Introduction to bilingualism. This is for educational purposes. In this everything related to bilingualism such as overview, introduction, etymology, Bilingual and its types, Bilingualism and its types, advantages and disadvantages have been discussed. This would be helpful in better understanding bilingualism.

1. BILINGUALISM

2. Presented to:
Ms. Erum Maharvi
Presented By:
 Azeem Jilani
 Samra Qureshi
 Sobia Mohani
Department Of English Linguistics
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur

3. Overview
 Introduction of Bilingualism
 Definitions and Etymology of Bilingualism
 Bilingual; What is it?
 Who is a Bilingual?
 Kinds of Bilinguals
 Who can be a Bilingual?
 Bilingualism and its types
 Advantages and Disadvantages
 Conclusion

4. Introduction
• Bilingualism ( or more generally; Multilingualism) is the
phenomenon of speaking and understanding two or more languages.
• The term can refer to individual ( Individual bilingualism) as well as
to entire society ( social bilingualism)
• Bilingualism, multilingualism and polyglotism can all be used as
synonymous for the same phenomenon.
• “56% of European are bilingual, while 38% of the population in
Great Britain, 35% in Canada, and 17% in the USA are bilingual,”
(“Multicultural America: A Multimedia Encyclopedia”)

5. Definitions and Etymology
• Etymology
• From the Latin “two” + “tongue”
BI Lingual ism
“articulated with
the tongue”
Suffix that describes
an action or process
“Two”

6. Bilingualism
• Bloomfield, 1993: “Bilingualism is the native-like control of two
languages”
• Haugen, 1953: Bilingualism begins “at the point where the speaker of
one language can produce complete meaningful utterances inn the
other language.”
• Diebold’s, 1964: “the initial stages of contact between two
languages.”

7. Bilingual
What is it?
A Bilingual
Some one who knows something about more than one language?

8. What is It
A Bilingual :
Someone who has studied a second language?

9. Who is a bilingual?
Informal Definition:
Someone who speaks two languages well enough.
Linguistics Definition:
Someone who speaks two languages to
native-or near native-like levels.

10. Kinds of Bilingual
1. Simultaneous Bilingual
2. Sequential Bilingual

11. Simultaneous Bilinguals & Sequential Bilingual
Simultaneous Bilingual
Acquire two languages at the same time, usually from birth
Sequential Bilingual
Acquire one language from birth, and then acquire a second
language, usually beginning between Ages 2 years and 6
years.

12. Kinds of Bilingual
Birth 2 yrs 4 yrs 6 yrs 8 yrs 10 yrs 12 yrs 14 yrs
Language 1
Language 2
Simultaneous Bilingual
Language 1
Language 2
Sequential Bilingual

13. Example – kinds of Bilinguals

14. Who can be a Bilingual?
• Can you become a bilingual?
• Yes, you can be a bilingual if you try.
• Anyone can become a bilingual…. but
• But childhood Bilingualism is FAR better
than adulthood bilingualism

15. Types of Biligualism
• Coordinate Bilingualism
• Compound Bilingualism
• Sub-coordinate Bilingualism

16. Coordinate Bilingualism
• The learning of two languages in two different settings the words of the
languages are kept completely separated
each word has its own independent meaning
• E.g. School bilingualism: An Urdu student studying English at school = 2
languages, 2 different contexts.
• Book vs. ‫کتاب‬
Book ‫کتاب‬

17. Compound Bilingualism
• The learning of two languages in the same context, used at the same time.
• The two languages have an amalgamated representation; inter-reliant
• Loewe (1888) “two-member system of the same language”
• E.g. cultural bilingualism: an individual at home who has an English mother
and Urdu father, and speaks the wo languages with their parents.
Book ‫کتاب‬

18. Sub-coordinate Bilingualism
• Individual Interpreting the words of his weaker language via the
words of hi/her stronger language
• The bilingual has one set of meanings established through
his/her’s first language, with a different linguistic system attached
to them.
• E.g. an Urdu person hears the word “book” in English, relates the
word to their stronger language (‫)کتاب‬ inducing the meaning of
the word in English.
Book ‫کتاب‬ Book

19. Advantages and Disadvantages of Bilingualism
Advantages
• Employment
• Long term academic success
• Stronger social connections
• Economic advantage (to society)
• Cognitive advantage
Cognitive Advantages
• Logic
• Metalinguistic
• Memory

20. Disadvantages
• Code Switching
 Code Switching is perceived as weakness in a language.
• Effect mother language
• Effect culture

21. Conclusion
• Bilingualism is positive
• It benefits individual
• It benefits society
• It’s a normal human condition