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Introduction, Definitions and Foundations of Bilingualism in Society

This comprehensive guide delves into the multifaceted aspects of bilingualism, from individual proficiency to societal implications. Definitions and classifications, language skills, and competence levels are explored, shedding light on the intricate nature of bilingualism in various contexts. From minimal to maximal bilingualism, the text navigates through different concepts like balanced bilingualism and semilingualism, offering a nuanced perspective on language acquisition and usage. Sociolinguistic perspectives and the foundations of bilingualism within language communities are also discussed, providing insights into language maintenance, shift, and revival in diverse societal settings.

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Introduction, Definitions and Foundations of Bilingualism in Society

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  1. Introduction, Definitions and Foundations of Bilingualism in Society

  2. Definitions • Individual bilingualism vs. societal bilingualism • Language skills – highly specific, observable, clearly defined components (handwriting) • Language competence – broad general term, inner, mental representation of language, latent rather than overt-underlying system inferred from language performance

  3. Definitions • Language performance – outward evidence for language competence • Language ability/Language proficiency – latent disposition, a determinant of eventual language success or the outcome less specific than skills, ambiguous term • Language achievement – outcome of formal instruction.

  4. Four Language Skills • Listening • Speaking • Reading • Writing

  5. Skills within Skills • Pronunciation • Vocabulary • Grammar • Pragmatics • Etc, etc, etc • Maybe 64 separate components to language proficiency (Hernandez-Chavez)

  6. Labels • ESL • LEP • ELL

  7. Fifth Language Competence • Language used for thinking may be a fifth area of language competence (Skutnabb-Kangas) • Inner speech • Cognitive competence of language (Cummins)

  8. Minimal vs. Maximal Bilingualism • What is the competence necessary to be considered bilingual? • Maximal definition – native like control of two or more languages (Bloomfield) • Incipient bilingualism (Diebold) – minimal competence (tourist language)

  9. Other Definitions • Ambilingualism • Equilingualism • Functional Bilingualism • Receptive/Passive Bilingualism • Productive/Active Bilingualism • Natural/Primary Bilingualism • Academic/Secondary Bilingualism • Incipient Bilingualism These are not mutually exclusive, you can have two classifications

  10. Balanced Bilinguals • Idealized concept –equal competence in two languages in a reasonable competency • Problems • Balance may exist at a low level of competence in two languages – two relatively undeveloped languages • Should monolinguals and bilinguals be compared?

  11. Semilingualism • The concept of dominance • Semilinguals are distinct from balanced and dominant bilinguals. • Definition – a person with quantitative and qualitative deficiencies in both their languages when compared with monolinguals

  12. Semilingualism • Characteristics • Size of vocabulary • Correctness of language • Unconscious processing of language (automatism) • Language creation (neologization) • Mastery of the functions of language (emotive, cognitive) • Meanings and imagery

  13. Semilingualism • May occur when there is a language loss and is still acquiring English, the student may appear to be low-functioning in both languages (Roseberry-McKibbin) L1 At Risk Zone L2

  14. Conversation Fluency and Academic Language Competence • Academic related language competence – curriculum based language competence – five to seven years • Conversational competence or surface fluency – simple conversation, acquired fairly quickly • (Kangas and Toukomaa)

  15. Use of Bilingualism • Functional bilingualism • Moves into language production across an encyclopedia of everyday events. • Concerns when, where, and with whom people use their two languages (Fishman) • See page 12 and 13

  16. Foundations of Bilingualism in Society • Language Communities • An analysis of how groups of language speakers behave and change • It is important to examine the contact between language communities

  17. Change and movement • With every minority and majority language there is constant change and movement • Language contact • Language communities • Language change • Language shift

  18. Sociolinguistics Perspective • Diglossia • Language Shift • Language Maintenance • Language death • Language Spread • Language Revivial

  19. Diglossia • Two languages in society • Each language serves a different function

  20. Distinctions • Majority language (high) vs. minority language (low) • Prestigious Language

  21. Language situations with the relationship to bilingualism and diglossia • Page 37 • Diglossia with and without bilingualism tends to provide a relatively stable, enduring language arrangement. But with global world language, shift is more than norm than stability.

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