What is being Bilingual?
Bilingualism (or more generally: Multilingualism) is the phenomenon of speaking and understanding two or more languages. The term can refer to individuals (individual bilingualism) as well as to an entire society (social bilingualism).
The term can also refer to the corresponding scientific research which studies the phenomenon itself. Bilingualism, multilingualism, and polyglotism can all be used as synonyms for the same phenomenon.
A simple definition of bilingualism is an ability to communicate easily in two languages. Anyone can become bilingual, but it's much easier to become bilingual when you are a child. Most often you'll find that a person with an accent became bilingual later in life. Bilingualism is a norm, not an exception. As surprising as it might seem, most people in the world are bilingual.
Bilingualism Characteristics
There are some general characteristics that many bilinguals share, though not each individual will have every characteristic. Exploring these qualities can help dispel certain misconceptions about bilingual people. Each bilingual person will have their own unique set of characteristics, but these characteristics generally apply:
- Bilingual people are most often part of two cultures or a culture where more than one language is used.
- Bilingual people may not speak both languages equally well. Bilingual people use each language in different areas of their lives. Some may speak one language at home and the other for everyday business.
- Bilingual individuals may not be able to translate quickly. This doesn't mean they don't know the language well. Words don't automatically translate equally into another language, so it takes some thinking to figure out a good translation.
- Bilinguals sometimes mix languages when speaking to each other. The major reason is that some words don't translate well.
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