Semilingualism is a phenomenon, which relates to underdevelopment of language in individual. Different linguists define semilingualism differently, but they all agree that the concept involves a partial knowledge of two or more languages.
Semilingualism has been first described in 1920's by Bloomfield and later defined in 1960's by Hansegard after his extensive qualitative research on bilingual speakers in Torenea Valley in Scandinavia. Bloomfield proposed that semilingualism is a concept, where individual has deficit in six language areas: sizeof vocabulary, in grammatical correctness, automatism, language creation, mastering functions of language and in meaning and imagery.
The term 'semilingualism' evokes negative qualities, which may result in labeling of individuals as 'unintelligent' and 'inferior'. Scandinavian linguist Skutnabb-Kangas in her book Bilingualism or Not: The Education of Minorities (1981) states that she understands semilingualism as political not as scientific or even linguistic concept. Political and social factors clearly play a major role in not developing languages to expected degree. |
