Sociolinguistics

1. Language Choice in
Multilingual Communities
Group Members:
Jasmine Fadhillah Zahra (21202244043)
Ummi Insani Rochimah (21202244050)
Farah Nasifah (21202244057)

2. Bilingualism
-Definition
-The Causes of Bilingualism
-The Benefits of Bilingualism
-Individual and Societal
Bilingualism
Multilingualism
-Definition
-The Cause of Multilingualism
-Example
Diglossia
-Definition
-Example
-The difference between high and low
varieties
-Diglossia and solidarity and power
Table of Contents
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3. Bilingualism
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4. Definition of Bilingualism
Bilingualism refers to an individual’s ability to express herself or himself using two different
languages. Bilingualism can be commonly seen in children when the parents speak two languages.
Children of immigrant families also speak more than one language. Children often learn two languages
from two different language contexts. For example, children learn one language at home, and the other
language at school.
People become bilingual for different purposes. Bilingualism can vary from one person to the
other. At the same time, it is not necessary to become fluent in languages under bilingualism. Being
bilingual does not merely mean learning of language. Becoming bilingual means that the person has
experience and knowledge in two different cultural contexts. Bilinguals have the capacity to switch to the
language that they want to speak, and through that, the speaker steps into another culture.

5. The Causes of Bilingualism
1. Choice. Of course, sometimes becoming bilingual is purely motivated by an interest in languages.
2. Geography. The choice is a relatively uncommon reason for becoming bilingual, however. In many
areas of the world small regions are home to several disparate groups speaking different languages,
and being able to function in daily life often means having to learn a second or third language.
3. Migration. When you move to another country, you will have to learn to speak the dominant
language of that country if you want to take part in society.
4. Religious or Professional Reasons. Some religions regard their traditional language to be holy, and
even when they are practices in new areas or when the original language has fallen into disuse, those
seeking to pursue religious studies must still learn the holy language. Similarly, many professions are
dominated by a language and being successful in those fields might require fluency in that language.

6. The Benefits of Bilingualism
Cognitive
Bilingual individuals have very active
and flexible brains, so that bilingual people
can more easily understand concepts and
solve problems, develop strong thinking
skills, use logic, easily focus, remember, and
make decisions, think about languages ​​and
learn other languages.
Learning
Bilingual children benefit academically in
many ways. Because they are able to switch between
languages, they can develop a more flexible approach
to thinking about problems. Their ability to read and
think in two different languages​​encourages higher
levels of thinking. People who speak more than one
language appear to be better at ignoring irrelevant
information. Thinking in a second language frees
people from limited thinking.

7. Individual and Societal Bilingualism
Linguists usually distinguish between individual and community bilingualism. The relationship
between individual and societal bilingualism becomes clear when we consider the reasons why certain
individuals become bilingual. Usually the stronger group in society can influence the language use of the
less powerful group. If we take Finland as an example, we find that Sami, Romanians, and Swedes have
to learn Finnish, but Finns do not have to learn these languages.
However, it would be naive to assume that bilingual countries were created more to promote
bilingualism, than to guarantee legal rights to more than one language in a society. We can distinguish
between de facto ("based on facts") and de jure ("according to law") bilingualism. Often there are fewer
bilingual individuals in multilingual or de jure bilingual countries than in countries where bilingualism or
de facto bilingualism occurs. A good example is Switzerland, where territorial unilingualism falls under
federal bilingualism. Although Switzerland is widely cited as an example of successful bilingualism, only
about 6 percent of Swiss citizens can be considered multilingual in the country's four official languages:
German, French, Italian and Romantsch.

8. Multilingualism
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9. Definitions of Multilingualism
Multilingualism is the individual ability of a person who can understand and speak many
languages.
The choice of language is determined by context. In a society where more than one
language is spoken, we must find out who is speaking, when, and for what purpose. The
choice of a person's language is part of the social identity that is claimed for the person
himself. In most multilingual settings, there are no strict or explicit guidelines for what
language to speak. People have to choose a particular code whenever they want to talk, and
they can also decide to switch from that code to another code or mix up the code, even in
the sometimes very short utterances. Often, people's attitudes about being multilingual, or
about a particular language, influence how that language is used.

