Bilingual: Life and Reality

by François Grosjean

Overview

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. In a lively and entertaining book, an international authority on bilingualism explores the many facets of life with two or more languages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674056459
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	08/15/2010
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	903,064
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

François Grosjean is Professor Emeritus at Neuchâtel University, and author of Life with Two Languages: An Introduction to Bilingualism.

Table of Contents

Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part I. Bilingual Adults 1. Why Are People Bilingual? 2. Describing Bilinguals 3. The Functions of Languages 4. Language Mode and Language Choice 5. Code-Switching and Borrowing 6. Speaking and Writing Monolingually 7. Having an Accent in a Language 8. Languages across the Lifespan 9. Attitudes and Feelings about Bilingualism 10. Bilinguals Who Are Also Bicultural 11. Personality, Thinking and Dreaming, and Emotions in Bilinguals 12. Bilingual Writers 13. Special Bilinguals Part II: Bilingual Children 14. In and Out of Bilingualism 15. Acquiring Two Languages 16. Linguistic Aspects of Childhood Bilingualism 17. Family Strategies and Support 18. Effects of Bilingualism on Children 19. Education and Bilingualism Conclusion Notes Index

Editorial Reviews

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.

Times Literary Supplement - Kerstin Hoge

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.

Montreal Gazette - Mela Sarkar

Bilingual: Life and Reality…is a readable, informative, and emotionally satisfying work… The book is a gift.

Barbara Zurer Pearson

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

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