Exploring Bilingualism Key Concepts And Basic Issues
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Exploring Bilingualism - Key Concepts and Basic Issues
Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,0, Free University of Berlin, course: First and Second Language Acquisition, language: English, abstract: [...] This extract from the Book of Genesis is perhaps the oldest recorded attempt to explain the thrilling diversity of languages in the western societies. Moreover, the tale of the Tower of Babel is probably the best-known story about language among ordinary citizens. Though virtually everyone has heard about Babel at some point, only few would link it to the concept of ‘multilingualism’ or be able to give an exact definition of the term. Scholars, on the other hand, have not come up with a universally accepted definition so far, either. The term ‘multilingualism’ is used here synonymously with ‘bilingualism’ and therefore applied in its broadest sense. For the time being, we consider as multilingualism / bilingualism the competence in more than one language or, in other words, we “encompass both the individuals who are fluent in two languages only and those whose linguistic repertoire consists of three or more languages”. Admittedly, this definition is rather inaccurate and vague. In the course of this work we will therefore seek for a much more elaborate understanding of bilingualism / multilingualism. But let us go back to the biblical story for a moment. Unfortunately, a negative attitude towards different languages, which is implicitly expressed in the curse of Babel, is nowadays still widely held when it comes to judging bilinguals and bilingualism. Even in this day and age many people see the simultaneous occurrence of several languages in one place not as a blessing but as an aberration. To them, monolingualism is the norm and hence the natural way of life. However, if we direct our attention to facts rather than fiction, it becomes immediately clear that multilingualism is neither abnormal nor unnatural. Instead, as BHATIA / RITCHIE veraciously state, “[b]ilingualism, – more generally, multilingualism – is a major fact of life in the world today.” For a start, let us consider the domain of economics. The process of globalisation as well as improved travel opportunities have been causing increased mobility throughout the world. It is thus becoming a smaller place and interactions between people of different nations and cultures are getting much more frequent than in the past. As a result, ever more individuals are required to speak two or more languages. Despite these recent developments, the need to communicate with people who do not speak the same language as oneself is probably as old as history itself. [...]
Exploring Bilingualism in Education
This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the field of bilingualism and multilingualism with focus on education. It compiles various sub-themes such as minority and majority languages, childhood bilingualism, and the historical aspects of bilingualism. Each chapter is carefully structured and includes clear themes with introductory notes by the editor. The main focus is on the cognitive development of bilinguals and how they promote cultural diversity, presenting how bilingual education and second language teaching within the socio-political and multicultural landscape are interconnected. It discusses significant concepts such as translanguaging, an innovative approach that transcends traditional language boundaries, and the role of Multilingual Education (MLE) in shaping the future of learning. Research also focusses on macro-level issues, such as globalization and minority language preservation, and micro-level strategies for bilingual classrooms. In addition, it explores topics such as Dual Language schools, the economic benefits of bilingualism, and debates on language loss and bilingual education policy in different countries. These well-organized topics promote a holistic understanding of bilingualism and encourage a positive view of linguistic diversity and its role in creating a more inclusive, multicultural world. For educators, researchers and language enthusiasts, it is an invaluable resource that provides a thorough understanding of the nuances of bi/multilingual education. The auto-summaries have been generated by a recursive clustering algorithm via the Dimensions Auto-summarizer by Digital Science handled by Subject Matter Experts and the editor of this book. The editor of this book selected which Springer Nature content should be auto-summarized and decided its order of appearance. Please be aware that these are extractive auto-summaries, which consist of original sentences, but are not representative of its original paper, since we do not show the full length of the publication. Please note that only published SN content is represented here, and that machine-generated books are still at an experimental stage.
The Handbook of Bilingualism
The Handbook of Bilingualism provides state-of-the-art treatments of the central issues that arise in consideration of the phenomena of bilingualism ranging from the representation of the two languages in the bilingual individual's brain to the various forms of bilingual education, including the status of bilingualism in each area of the world. Provides state-of-the-art coverage of a wide variety of topics, ranging from neuro- and psycho-linguistic research to studies of media and psychological counseling. Includes latest assessment of the global linguistic situation with particular emphasis on those geographical areas which are centers of global conflict and commerce. Explores new topics such as global media and mobile and electronic language learning. Includes contributions by internationally renowned researchers from different disciplines, genders, and ethnicities.