ABSTRACT

Introducing Multilingualism is a comprehensive and user-friendly introduction to the dynamic field of multilingualism. Adopting a compelling social and critical approach and covering important social and educational issues, the authors expertly guide readers through the established theories, leading them to question dominant discourses on subjects such as integration, heritage and language testing. This second edition has been fully revised and updated, featuring new chapters on multilingualism in new media, the workplace and the family. Other key topics include:

  • language as a social construct
  • language contact and variation
  • language and identity
  • the differences between individual and societal multilingualism
  • translanguaging
  • flexible multilingual education.

With a wide range of engaging activities and quizzes and a comprehensive selection of case studies from around the world, this is essential reading for undergraduate students and postgraduate students new to studying multilingualism.

part I|31 pages

Theoretical and methodological considerations

chapter 1|12 pages

Introduction

chapter 2|17 pages

Theoretical and methodological framework

part II|53 pages

Multilingualism within and across languages

chapter 3|14 pages

What is a language?

chapter 5|19 pages

Revitalization of endangered languages

part III|49 pages

Societal and individual multilingualism

chapter 6|15 pages

Societal multilingualism

chapter 7|20 pages

Language and identities

part IV|68 pages

Multilingualism in education and other institutional sites

chapter 9|19 pages

Flexible vs. fixed multilingualism

chapter 10|16 pages

Mother tongue education or literacy bridges?

chapter 11|17 pages

Heritage language education

chapter 12|14 pages

Multilingualism in other institutional sites

part V|69 pages

Critical analysis of discourses

chapter 14|15 pages

Media representations of multilingualism

chapter 15|14 pages

Multilingualism in the new media

chapter 16|19 pages

Linguistic landscape

part VI|13 pages

Further directions in the study of multilingualism

chapter 17|11 pages

Conclusion