plurilingual

Plurilingual is an adjective used in sociolinguistics and language education to describe a person who uses multiple languages in a fluid, integrated way, or a methodological approach that treats language knowledge as a single, dynamic repertoire rather than as separate, discretely defined languages. The term emphasizes the ability to draw on linguistic resources from several languages to communicate effectively in varying contexts.

The concept is closely associated with the Council of Europe and its language education framework, where plurilingualism is promoted as a goal of learning and intercultural competence. Plurilingual competence refers to the capacity to adapt language use to different situations by drawing on knowledge from several languages, cross-linguistic transfer, and flexible switching between linguistic resources.

In practice, plurilingual approaches encourage learners to build a flexible repertoire, use cross-linguistic strategies, and connect school languages with community or home languages. They support translanguaging and intercultural communication, recognizing that language learning occurs across languages and cultures rather than in isolation.

Education and policy discussions around plurilingualism aim to foster inclusive, lifelong language learning that reflects contemporary multilingual realities. Proponents argue that the concept better models actual language use and helps learners leverage strengths from multiple languages to develop communication, literacy, and cultural awareness.

Critiques note potential ambiguity in definition and challenges in assessment and implementation across diverse educational settings. Despite these debates, plurilingualism remains influential in policy and pedagogy as a framework for recognizing and developing multilingual repertoires.