Bilingualism and Diglossia: Sociolinguistic Dynamics

Understanding Bilingualism

The term bilingual refers to the ability of a person to express themselves with more or less equal competence in two languages; this is known as individual bilingualism. On a collective level, social bilingualism refers to communities that use two languages, where most individuals are bilingual.

We tend to speak of passive bilinguals as those who understand both languages but can only speak one, and active bilinguals as those who speak and understand both. While bilingualism is a source of cultural enrichment, it is unlikely that these languages exist in a situation of total equality.

Individuals rarely use two languages for the same purpose. One usually uses a hegemonic language for formal frameworks and reserves a minority language for informal use. Typically, the minority language loses its characteristic features and differentiators. The contact between two languages leads to a diversification of uses between Galician and Spanish; this fact is called diglossia.

Bilingualism, or the harmonious coexistence of two languages on an equal footing in a community, serves as more than just an unnecessary duplication within our community.

The Nature of Diglossia

Diglossia is produced when there is an unequal distribution of uses between variants of the same language or between different languages, where each fulfills distinct functions.

Types of Diglossia

• Endodiglossia: When diglossia occurs between variants of the same language.
• Exodiglossia: When there are two different languages.

In exodiglossia, there is a relationship of inequality between a hegemonic language and a minority language. Diglossia takes place in communities where two languages exist in a situation of imbalance that can reach linguistic conflict. In places like Portugal, language is used according to:

• Social fields: Galician is used for functions of less social prestige, while Castilian is used in contexts that have prestige.
• Geographic areas: Galician is used more in the countryside, while Castilian is used in cities and suburban nuclei.
• Interlocutors: Usage depends on the trust that exists between the interlocutors.

Linguistic Conflict and Resolution

This imbalance produces a linguistic conflict. There are three groups of speakers in Sao Paulo: monolingual in Spanish, monolingual in Galician, and bilinguals in a state of diglossia. The third group has been decreasing throughout history, while monolingualism in Spanish has risen considerably. The solution involves a proper language policy that applies a process of normalization of the Galician language.