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Module 7: Bilingualism

Bilingualism is a fascinating field of research that focuses on people who speak and use two or more languages in their daily lives. In this module, we look at how bilingualism influences our thinking and social behavior. The aim of this module is therefore to uncover the complex mechanisms behind learning a language, switching between different languages and the effects of bilingualism on the ability to think. At the same time, this module highlights the rich spectrum of linguistic and cultural experiences that bilinguals face. As we will see in this module, it is challenging to define the term "bilingualism" because there exists a variety of definitions and discussions from different perspectives (social, cultural, cognitive, historical, legal, and pedagogical).

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Introduction to Bilingualism

What exactly is bilingualism, and who is a bilingual? How do we define this term? This module answers these questions and gives us more insights into the subfields of bilingualism.

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Lesson 1: What is Bilingualism?

You have already encountered the terms “bilingual” or “bilingualism” in one way or another. But what do they actually mean, and what do they involve? This is what we are going to explore in this lesson.

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Lesson 2: Individual Bilingualism

Individual bilingualism describes the concept of a person who speaks or understands two languages. This lesson discusses how these people learn and use the two languages and what effects bilingualism has on their thinking.

Lesson 3: Multilingualism: Case study Switzerland, example Biel/Bienne

This lesson is about forms of multilingualism, how they work in Switzerland, and how bilingualism is practiced in Biel/Bienne.

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Lesson 4: Bilingual Language Phenomena

In the presence of bilingualism, whether on the individual at societal level, it is highly probable that speakers will transfer elements of one language into the other language. In this lesson, you will explore some of the potential transfer phenomena that occur through language contact.

Final Quiz

  1. In which two subfields can bilingualism be categorized and what aspects do these subfields address?

  2. What is simultaneous bilingualism?

  3. What is the complementarity principle?

  4. Why is the person-language bond important for the brain?

  5. How many bilingual or trilingual cantons are there in Switzerland?

  6. Why is Biel called a cosmopolitan city?

  7. What are the reasons for lexical borrowing?

  8. Is code-switching an incorrect use of language?

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Further Reading

Conrad, S.-J. & Universität Bern. (2005). Verständigung im öffentlichen Raum von Biel/Bienne. Travaux neuchâtelois de linguistique.

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Field, F. W. (2011). Key concepts in bilingualism. Palgrave Macmillan.

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Grosjean, F. (2010). Bilingual: Life and Reality. Harvard University Press.

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Grosjean, F., & Li, P. (2013). The psycholinguistics of bilingualism. John Wiley & Sons.

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Hoff, E. & Core, C. (2015). What Clinicians Need to Know about Bilingual Development. Seminars in Speech and Language, 36(2), 89–99.

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Mahootian, S. (2020). Bilingualism. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

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Matras, Y. (2020). Language contact (Second edition.). Cambridge University Press.

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Mehrsprachigkeit, D. D. B. F. (o. D.-c). Mehrsprachigkeit in der Schweiz. https://www.plurilingua.admin.ch/plurilingua/de/home/themen/mehrsprachigkeit-der-schweiz.html

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Rieder, K. & Bundesamt für Kultur BAK. (2018, Juni). Lebendige Traditionen, Zweisprachigkeit in Biel/Bienne. Bundesamt für Kultur BAK.

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Schneider, S. (2015). Bilingualer Erstspracherwerb. Ernst Reinhardt Verlag.

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Wei, L. (Ed.). (2020). The bilingualism reader. Routledge.

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