Andetsprog

Andetsprog is a term used in linguistics and education to describe a language learned after a person’s first language, and used in addition to that native language. In Danish contexts it serves as an umbrella term for any language that is not the first language, including languages learned later in life through schooling, work, or social exposure. The concept is commonly aligned with the broader notion of a second language (L2) in language acquisition research. Distinctions are sometimes made between andetsprog, which may include minority languages and foreign languages, and hjemmesprog (home language) or første sprog (first language).

In schooling, andetsprog is central to policies and programs designed for multilingual students. Danish as andetsprog (dansk som andetsprog) refers to Danish instruction tailored for learners whose first language is not Danish; andetsprogsundervisning covers general L2 teaching and language development for non-native speakers. Education systems may assess and track proficiency in andetsprog for purposes of placement, literacy development, and integration.

From a linguistic perspective, acquiring an andetsprog depends on factors such as age of arrival or exposure, motivation, and the amount of meaningful language use. Proficiency can vary across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. The classification as andetsprog is pragmatic and may not reflect actual daily language use or literacy; many individuals maintain multiple languages as part of a multilingual repertoire.