What does multilingualism mean?
Multilingualism is the presence and use of more than one language in a society, institution, community, or individual. It describes both a linguistic reality and an approach that recognizes the value of different languages. In education, multilingualism may involve teaching students in more than one language or providing opportunities to study several languages. In public life, it can refer to multilingual public services, media, workplaces, and cultural institutions. The word is broader than bilingualism, since it does not require the number of languages to be limited to two. It can have a positive social meaning, suggesting linguistic inclusion and cultural diversity, although discussions may also address inequalities, language policy, and the preservation of minority languages. Multilingualism is therefore useful in describing communities and institutions in which several languages coexist and are actively supported or recognized.
nounMultilingualism is the use of more than one language within a society, community, institution, or individual. It can refer both to the coexistence of several languages and to the practice or policy of accommodating more than one language.
- The presence or use of more than one language in a society, community, or individual.
- The social, cultural, or educational practice of accommodating more than one language.
"The city's multilingualism is reflected in its bilingual schools and multilingual public services."
"Growing multilingualism has made it necessary for the archive to preserve documents in several languages."
"The school encourages multilingualism by teaching lessons in both English and Spanish."
"Her multilingualism allows her to communicate comfortably with family members who speak different languages."
Rare in general use; the singular form is standard for the general concept.
"The study compared the multilingualisms of several border regions."
Multilingualism turns the presence of different languages into a social resource rather than merely a feature of everyday life.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does multilingualism come from?
The word was formed in the 19th century from the prefix multi- meaning “many” and a form related to Latin lingua, meaning “language” or “tongue.” Its base is also reflected in English words such as lingual, linguist, and linguistics. The suffix -ism added the sense of a condition, practice, or social principle. The related adjective multilingual developed alongside the noun and describes someone or something involving more than one language.
Related word forms
How multilingualism is actually used
The term is used internationally in academic, educational, cultural, and public-policy contexts. It is broader than bilingualism, which usually focuses on two languages, and is sometimes used to describe the presence of many languages within a multilingual society.
Easily confused with multilingualism
Multilingualism generally involves two or more languages, whereas bilingualism most commonly refers to the use of two languages by an individual or community.