Semilingualism

Semilingualism is a term historically used in linguistics and education to describe a state in which a person has incomplete or uneven proficiency across two or more languages, such that neither language is fully acquired. The label has been applied especially to immigrant or language minority children growing up in a dominant-language environment, where exposure to each language may be limited or inconsistent.

The concept is controversial and widely criticized for implying a deficit in bilingual development and for stigmatizing children who navigate two linguistic systems. In contemporary research, language development in bilinguals is viewed as variable and context-dependent, with many individuals showing sequential or additive trajectories and achieving high proficiency in both languages given adequate exposure and support. Factors associated with semilingual labeling include limited access to rich language input, socio-economic disadvantage, schooling constraints, and insufficient systematic support in either language.

Assessment and intervention approaches emphasize evaluating functional communication in each language, using dynamic and culturally responsive methods, and avoiding comparisons to monolingual norms. Educational implications favor careful language planning, such as additive bilingual education, home-language maintenance, and targeted literacy support in both languages, rather than labeling a child as semilingual.

Today the term is less favored in scholarly work and is often replaced by more neutral descriptions, such as limited bilingualism or distinctions between language delay, language difference, and language disorder. The emphasis is on providing equitable language opportunities and evidence-based instruction to support proficiency in both languages.