In certain countries, monolingualism remains predominant, with approximately 80 percent of the United States population being monolingual (Altschuler and Wippman, 2022). However, on a global scale, statistics reveal that about 43 percent of the world’s population is bilingual (Gration, 2021), indicating that bilingualism is surprisingly prevalent. Language proficiency generally encompasses two key categories: receptive and productive skills. Receptive skills, such as reading and listening, facilitate comprehension of context, while productive skills, like speaking and writing, enable individuals to convey information effectively. Many bilingual individuals exhibit a balanced proficiency in both sets of skills, allowing them to navigate between languages seamlessly. This widespread bilingualism underscores the importance of language diversity and highlights the benefits of multilingualism in fostering communication and understanding across diverse cultural and linguistic landscapes.
Three types of bilinguals
Although nearly half of the global population is bilingual, the classification of bilingual individuals varies based on factors such as the situation and age of language acquisition. Generally, bilinguals can be categorized into three main types: compound, coordinate, and subordinate bilinguals. Compound bilinguals acquire both their native language and second language simultaneously during early childhood. Coordinate bilinguals, on the other hand, develop proficiency in a second language during their teenage years after already mastering their native language. Subordinate bilinguals attain fluency in a second language during adulthood, often through translation and constant interchange between their mother tongue and the second language (Saved You a Spot, 2015). Understanding these distinctions sheds light on the diverse pathways to bilingualism and underscores the importance of considering individual linguistic backgrounds and experiences in language acquisition research and education.
Major differences in the three categories of bilingual
Compound bilinguals process both languages in an indiscriminate manner since they learn both simultaneously. This suggests that they interact with the environment in both languages as if they were one language. During childhood, they use both languages in everyday interactions, which may cause confusion for some people, particularly those who are monolingual. On the other hand, compound bilinguals and coordinate bilinguals can discern between the two languages. They treat each language as a distinct entity, acknowledging its role in communication across multiple areas.
Coordinate bilinguals acknowledge the appropriate contexts and purposes for employing each language independently. Since subordinate bilinguals acquire a second language in adulthood, their native language remains stronger, and they may struggle with their comprehension and expression in the second language. They tend to associate new concepts in the second language with those from their native tongue, and they may initially formulate expressions in their native language before translating them to a second language (Transcore, 2022). Although subordinate bilinguals may appear less proficient compared to other types of bilingualism, learning additional languages at a later stage of life can be advantageous for them. Studies have shown that individuals who are subordinately bilingual demonstrate a more rational and less emotionally biased approach to problem-solving when using a new language rather than their native one (Saved You a Spot, 2015).
Conclusion
To summarize, bilingualism is classified into three types: compound, coordinate, and subordinate bilinguals. Compound bilinguals learn a second language alongside their first language, achieving fluency in both. However, kids may occasionally become confused or have difficulties discriminating between the two languages. Coordinate bilinguals are likewise fluent in a second language, but they usually distinguish between their original language and the second one. Subordinate bilinguals may struggle to understand and express themselves in their second language. Surprisingly, research has shown that they are more likely to tackle challenges in their lives successfully than other bilinguals. Understanding these categories and information can help bilingual individuals acquire a better understanding of themselves.
Reference
Altschuler, G.C. and Wippman, D. (2022). Remaining monolingual is a surefire way for America to fall behind. [online] American Academy and Arts of Science. Available at: https://www.amacad.org/news/remaining-monolingual-surefire-way-america-fall-behind#:~:text=In%20a%20multilingual%20world%2C%20the,80%20percent%20speak%20English%20only. [Accessed 28 September 2023].
Gration, E. (2021). Bilingualism in 2023: US, UK & Global Statistics. [online] Preply. Available at: https://preply.com/en/blog/bilingualism-statistics/ [Accessed 28 September 2023].
Saved You a Spot. (2015). Which type of bilingual are you? [online] Available at: https://savedyouaspot.com/2015/10/30/which-type-of-bilingual-are-you/#:~:text=You%20are%20a%20compound%20bilingual,were%20learning%20your%20native%20language.&text=You%20are%20categorised%20as%20a,fluent%20in%20your%20mother%20language. [Accessed 29 September 2023].
Transcore. (2022). Different types of bilingual person you need to know. [online] TRANSCORE. Available at: https://transcore.co.id/different-types-of-bilingual-person-you-need-to-know/ [Accessed 29 September 2023].
