ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BILINGUALISM BY URIEL WEINREICH AND EINAR HAUGEN
Abstract
The main aim of the present study is to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism inspired by the pioneering work of Uriel Weinreich and Einar Haugen and provide a synthesis of the main ideas, classifications and views on bilingualism. Language as a means of expression and communication is more complex in its spoken than in its written form. Spoken language is never existent without paralinguistic features, which influence the message differently in different cultures. The study of bilingualism is essentially the study of the consequences of second language learning. Weinreich states that the ideal bilingual switches from one language to the other according to the appropriate changes in the speech situation. Being a bilingual means you have a developed cognitive skills and skills to switch constantly between the two languages. As for the advantages of being a good bilingual one should have the ability to learn new words easily, categorize these words, having good listening skills, find solutions to the problems and have improved skills in communication. Regarding disadvantages, a bilingual person while using two languages constantly might cause the verbal skills be generally weaker because their vocabularies seem to be weaker than those of a monolingual speakers. As Albanians we have the capacity to know and use two or more languages fluently. Bilingualism is common phenomena that occur in all the countries of the world in which people overwhelmingly attempt to learn another language other than their mother language. Both languages of a bilingual person are always switched on in their brains, notwithstanding which language they choose to speak at the moment. Through learning a second language, the third and fourth languages come more easily. A bilingual person not only is able to speak both languages but s(he) is indirectly studies the culture of the place of that language s(he) speaks and is more open-minded and respectful towards the culture diversity. Therefore, it is very beneficial to learn the second language because it will help and facilitate people in many things.
Keywords: bilinguals, bilingualism, advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism, second language acquisition, language interference, etc.
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