Flerspråkiga

Flerspråkiga refers to individuals who regularly use more than one language in daily life. In Swedish usage, the term encompasses two or more languages and is a broader category than bilingualism, which specifically denotes two languages, while multilingualism describes the general phenomenon of using several languages.

Flerspråkighet arises through family language practices, migration, education, and contact between communities. People may acquire languages simultaneously from birth (simultaneous bilingualism or multilingualism) or sequentially later in childhood or adulthood. Proficiency often varies by language and by domain (home, school, work), with some languages used more actively in certain contexts.

Code-switching and translanguaging are common phenomena among flerspråkiga. Speakers may mix words and structures from different languages within sentences, or treat their whole linguistic repertoire as a single resource for communication.

Benefits and challenges: Multilingualism is associated with cognitive flexibility in some studies, along with social and cultural advantages. However, language maintenance can require deliberate effort, and languages can undergo attrition if not regularly used. Access to education and community support affects outcomes for home and minority languages, as does social policy.

Global and social context: Multilingualism is widespread worldwide and especially prevalent in immigrant and border regions, urban centers, and multilingual countries. Language policies and schooling practices influence how flerspråkiga maintain and develop their repertoires.