Polyglot vs Bilingual: What’s the Real Difference?

Summary:

Do you speak two languages with high proficiency or several languages at a high proficiency level? The terms “bilingual” and “polyglot” are often used interchangeably and, in fact, are sometimes used to describe the same levels of mastery of foreign languages. In this blog, we explore the supposed difference between these two terms and some of the key distinctions between them. Let’s break down the meanings of these two terms and see how they shape communication in a globalized world.

What is a Bilingual? Understanding the Basics

When we refer to being bilingual, we mean that an individual is fluent in two languages. Bilingualism is a familiar concept, with many people growing up speaking two languages. The crucial feature of bilingualism is being able to converse, comprehend, read, and write in two languages at a satisfactory level—such that communication is smooth and appropriate in various settings.

Meaning: A bilingual individual is proficient in two languages. Proficiency can vary, of course, and some bilinguals are equally fluent in both languages they speak. Others have stronger skills in one of the two languages, with the other language being a sort of second cousin to the more Trump-like first cousin—the stronger language. Bilingualism can exist on a continuum.

Forms of Bilingualism: Bilingual individuals may differ in their experience and proficiency with the two languages they speak. Factors such as age at acquisition, context of acquisition, and amount of use all contribute to the forms of bilingualism found in a population.

At the same time, bilingualism may happen: This may occur when a person learns two tongues from an early period of time, from birth or in early childhood.

This occurs when someone learns a second language following the establishment of their first language, which is usually the case when a person is either a child or an adult.

Cognitive and Social Benefits of Being Bilingual: Studies have shown that individuals with knowledge of two languages tend to have more robust cognitive skills. These include memory, multitasking, and problem solving. Moreover, being proficient in two languages can also confer social and professional advantages. One can transcend the barriers of language and communicate with a much larger and varied group of people by virtue of knowing a second language. And in this globalized world, that can also lead to some very nimble and adaptable cognitive styles.

Bilingualism Can Be a Challenge: Bilinguals are very adept at switching between languages; however, they might experience something called code-switching (which is kind of like the next step in conversation after you say, “um,” in order to figure out which language to use). Code-switching is alternating between languages during conversations. This might cause confusion sometimes, especially if both languages are a little too similar (like Spanish and Portuguese). Maintaining equal proficiency in both languages can be really challenging because it requires almost constant use just to even stay at the descriptive level!

Being able to speak two languages is often regarded as a precious asset, particularly in the realms of global commerce, diplomacy, education, and tourism. Yet, bilingualism is merely one component of the larger phenomenon of multilingualism.

What is a Polyglot?

A polyglot takes language proficiency to a whole new level. The term “polyglot” refers to a person who knows and can use multiple languages—typically four or more. Unlike a bilingual, whose proficiency is limited to two languages, a polyglot is comfortable in several languages and can switch between them as needed. (Baker 1996; Kelly 2000)

Polyglots are often passionate about language learning and enjoy the challenge of acquiring new languages for cultural, personal, or professional reasons.(Baker 1996; Bygott 1990; Flavell 1998; Heath 1997; Kelly 2000)

Polyglot Meaning: A polyglot is someone who speaks, reads, and understands multiple languages. The number of languages can vary—some polyglots master three languages, while others know as many as ten or more. Unlike bilinguals, polyglots are not limited to two languages; their linguistic ability spans a broader spectrum.

The Art of Learning Languages from a Polyglot’s Perspective:

Most polyglots learn in a very methodical manner. Their approach is not haphazard or random.

Environment:

They often place themselves in totality in the language for a great period of time. They are filled with the language in a manner that they cannot escape. During this time, they do not stop working with that language. They keep it constantly in their thoughts, practice in their minds, and have actual conversations with living people. Resources:

They use a variety of resources to accomplish this, including books, apps, exchanges with people (living and dead), and media. They not only enjoy the process but also feel a sense of accomplishment that lights a fire under them to continue onward. Enjoyment:

Most of them report having fun with the process.

Advantages of Being a Polyglot:

A polyglot’s cognitive benefits are even more pronounced than those of a bilingual. Enhanced executive function allows a polyglot not only to solve problems better but also to be more creative and make decisions with greater ease than those who speak only one or two languages. Understanding how languages work on a structural level benefits polyglots in their quest to learn even more languages. This understanding also helps them make the kind of cultural shifts that enable them to be better diplomats, educators, and global business people.

