ABSTRACT
Bilingualism and multilingualism refer to the phenomenon of two or more languages in contact. Language contact can occur within a person, between persons, or within larger groups. It is deeply related to translation and interpreting (T&I). One could argue that they are prerequisites. At the same time, the ways in which bilingualism and multilingualism are conceptualized within T&I and other fields of study vary significantly. Moreover, when determining a bilingual proficiency level, rather than test the individual two languages against each another, each language is measured in terms of monolingual standards. In order to paint an accurate representation of a bilingual linguistic proficiency, however, multiple methods must be used. Recent studies have focused on the cognitive advantages of bilingualism in children, which include greater metalinguistic awareness. The challenge for the future would be to address complex questions using an interdisciplinary lens. In this way the theoretical areas of Translation and Interpreting Studies have been fragmented or discussed.
