Bilingualism and Multilingualism

More than half the world's population speaks more than one language. Bilingualism and multilingualism are the global norm, not the exception — yet much research into child language acquisition has focused on monolingual children. This lesson examines how children acquire two or more languages, the cognitive and linguistic implications of bilingualism, and the key theories and debates in this area. While bilingualism is not always a core focus of the AQA specification, it is a topic that may arise in data analysis or extended response questions.

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Defining Bilingualism

Key Definition: Bilingualism — the ability to use two languages in everyday communication. Bilingualism exists on a spectrum, from balanced bilinguals (equally proficient in both languages) to dominant bilinguals (more proficient in one language). Multilingualism extends this to three or more languages.

It is important to recognise that bilingualism is not a simple either/or category. Key distinctions include: