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Introducing multilingualism. A social approach

Article  in  International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism · January 2012

DOI: 10.1080/13670050.2012.689725

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Carmen Pena
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International Journal of Bilingual

Education and Bilingualism
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Introducing multilingualism. A social

approach
a
Carmen Pena
a
Universidad de Alcalá, Spain

Available online: 21 May 2012

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International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, DOI:10.1080/13670050.2012.689725

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 International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
2012, 1
4, iFirst article

BOOK REVIEW

Introducing multilingualism. A social approach, by J.J. Weber and K. Horner,

Abingdon, Routledge, 2012, 220 pp., £70.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-0-415-60998-2,
£19.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-415-60997-5

Introducing multilingualism. A social approach presents the key social issues in the
study of multilingualism in a very didactic, clearly explained, critical and thought-
provoking manner. As its authors state from the beginning, this book could be used for
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an introductory course in multilingualism, applied linguistics or linguistic anthro-

pology, as well as for independent study. Its clear explanations together with activities
which lead to analysis and critical debate could set the basis for seminar type classes
which would make students reflect and participate in the notion of multilingualism
and language variation and change and could also guide teachers who may want to use
it as class preparation.
The book tries to explain what language and multilingualism mean creating a
threefold relationship between society, language and identity. It describes how society
manages multilingualism from apparently multilingual perspectives yet organizes
educational systems which sometimes lack flexibility and impose homogeneity
through rigid policies and via inflexible media.
The starting point, which will remain visible throughout the volume, is the
authors’ approach to multilingualism; as the norm, the standard is an intertwined
complexity of linguistic reality, where languages are not static or stable. Its
authors emphasize language change and clearly explain that languages are socio-
politically rather than linguistically defined units. The major point of view which
Weber and Horner criticize is the negative connotation given to migrants and
minority/majority groups, focusing on the fact that minority groups can sometimes
be larger than majority ones (for example, Black people in Apartheid South
Africa), thus referring to situational differences in power, rights and privileges
rather than to the numerical size of particular groups. In this sense the concept of
otherness is reviewed, taking into account how we have gone from ‘EU and non-
EU’ to ‘non-EU and others’. The authors’ intention is definitely to broaden
readers’ minds and make them conscious that language variation and change must
be flexible and is mainly established by socio-political contexts which we must be
aware of.
The book is divided into six parts, each including a few chapters. It uses a very
practical approach beginning each chapter with the presentation of theoretical
concepts which can be used for different types of teaching and also including
different activities in order to apply the theory. These activities, which are optional,
can be carried out in class to get readers or students thinking about different
central issues in the study of multilingualism. Some points also have discussion

ISSN 1367-0050 print/ISSN 1747-7522 online

http://www.tandfonline.com
 2 Book review

notes at the end. There is also project work aimed at further study or research. It
includes a ‘Test Yourself Quiz’ about language at the very beginning and end of the
book which can give readers an idea about their previous and acquired knowledge
in the field and get them thinking about how language aware they really are.
Activities and quizzes have handy suggested answers in the last pages. All chapters
include to the point bibliography for each discussed central issue, an excellent way
to encourage and help with further reading. All concepts and definitions are
explained and discussed not only by giving the authors’ point of view but also
referring to fundamental authors who deal with the same issues from the same or
different perspective. In this way, it is quite a refreshing and interesting book
which adopts a very focused and clear perspective yet also includes different points
of view.
Part I introduces the main theoretical concepts and definitions as well as
ethnographic and discourse methodological approaches in the study of multi-
lingualism, emphasizing language ideology. It focuses on how the hearer/reader of a
text constructs its meaning in a particular context and situation.
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Part II is concerned with the definition of language and insists on language as a

