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Bilingualism: Causes, advantages, and disadvantages

Article · January 2020

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Oussama Aba
Abou Bakr Belkaid University of Tlemcen
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 Bilingualism: Causes, advantages, and disadvantages.
Bilingualism is the state of speaking two or more languages by a speaker or a group of
speakers, it is a sociolinguistic phenomenon that is resulted from social behaviours which
affected a person’s way of speaking, in the popular view, being bilingual equals being able to
speak two languages perfectly; this is also the approach of Bloomfield (1935: 56), who
defines bilingualism as ‘the native-like control of two languages’. Contrary to this definition
which includes only ‘perfect bilinguals’ McNamara (1967a) proposes that a bilingual is
anyone who possesses a minimal competence in only one of the four language skills in a
language other than his mother tongue.
Between these two extremes we could find a whole array of definitions as, for example, the
one proposed by Titone (1972), for whom bilingualism is the individual’s capacity to speak a
second language while following the concepts, and structures of that language rather than
paraphrasing his or her mother tongue. As the years passed each scholar concerned with this
discipline had his own view which are all correct to some extent, for the world once had
Monolingualism as a norm, but things always change.
The causes of this linguistic behaviour are many, but they can be divided into four major
parts; first, the choice. Choosing to become bilingual may have personal outcomes like an
interest in a language. Because all choices are motivated, the advantage of this choice may
lead to the development of better cognitive skills, studies has shown that children who are
bilingual are generally better achievers in school than their monolinguals pairs. Being
bilingual also delays cognitive damage like Alzheimer and Aphasia. The disadvantage of
bilingualism however is being receptive bilingual, i.e. understanding two languages but being
able of speak only one. More to this as advantage is getting more chances when looking for a
job, but many professions are dominated by one language, which creates some kind of bias, as
a disadvantage.
Secondly, Geography. Choice is a relatively uncommon reason for becoming bilingual.
However, Geography plays a bigger role, it may seem as a forced way of being bilingual to
some extent. In many areas of the world small regions are home to several groups speaking
different languages, and being able to function in daily life often means having to learn a
second or third language. The advantage of this is cultural diversity for each language
contains a culture, but in some regions this diversity is stigmatized, for instance in the Kabyle
region in Algeria where difference of language is enough for national problems, heated
debates, and most commonly disagreements.
Thirdly, Migration. Obviously, when people move to another country, they will have to learn
to speak the dominant language of that country if they want to be functional in that society.
Migration accounts for a very large proportion of bilinguals, in fact, though many of them do
not become fluent so much as simply capable in their adopted language, and still use their
native language at home, this may cause cultural bias as a disadvantage. Not always learning a
second language is welcomed, the minority group here which are bilingual in a monolingual
speech community are often seen as different (sometimes even as a threat), a consequence of
prejudice. Like the case of Arabs in France who are not always welcomed there and seen in a
bad way when using their mother tongue which reveals their origins.
 Fourthly, Religious Reasons. Some religions regard their language to be holy “Language of
God,” and even when they are practiced in new areas or when the original language has fallen
into disuse, those seeking to pursue religious studies or practice that religion must still learn
the holy language, this may result in religious bias as a disadvantage, some religions may
welcome bilingualism for spreading their religion, other religions may not. They would be
praising their language and ignoring or discriminating others nations’ languages simply for
being different.
To conclude, bilingualism is the norm in the present day, and this fact may change someday,
but researchers in the field of bilingualism must be open and tolerant to the fact that all
definitions proposed by scholars concerning bilingualism whether being extreme or not are
considered to be correct, as this linguistic phenomenon is seen from different perspectives. On
the other hand, as far as advantages and disadvantages are concerned, one may conclude that
the negative sides of individual bilingualism are barely taken into account when being
compared with the huge range of positive effects. However, the case may not be the same for
social bilingualism as this topic is open to discussion.

Aba Oussama, Master II LS

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