societal multilingualism

societal multilingualism

by Víctor cadena

​ Multilingualism refers to the knowledge or use of more than one language by an individual or a community.

Poll

how many languages are spoken in USA

• 1000

• more that 350

• 500

• less than 100

​According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. residents speak more than 350 languages. Among those who report speaking a language other than English, nearly two-thirds speak Spanish. And the languages spoken by U.S. residents are not evenly distributed geographically around the country.

​Characteristics of multilingualism:  Do not have a perfect or nativelike command  Might be called selective functionality

​Implications for lLanguage Teaching

​

​1. Revise their attitude to the status of bilingualism. 2. The other language is additive not replacive. 3. Unnecessary to expect like native competence ( style, function) but english as what learners’ need to learn. 4. Teachers need to be familiar with the other language in the learners’ repertoires 5. For teacher, mix code is appropriate for in group but monolingual is just for monolingual interlcutors. 6. Multilingualism is not only a division of labor but also a great deal of give and take between language.

THE SCOPE OF LINGUISTICS​

​

​Linguistics can be defined as the scientific or systematic study of language.

​

​

Linguistics versus traditional grammar: 

linguistics describes languages and does not lay down rules of correctness. Linguists are interested in what is said, not what they think ought to be said. So they are often said to be descriptive, not prescriptive.

Poll

WHO WILL BENEFIT MORE FROM LINGUISTICS

• TEACHER

• STUDENT

​THE SCOPE OF LINGUISTICS

​Microlinguistics includes phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics.

​

Macrolinguistics includes sociolinguistics,Psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, stylistics, discourse analysis, computational linguistics, cognitive linguistics, applied linguistics.