THE FUTURE OF BILINGUALISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Bilingualism appears to be the norm rather than the exception. A common definition of bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages well. More academic definitions range from ‘native-like competence’ to ‘producing meaningful utterances’. However, all these definitions refer only to one aspect of bilingualism, namely the level of proficiency, and do not take any non-linguistic dimensions into consideration. The age at which a second language (L2) is acquired plays an important role, with the distinction being made between childhood, adolescent and adult bilingualism. Language acquisition can take place in an endogenous environment, where the L1 is not spoken within the community, or an exogenous environment, where the L1 is spoken within the community. A language with a positive status produces an additive form of bilingualism, while a devalued language produces a subtractive form. The way in which the bilingual individual perceives themselves is also important in establishing t ... continue reading->

Keywords: Bilingualism; Individual; Societal; Disglossia