Source: Wardhaugh, Ronald. 2006. An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (5th Ed). Malden,MA: Blackwell

1. Bilingualism &
Multilingualism
Sosiolinguistic
Devi Hermasari, M.A.

2. What does it mean by being...
Monolingualism?
Bilingualism?
Multilingualism?

3. MONOLINGUALISM
The ability to use only one
language
usual
misfit

4. BILINGUALISM &
MULTILINGUALISM
The ability to use two or more than two languages.
unusual
normal
requirement

5. Bilingualism & Multilingualism



Do not necessarily have exactly the same
abilities in the languages.
Have varying degrees of command of the
different repertoires
The differences in competence in the various
languages might range from






command of a few lexical items
formulaic expressions (e.g. Greetings)
rudimentary conversational skills
excellent command of the grammar
vocabulary
specialized register and styles.’

6. Society with more than one
languages...
 Ones
must find out who uses
what, when, and for what purpose if they
are to be socially competent.
 The language choices are part of the
social identity you claim for themselves.

7. Bilingual vs. Bidialectal
 Defining
different dialects and languages
are difficult
 the bilingual–bidialectal distinction that
speakers make reflects
social, cultural, and political aspirations or
realities rather than any linguistic reality

8. Bilingualism drawbacks
 Regarded
as problem
 Inferiority
 Being
eradicated (Americanization)
 Leading to language loss
 Leading to diffusion (certain features
spread from one language to the other/s
as a result of the contact
situation, particularly certain kinds of
syntactic features)

9. Discussions

A distinction is sometimes made between
communities in which there is stable
bilingualism and those in which there is
unstable bilingualism;
Switzerland, Canada, and Haiti are cited as
examples of the former, and the linguistic
situations found in cities like New York or
among many immigrant peoples as examples
of the latter. Why are the terms stable and
unstable useful in such circumstances? Could
you mention some cases happen in
Indonesia?

10. Discussions

A speaker of English who wants to learn
another language, particularly an ‘exotic’
one, may find the task difficult. Speakers of
that other language may insist on using what
little English they know rather than their own
language, and there may also be compelling
social reasons that prevent the would-be
learner from achieving any but a most
rudimentary knowledge of the target
language. What factors contribute to this kind
of situation? How might you seek to avoid it?

11. Discussions
 Is
it possible to have a society in which
everyone is completely bilingual in the
same two languages and there is no
diglossia? How stable would such a
situation be?

12. Discussions
 Some
communities regard bilingualism as
a serious threat; it has even been referred
to as a ‘Trojan horse,’ initially attractive
but ultimately fatal. Why might this be so?
(Consider the experience of migration
and also the sorry state of many minority
languages in the world.) Could you
mention currently happening case in the
world?