monolingüe

Monolingüe is an adjective and, in some contexts, a noun used in Spanish and French to describe a person or environment that uses or knows only one language. The term is formed from mono- meaning "one" and lingue or lingua meaning "language," reflecting its Latin origin. As an adjective, it agrees with the noun it modifies (for example, una persona monolingüe or un país monolingüe). As a noun, it can refer to a person who speaks only one language: un monolingüe or una monolingüe.

In ordinary usage, monolingüe contrasts with bilingual (bilingüe or bilingüe) and multilingual or plurilingual (multilingüe, plurilingüe). The concept is central in sociolinguistics and language policy, where monolingualism can reflect historical education systems, official language status, or migration patterns. It is also used descriptively in studies of language acquisition and literacy.

In practice, monolingual contexts can create access barriers for speakers of other languages, prompting policies to promote second-language learning, translation, or interpreter services. In an increasingly multilingual world, many individuals and communities function in more than one language, even when one language remains dominant for certain functions such as administration or media.

See also: bilingualism, multilingualism, language policy, language shift, diglossia.