Bilingual: Life and Reality

François Grosjean

Published by Harvard University Press 2010

Bilingual

Life and Reality

François Grosjean

https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674056459

Overview
Contents

About this book

Whether in family life, social interactions, or business negotiations, half the people in the world speak more than one language every day. Yet many myths persist about bilingualism and bilinguals. Does being bilingual mean you are equally fluent in two languages, or that you belong to two cultures, or even that you have multiple personalities? Can you become bilingual only as a child? Why do bilinguals switch from one language to another in mid-sentence? Will raising bilingual children confuse and delay their learning of any language? In a lively and often entertaining book, an international authority on bilingualism, son of an English mother and a French father, explores the many facets of bilingualism. In this book, François Grosjean draws on research, interviews, autobiographies, and the engaging examples of bilingual authors. He describes the various strategies—some useful, some not—used by parents raising bilingual children, explains how children easily pick up and forget languages, and considers how bilingualism affects the experience and expression of emotions, thoughts, and dreams. This book shows that speaking two or more languages is not a sign of intelligence, evasiveness, cultural alienation, or political disloyalty. For millions of people, it’s simply a way of navigating the complexities of life.

Reviews

What may not be apparent to the non-specialist is the extent to which Grosjean masters the entire body of scholarly literature on bilingualism produced during the past 100 years… It is worth having at one's fingertips the unpretentiously presented, solidly researched facts and figures in this gentle, humorous, civilized book.
-- Mela Sarkar Montreal Gazette

The personal dimension of the book contributes to its readability and vitality. Grosjean succeeds in impressing on his readers the need to demystify bilingualism and seek ways in which to encourage linguistic diversity.
-- Kerstin Hoge Times Literary Supplement

Bilingual: Life and Reality…is a readable, informative, and emotionally satisfying work… The book is a gift.
-- Barbara Zurer Pearson Language

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	ix
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	xiii
Part 1. Bilingual Adults
1. Why Are People Bilingual? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	3
2. Describing Bilinguals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	18
3. The Functions of Languages Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	28
4. Language Mode and Language Choice Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	39
5. Code-Switching and Borrowing Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	51
6. Speaking and Writing Monolingually Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
7. Having an Accent in a Language Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	77
8. Languages across the Lifespan Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	85
9. Attitudes and Feelings about Bilingualism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	97
10. Bilinguals Who Are Also Bicultural Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	108
11. Personality, Thinking and Dreaming, and Emotions in Bilinguals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
12. Bilingual Writers Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	134
13. Special Bilinguals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	145
Part 2. Bilingual Children
14. In and Out of Bilingualism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	163
15. Acquiring Two Languages Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	178
16. Linguistic Aspects of Childhood Bilingualism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
17. Family Strategies and Support Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
18. Effects of Bilingualism on Children Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	218
19. Education and Bilingualism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	229
Conclusion Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	243
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	247
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	271

Language: English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Audience: General/trade;
Pages
- Main content: 304

eBook

Published: August 15, 2010
ISBN: 9780674056459