Monolingual vs. Bilingual vs. Multilingual: Why Are These Terms Important For Communication Disorders?

Now that we have introduced many of our topics that we generally work with as SLPs would like to further the discussion on those that are considered monolingual, bilingual, or multilingual.  In the most basic sense the presence of more than one language makes assessment or treatment of language disorders a little more complex and challenging to identify and treat.  In this short post we make no attempt at truly exhausting all of the elements for discussion related to bilingualism or multilingualism. Entire books have been written about these topics and questions still remain. As such, it is impossible to cover all of the complexities related to these issues in this short blog post.  For the purpose of this post, we briefly distinguish and clarify the following terms:

• Monolingual:  used to identify one who speaks or is regularly exposed to only one language
• Bilingual:  used to identify one who speaks or is regularly exposed to two languages
• Multilingual:  used to identify one who speaks or is regularly exposed to greater than two languages  

Identification of any speech and language disorder can be challenging (for more information please see our post from May 6, 2016 titled Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM): What is a speech and language evaluation?  How does a speech-language pathologist complete an evaluation?).    Identification of monolingual speech and language disorders involves assessment of all parameters of speech and language in the person's sole language.  When assessing speech and language disorders for those who are considered bilingual or multilingual, the SLPs evaluation technique differs greatly from the monolingual evaluation.  Some areas that are considered include but are not limited to the following (in no particular order):

• exposure to each language
• language proficiency with/for each language
• interplay between/among his/her languages
• how does the presence of one language influence the language content, form, use, and pronunciation of words in the other language(s)         
• language preference
• acculturation
• cultural norms 
• length of time since introduction to the second language, third language, etc.

As SLPs in an increasingly diverse world, it is critical that we consider all elements when assessing speech and language skills for those who speak more than one language.  This is important to note so that one's cultural or linguistic differences are not incorrectly classified as communication disorders.

If you or someone you know needs the services of a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist, please be sure to discuss your concerns with a physician, a speech-language pathologist, or another qualified provider. You can also find a provider through the ASHA ProFind service or visit us at www.bilingualspeech.org for more information. NOTE: This article is intended only as a general source of information, i.e, it is not intended to replace information given to you by a qualified health professional that is familiar with your particular circumstances.  Lastly, if you have an urgent medical need, please seek immediate medical attention.