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What is bilingual to you?

  Tags: Multilingual
 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
63 messages over 8 pages: << Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Serpent
Octoglot
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Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
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 Message 57 of 63
11 November 2013 at 11:18am | IP Logged 
Avid Learner wrote:
Serpent wrote:
And why do you think you deserve a word? Become a polyglot and you'll have one :-)
(just kidding... maybe)

Well, my comment wasn't about whether I wanted to be deserving of a word, but rather about understanding each other in the culture I live in. If, in a job interview here, somebody asked me if I was bilingual and I replied "No, but I am a diglot", I would be looked at as if I was from another planet. Even if I were to reply "No, but I am a polyglot" (assuming it was true, of course), I'm not sure it would come off that much better. Obviously, after reading this topic, if I had a job interview in some countries in Europe, my answer wouldn't be the same. :)

Not only that, but I have attempted to find out how to say "diglot" in French and I couldn't even find a word.
You can just say "no, but I'm fluent in English although it's not my native language" :) The whole point is that in Europe it's so normal that a word isn't required. Unlike Canada where there's a specific combination understood by bilingual (and it's often not important which of the two you speak natively), in Europe the most common question would be "do you speak English?"

Edited by Serpent on 11 November 2013 at 11:22am
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beano
Diglot
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United KingdomRegistered users can see my Skype Name
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 Message 58 of 63
11 November 2013 at 11:30am | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
   You can just say "no, but I'm fluent in English although it's not my native language" :) The whole point is that in Europe it's so normal that a word isn't required. Unlike Canada where there's a specific combination understood by bilingual (and it's often not important which of the two you speak natively), in Europe the most common question would be "do you speak English?"


I wouldn't say it's completely normal in Europe for people to be fluent in a foreign language. You have small nations like Switzerland and Luxembourgh where many people grow up effectively bilingual. In the Netherlands and Scandanavia most people have a good command of English. In the bigger nations and in eastern & southern Europe, you don't find that many people who are truly fluent in English or any other language.

Edited by beano on 11 November 2013 at 11:30am
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Iversen
Super Polyglot
Moderator
Denmark
berejst.dk
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 Message 59 of 63
11 November 2013 at 12:09pm | IP Logged 
We don't need a word for diglot in Danish - if somebody speaks English then that's what we say (and we then assume that any Dane can speak Danish, and that our 'native' bilinguals can speak Danish and something else). This system will of course not give a term to use for an immigrant who only speaks Urdu and English (as a second language) - such a person is clearly not a bilingual in the sense the word is used in Denmark. "Diglot" would suffice, but we don't use the word - the only -glots here are the polyglots.
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Serpent
Octoglot
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Russian Federation
serpent-849.livejour
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 Message 60 of 63
11 November 2013 at 12:32pm | IP Logged 
beano wrote:
Serpent wrote:
   You can just say "no, but I'm fluent in English although it's not my native language" :) The whole point is that in Europe it's so normal that a word isn't required. Unlike Canada where there's a specific combination understood by bilingual (and it's often not important which of the two you speak natively), in Europe the most common question would be "do you speak English?"


I wouldn't say it's completely normal in Europe for people to be fluent in a foreign language. You have small nations like Switzerland and Luxembourgh where many people grow up effectively bilingual. In the Netherlands and Scandanavia most people have a good command of English. In the bigger nations and in eastern & southern Europe, you don't find that many people who are truly fluent in English or any other language.
It's normal in the sense that it's not unusual. In the countries you mentioned, it's more of a nice bonus/surprise, but there's still no need for words like bilingual.
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tarvos
Super Polyglot
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 Message 61 of 63
11 November 2013 at 12:33pm | IP Logged 
Iversen wrote:
We don't need a word for diglot in Danish - if somebody speaks English
then that's what we say (and we then assume that any Dane can speak Danish, and that our
'native' bilinguals can speak Danish and something else). This system will of course not
give a term to use for an immigrant who only speaks Urdu and English (as a second
language) - such a person is clearly not a bilingual in the sense the word is used in
Denmark. "Diglot" would suffice, but we don't use the word - the only -glots here are the
polyglots.


Same in the Netherlands.
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Avid Learner
Diglot
Senior Member
Canada
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 Message 62 of 63
12 November 2013 at 1:22am | IP Logged 
Serpent wrote:
You can just say "no, but I'm fluent in English although it's not my native language" :)

I could, but according to the dictionary as well as the common usage where I live, or even in North America if I go from what I've read here, I fit the description of "bilingual". Starting the answer with "no" would confuse the person who asked me the question.

Serpent wrote:
The whole point is that in Europe it's so normal that a word isn't required. Unlike Canada where there's a specific combination understood by bilingual (and it's often not important which of the two you speak natively), in Europe the most common question would be "do you speak English?"

I agree with you. I said above that my answer would be different in other countries in Europe (or on this forum), so I'm not sure why you thought I didn't understand. Now that I know it has a different meaning in many countries, I would reply exactly the way you suggested or, at the very least, clarify as to what "bilingual" means to the person before answering.

If you meant that my answer should always be identical, in other words that I should use the most restrictive definition from languages and countries which aren't relevant in the context I am in at a particular moment, then we'll have to agree to disagree.

Maralol wrote:
"Not only that, but I have attempted to find out how to say "diglot" in French and I
couldn't even find a word. "

Diglotte?

I looked for it, but couldn't find it in any online dictionary, including the Larousse. One thing for sure is that I have never heard it.

Edited by Avid Learner on 12 November 2013 at 4:52am
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FullofPears
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Japan
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 Message 63 of 63
12 November 2013 at 6:28am | IP Logged 
Based on everyone else's responses, it looks like the definition of "bilingual" really depends on the cultural context! I grew up in an area with lots of immigration, so most people spoke English, and many people spoke one or more other languages natively. I'd say that a bilingual person is someone who can work/go to school in either language with minimal linguistic difficulties. So, for example, when I was in high school, my classmates who had immigrated to Canada late enough to still have a heavy accent but who were able to attend school in English would fit my definition of bilingual. Conversely, I'm working in Japan right now, but I have a lot of trouble with basic everyday tasks, so I'd say that I'm not bilingual yet.


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