Being a polyglot presents certain difficulties. One such difficulty is proficiency. Even with all the languages a polyglot knows, maintenance of the languages is key to keeping fluent in them. A polyglot must consistently practice all their languages lest they drop one. Next is the commitment needed to learn and retain multiple languages. Using the languages daily is one way to keep them fresh in your mind. Otherwise, if you only use them once in a blue moon, they might not be so fresh, and you’re bound to forget some words. Finally, some people might say that learning any language is an arduous task. Well, a polyglot busies themselves learning two or more languages in any given time frame.

Polyglots are often envied for their ability to speak so many languages and for their impressive cultural adaptability. We might even describe ourselves as polyglots if we could just master a few more languages—after all, the insight and adaptability offered by only two languages seem dwarfed by the potential revealed in the ability to speak several.

Polyglot vs Bilingual: Key Differences

The fundamental disparity between polyglot and bilingual lies primarily in the amount of languages utilized and the heightened level of mastery. Let’s examine the primary differences between these two affable linguists:

Count of Languages:

Bilingual: Fluent in two languages.

Polyglot: Fluent in three or more languages.

Cognitive Differences:

Bilingual individuals frequently acquire superior cognitive skills, such as the ability to perform several tasks simultaneously, an improved capacity for remembering things, and enhanced skills in solving problems. The brain reaps the rewards of switching back and forth between two languages, but it does not reap quite as many rewards as it would from an even stronger workout with several languages.

Knowing two or more languages makes you a more flexible thinker, but some people are more linguistically flexible than others—actually, a lot more. These are the polyglots. Whether inherently or through extended experience, polyglots possess even stronger cognitive flexibility. They effortlessly switch between more than two languages in the brain, and that constant switching gives them heightened executive function, mental agility, and creativity.

Cultural Insight:

Having proficiency in two languages and a comprehensive understanding of their respective cultures makes individuals invaluable in regions requiring bilingual expertise. Such bilinguals are especially important in contexts like these: • Local economic development, where they can help connect immigrant communities with local businesses. • International diplomacy, where knowledge of different cultures (and their languages) can aid in conflict resolution.

People who speak many languages can interact with and comprehend different parts of the world. They can converse and be understood in the languages of the many places they visit. They are afforded the opportunity to see the world through the lens of its multitude of cultures, and this inure offers them a bunkers vantage point from which to contemplate the global condition.

Learning Approach:

Individuals who speak two languages usually acquire them in a natural way, either through free (unsupervised) language contact or in a more controlled environment like a school. They generally work towards achieving a good level of proficiency in both languages.

People who speak several languages seek out even more languages. They find joy in not just speaking, but also in reading and writing the tongues they have learned. Their enthusiasm often spills over into the realm of linguistics—the scientific study of language structures and the way languages work.

When to Use Bilingual vs Polyglot Skills

There are special uses for being either bilingual or polyglot, and each is valuable in its own right. But they serve different contexts and need different skill sets. So which should you aspire to—bilingualism or becoming a polyglot? Here’s a handy guide to help you decide.

Use Bilingualism:

In businesses that are local or communication that is cross-cultural, only two languages are needed.

In communities with multiple languages, bilingualism can link other communication groups.

In international affairs, the realm of diplomacy tends to be dominated by two main languages, such as English and French. These languages function as the primary vehicles of communication within the diplomatic community.

Use Polyglotism:

A global career is an asset when it comes to communicating in multiple languages. Such careers include diplomacy, international business, and education.

Involving oneself in worldwide journeys or existing in diverse, multicultural locales allows for the opportunity to bond with individuals across the spectrum of nationalities—something made all the more possible and enjoyable through speaking a variety of languages.

In scholarly research or translation tasks, the ability to speak several languages can greatly widen the kind of research one can do. It can also magnify the effect that kind of research can have.

Conclusion: Embracing Multilingualism in a Globalized World

Although the difference between polyglot and bilingual can seem very small, the distinction is actually of great importance when it comes to language proficiency and cognitive ability. Individuals who are bilingual know two languages and use them equally well, with the same degree of fluency that a monolingual person has in just one language. Those who are bilingual can to all intents and purposes translate themselves from one language to the other and vice versa; they think in both languages, and neither language serves as more of a “default” than the other. Indeed, bilingualism is reckoned to be equal in a way to having two (or more) language faculties. On the other hand, polyglots know three or more languages, with varying degrees of proficiency.

Grasping the benefits of being fluent in two or more languages sheds light on the way language shapes our identities, both professional and personal. It’s not just that you can hold a conversation in another language; the very structure of that language, its idioms and turn of phrase, will have taught your brain to think in a different way—that is, if you’re using that language on a regular basis.