Module 4: Glossary

I. Additive bilingualism: bilingual acquisition context in which learning a second language does not imply the replacement of the first language, but is added onto first language repertoires (de Jong, 2011, p. 253).

II. Balanced Bilingual: term often used to describe someone equally fluent in two languages (de Jong, 2011, p.253).

III. Bilingualism: competence in two languages developed by individual speakers (de Jong, 2011, p. 254).

IV. Bilingual Education: educational system that uses two languages as media of instruction, in subjects other than the languages themselves (Andersson & Boyer as cited in Skutnabb-Kangas, 2007, p. 138)

V. Bilingual Learner: children who are acquiring two or more languages at home and at school (de Jong, 2011, p. 253).

VI. Bilingual Speaker: one who is able to function in two (or more) languages, either in ‘monolingual’ or multilingual communities, in accordance with the sociocultural demands made on an individual’s communicative and cognitive competence by these communities and by the individual, at the same level as native speakers, and who is able to identify positively with both (or all) language groups (and cultures) or parts of them (Skutnabb-Kangas, 2007, p. 140).

VII. Communicative competence: ability to use language appropriately, according to context (de Jong, 2011, p. 254).

VIII. Elective bilingualism: acquisition context in which becoming bilingual is a choice rather than a necessity (de Jong, 2011, p. 255).

IX. Intergenerational language transmission: language acquisition context where children acquire their native language from their parents (de Jong, 2011, p. 256).

X. Language maintenance: “the continuing use of a language in the face of competition from a regionally and socially powerful or numerically stronger language” (Mesthrie as cited in Donghui, 2010, p.43).

XI. Language revitalization: efforts at increasing the number of (fluent) speakers of an endangered language (de Jong, 2011, p. 256).

XII. Subtractive bilingualism: acquisition of a second language that occurs at the expense of maintaining and developing the first language (de Jong, 2011, p. 260).