socio-political construct with unstable and shifting boundaries intertwined with
peoples’ beliefs and discourse models about particular languages. The difference
between the popular model which differentiates between standard language and
dialects, creating thus a hierarchical relationship between them and the expert
model where there is no difference and all varieties are equal (including the
standard), thus ‘English’ would be a collection of all its different varieties, which
would, at the same time, have fuzzy boundaries between them. The authors insist
on the importance of establishing language variation awareness programmes to
dispel myths about dialects being inferior, etc. This continuum between variation
and all variations leads thus to multilingualism. The examples given from different
world-wide contexts, such as African-American English or Caribbean, are
extremely interesting, specially for young adults. The fuzziness found within
languages gives way to notions such as ‘language endangerment’ and ‘revitaliza-
tion’. Authors emphasize the importance of the transmission of minority languages
at home rather than just teaching them at school. They give examples of languages
such as the Maori in New Zealand and the not very successful Kven in Norway, as
opposed to a world language that was almost dead one hundred years ago, Hebrew,
and which is now the spoken everyday language for Israeli citizens. The examples
prove that different language policies and contexts give way to various forms of
varieties.
Part III focuses on the differences between individual and societal multi-
lingualism. The authors explain the difference between some states and others and
how this situation can change over time. For example, they claim that both the UK
and Spain are becoming more multilingual, whereas the Ukraine is becoming less
multilingual. On an individual level, languages are perceived depending on the
particular context and they go hand in hand with identity so far as we categorize
and stereotype others through their language. Not only is our perception of others
important but also how others perceive us. Gee’s (2001) identity-theoretical
Framework is briefly explained in order to help understand how and why identities
can be conceptualized in different ways. The ‘onion vs. peach’ metaphor applied to
identity (84) illustrates the idea of how social sciences views identity as an ‘onion’
or as social constructivism nowadays; however, the authors also comment on
 International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 3

identity and deep core ‘peach like’ layers which we feel very passionately about,
such as ethnicity or nationality. In the case of multilingualism these factors are
further analysed as we are dealing with more than one language. Important
multilingual strategies such as code-switching, stylization and language crossing
come into play in such contexts. The fact that individual multilingualism is almost
always perceived as positive, whereas societal and group multilingualism is
more likely to be negatively valued is an interesting element that readers need to
be aware of.
The fourth part of the book talks about different educational systems and the
authors state that each context and situation requires a specific approach. Ranking
from what the authors term ‘fixed’ to ‘flexible’, the former being an educational
system such as the Catalan system in Spain, where migrant students find it hard to
integrate due to their home languages being largely ignored, versus the latter
exemplified with the Basque system where different models co-exist and thus
different linguistic needs can be met, also including English as a language of
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instruction at schools. Luxembourg is also seen as a linguistically flexible type of

educational system; however, it is also seen as a very stratified system, excluding
many children from further education. This leads to the question whether mother
tongue education is the best system for all children. The authors claim that these
programmes tend to ignore the intra-linguistic variation and should be accompanied
by a literacy bridge (Weber 2009), which is a common denominator for students
whose mother tongue is similar. Indeed, mother tongue education may not help
those children build upon their actual linguistic resources in order to help them
achieve educational success. The same can be said for Heritage languages, and there
is an urgent need for policy-makers and educators to break through the standard
language ideology and take into account the different varieties in order to establish
effective common literacy bridges.
Part V is the last one and deals with institutional discourse on language and
migration, the media’s representation of multilingualism and multimodal discourse
(how language is used in the public space). Integration is perceived in different ways
but increasingly in numbers and statistics, trying to prove that society offers equal
rights and opportunities yet the societal perception is not on an equal basis but
rather the institutional, normally majority group, sees migrants as the ‘others’ and
thus come into play language testing for citizenship, which exacerbates existing social
inequities. This type of double charged discourse is a reflection of the media, where
ethnic others are frequently marginalized and discriminated against through negative
ideological constructions.
The last chapter is the books’ conclusion. Further research directions in the study
of multilingualism are suggested, such as the study of multilingualism and sign-
language; multilingual assessment as this is based on monolingual parameters and thus
not suitable for multilingual children; multilingualism and gender; and multilingualism
in institutional settings, as well as normalizing multilingualism, both at school and in
all areas of society.
Summing up, this is an excellent text to set the basis for a course on multilingualism
or as a starting point for further research on the subject. It introduces significant
authors and their perspectives, is clear and precise and definitely achieves its aim: the
awareness of language as a socio-political changing and flexible construct.
 4 Book review

References
Gee, J.P. 2001. Identity as an analytic lens for research in education. Review of Research in
Education 25: 99
125.
Weber, J.J. 2009. Multilingualism, education and change. Frankfurt/Main: Peter Lang.

Carmen Pena
Universidad de Alcalá, Spain
[email protected]
# 2012, Carmen Pena
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2012.689725
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