andraspråk

Andraspråk is a term used in Swedish and Norwegian to denote a person’s second language—the language learned in addition to the native language. It is commonly equated with L2, in contrast to the first language (modersmål or först språk). The concept covers both the language a person actively uses in daily life and the linguistic study of how such languages are learned and used.

In linguistic and educational contexts, andraspråk can refer to both the process of second language acquisition and the practical aspects of learning and teaching an additional language. It is studied under second language acquisition (SLA), which investigates how learners acquire grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and pragmatic competences, and how factors such as age, prior linguistic experience, motivation, and learning environment influence outcome.

Educationally, andraspråk undervisning or teaching focuses on learners whose dominant language at home is not the language of instruction. In Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, this includes programs for pupils who speak a different language at home to develop proficiency in the school language, while also supporting overall bilingual or multilingual development.

Relation to bilingualism is common: a speaker may be bilingual or multilingual, with one or more languages functioning as their andraspråk. The term helps distinguish the additional language from the native language within sociolinguistic and pedagogical contexts.