining "multi-" and "-lingual"; the phenomenon itself is as old as the existence of different languages. Evidence of multilingualism includes bilingual signs, such as those in South Africa displaying eleven official languages, in Novi Sad, Serbia, with four official languages, and in Singapore with English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Malay. Historical evidence also appears in glosses within textual sources. Defining multilingualism is debated, ranging from native-like mastery of multiple languages to knowing enough phrases for tourism. There is no consistent definition of a distinct language; for instance, scholars disagree whether Scots is a language or a dialect of English, and political changes have split Serbo-Croatian into Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. Multilingual speakers, also called polyglots, typically acquire at least one first language during childhood without formal education. Children acquiring two languages natively are simultaneous bilinguals, often more proficient in one. Multilinguals are reported to be better at learning additional languages than monolinguals.
Reader's Guide
Multilingualism has significant economic and cognitive implications. Bilinguals may earn higher salaries and contribute to increased productivity and GDP, as seen in studies from Switzerland and the United States. In education, many countries require learning multiple languages; for instance, Finnish children must learn at least three languages. The acquisition of multiple languages is influenced by factors such as age, with earlier learning often benefiting pronunciation. Learners may experience positive transfer when languages share grammar or vocabulary, but also negative transfer from interference. The ease of access to information via the Internet has increased exposure to multiple languages. In computing, multilingualism is part of a continuum between internationalization and localization, with English dominating software development.
Did You Know?
- Multilingual speakers are also called polyglots.
- The first recorded use of the word 'multilingual' in English occurred in the 1830s.
- In Finland, all children are required to learn at least three languages: Finnish, Swedish, and one foreign language.
- A study in Switzerland found that multilingualism is positively correlated with an individual's salary and that the country's GDP is augmented by 10% by multilingualism.
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