Fremdsprachige

Fremdsprachige is a German term used to describe people who speak a language other than the dominant or official language of a country. The word can function as a noun or as an adjective. As a noun it is usually capitalized in the plural form die Fremdsprachigen. As an adjective it appears in the attributive position, for example fremdsprachige Kinder, or in the predicate position, as in die Schüler sind fremdsprachig.

In academic and policy contexts, Fremdsprachige is employed in linguistics, education and migration studies to refer to individuals whose languages include languages other than the majority language. The term focuses on language use rather than nationality or ethnicity, and it often serves as a descriptive category in research, schooling and public discourse about integration and language acquisition.

Connotations of the term can vary by context. While it can be neutral and descriptive, Fremdsprachige may be perceived as stigmatizing or othering in some settings, particularly if used to imply deficit or exclusion. Consequently, many writers and practitioners prefer more nuanced formulations, such as Personen mit mehrsprachigem Hintergrund, Personen mit Migrationsgeschichte or simply multilingual people, depending on the emphasis.

Related concepts include Fremdsprache (foreign language), Mehrsprachigkeit (multilingualism), and Spracherwerb (language acquisition). The term Fremdsprachige is one of several ways to categorize language use in populations and is most informative when complemented by attention to individual identities and social contexts.