Multilingualism facts for kids
Multilingualism means being able to speak and understand more than one language. If someone can speak two languages, they are called "bilingual." This is a common form of multilingualism. Being multilingual is very important in today's world, especially for jobs and connecting with people from different countries. Many countries trade goods and ideas, so speaking multiple languages helps people work together.
Did you know that more people in the world are multilingual than those who speak only one language?
Contents
What is Multilingualism?
Multilingualism is the ability of a person or a community to use more than one language. It's like having a superpower that lets you talk to more people. This can mean speaking two, three, or even more languages.
Bilingualism: Speaking Two Languages
When someone is bilingual, they can speak two languages fluently. For example, a child might speak Spanish at home and English at school. Both languages are important parts of their daily life.
Polyglots: Speaking Many Languages
People who can speak many languages, often more than three or four, are sometimes called polyglots. They enjoy learning new languages and connecting with different cultures.
Why is Multilingualism Important?
Speaking more than one language offers many benefits. It helps people in their daily lives and opens up new opportunities.
Better Job Opportunities
In a world where countries trade and work together, businesses often need people who can speak different languages. Being multilingual can give you an advantage when looking for a job. It shows you can communicate with a wider range of clients and partners.
Connecting with Different Cultures
Languages are a key part of culture. When you learn another language, you also learn about the traditions, history, and way of life of the people who speak it. This helps you understand the world better. It also makes travel more fun and easier.
Brain Benefits
Studies show that speaking multiple languages can be good for your brain. It can improve your problem-solving skills and your ability to switch between tasks. It might even help your brain stay sharp as you get older.
How People Become Multilingual
There are many ways someone can become multilingual. It often depends on where they grow up and their education.
Learning Languages from Childhood
Many children grow up in homes where more than one language is spoken. This is called "simultaneous bilingualism" if they learn both languages at the same time. They might hear one language from their mother and another from their father.
Learning Languages at School
Schools often teach foreign languages. Students might start learning a new language like French, Spanish, or Chinese. This is a common way for people to become multilingual later in life.
Living in a New Country
When people move to a new country, they often learn the local language to communicate. This is called "sequential bilingualism" because they learn one language after another. They might also keep speaking their first language at home.
Multilingualism Around the World
Multilingualism is very common in many parts of the world. Some countries even have several official languages.
Countries with Multiple Official Languages
Many countries recognize more than one language as official. For example, Canada has both English and French as official languages. Switzerland has four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. This means government documents and signs are often in all these languages.
Everyday Multilingualism
In many cities, you can see signs and hear conversations in several languages. This is especially true in places with many tourists or immigrants. For example, in Singapore, signs are often in English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
Croatian-Italian bilingual plate on a public building in Pula/Pola (Istria)
-
A multilingual sign at the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier in Macau. At the top are Portuguese and Chinese, which are the official languages of Macau, while at the bottom are Japanese and English, which are common languages used by tourists (English is also one of Hong Kong's two official languages).
-
Multilingual sign at Vancouver International Airport, international arrivals area. Text in English, French, and Chinese is a permanent feature of this sign, while the right panel of the sign is a video screen that rotates through additional languages.
-
Multilingual sign at an exit of SM Mall of Asia in Pasay, Philippines. Three or four languages are shown: Japanese/Mandarin Chinese ("deguchi" or "chūkǒu", respectively), English ("exit") and Korean ("chulgu"). While Filipinos themselves are anglophone, such signs cater to the growing number of Koreans and other foreigners in the country.
-
A train name found in South India written in four languages: Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, and English. Boards like this are common on trains which pass through two or more states where the languages are spoken are different.
-
Dual language Hebrew and English keyboard
-
Japanese, English, and Russian sign in Northern Japan
-
Mongolian, Chagatai, Chinese, Tibetan and Manchu languages sign in Chengde, China
-
A sign at the Israeli Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Immigrant Absorption in Haifa, uses Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Russian
-
A multilingual sign in Singapore's four official languages: English, Chinese, Tamil and Malay
-
Urdu, Hindi, and English on a road sign in India
-
A sign uses Arabic, Tifinagh and French Latin alphabets
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Multilingüismo social para niños
