ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter covers some of the basic concepts and contexts with which the readers may find themselves dealing. It starts with some definitions of terminology used and outlines different kinds of multilingualism in the family. The choices made by parents and the conditions encountered by families with different underlying reasons for living with more than one language are considered. Situations where language choices are limited due to the language skills of one parent are described and possible solutions are suggested which allow the children in a family to learn the languages spoken by their parents. The reactions of extended family and of the surrounding society in which the family lives are discussed. The particular case of families wanting their children to grow up speaking a threatened or indigenous language is introduced, as well as a view of how to handle different varieties of dialects of languages that may be spoken in the family or extended family. Finally, the issue of what may happen if children grow up in situations where they are likely to learn more than two languages is touched upon, with the limitation of making sure the child has enough input and an immediate need to use each language for communication.
