Bilingualism at the Individual Level

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to the discussion of bilingualism at the individual level. The author first presents different types of bilingualism which can be categorized by a range of factors, including ability, use, balance, age, development, culture, context, and choice. Respectively, the author then discusses the development of heritage language for minority individuals and motivations to learn a new language for majority individuals. Then she moves on to discuss how a bilingual's language(s), culture(s), and power relations or interactions with others may form his or her identity or identities. Some specific cases are exemplified to show how these factors may interact to affect the formation of identity. The discussion is followed by a general perception of advantages of bilingualism. Finally, the author interviews a bilingual individual to provide a rough picture of bilingualism at an individual level.