10. The Cause of Multilingualism
Many aspects of a person's life can develop through multilingualism.
Multilingualism is shaped by several different factors, including:
● Politics
For example, the natives of a region invaded by the military must learn the
language of the invaders in order to prosper.
● Religion
An example is a person who wants to live in a country because he wants to
learn the religion and requires them to learn the language of that country.
·

11. The Cause of Multilingualism
● Culture
There is a desire to identify with the culture of a particular social group
which is usually done by learning the language of that group.
● Education
Learning another language may be the only means of obtaining access to
knowledge
● Economy
There is a desire to improve the standard of living that requires working in
other areas so that you have to learn the language in that area

12. Example
Switzerland is widely cited as an example of successful multilingualism, but only
about 6 percent of Swiss citizens can be considered multilingual in the country's
four official languages ​​namely German, French, Italian and Romansch. English
is preferred over other official languages ​​as a second language. Multilingualism
is shaped in different ways depending on various social and other factors that
have to be taken into account. There is no evidence to suggest that
multilingualism is inherently a problematic way of organization, either for
society or for individuals. Because languages ​​and dialects are often powerful
symbols of class, gender, ethnicity, and other types of differentiation, it is easy to
think that language underlies conflict in multilingual societies.

13. Diglossia
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14. Definition
David Crystal in his dictionary defines diglossia as a
situation in which two different varieties of language are
used in the speech community. One is a high variety and
the other is low, so it differs in terms of formality.
.

15. Example
People in Arabic-speaking communities use a variety of Arabic locales at
home or on the road. In universities or mosques, they use a variety of
standards that are very different from the local or vernacular standards.
Ferguson's definition is specific in the sense that it requires that the high and
low varieties belong to the same language as the Arabic high and low
varieties. Some authors have expanded the term to include situations that do
not count as diglossic according to this definition.

16. Example
Another example is Latin, which was used in medieval Europe for religion, education,
literacy, and other honorable reasons while other languages were used informally. A
diglossic circumstance is one in which the spoken and written languages diverge from each
other. Swiss German is the low variant, while standard German is the high type in
Switzerland. Both conventional Haitian and French Creole are spoken in Haiti. This
variant is employed when giving sermons or formal lectures, particularly in front of an
audience in a legislative body, when making political speeches, when reporting news on
radio and television, when composing literature, and in other situations.

17. The variety is used in informal situations such as talking to friends, giving instructions to
workers in low-prestige jobs, and popular programs on radio and folk literature. In 1966 the
French Normans arrived in England, following their victory at Hastings Under William the
Conqueror.
The French-speaking colonizers became the ruling class in England so French was the
language of the nobility, Government, Law, and prestige. It is a variation while English is
considered the only one. This situation continued for three centuries until Chaucer solved it.
In such a case, the H-variety language is the language of the more powerful part of society,
but power is defined.

18. The Difference Between
High and Low Varieties
Apart from the main differences between varieties and regarding the use of one in formal situations
and the other in informal situations, there are other differences. There may be considerable and
widespread resistance to translating certain Books into various L's, for example, the holly Qur'an to
the colloquial variety or the Bible to the Haitian creole.
The majority of literary works are produced in prominent genres, but some are written in genres that
can be read by anybody with a range of expertise. In contrast to Spolsky's assertion that the L variety
has grammar but is simpler than the H variety and has a different vocabulary, Wardhaugh claims that
the L variety has no grammar.

19. Diglossia and Solidarity
and Power
The use of T by equals will convey solidarity. It places the user in a position of
dominance when employed between unequal, and the recipient is expected to answer with
a V. V denotes social distance and mutual respect when used simultaneously. The usage
of high or low varieties is comparable to the employment of T and V in a diglossic
context. L can be used to show solidarity; however, it is occasionally inappropriate to
address those in a higher or remote social position. In South Asia, sacred scriptures were
transmitted orally through a highly organized system.

20. Thank You