![]() Ideally, the terms fieldworker and theoretician ought to designate the same set of individuals. Neither should they be compartmentalized or isolated from each other. Neither of these vital tasks should be postponed. In connection with this, I argue that language learning, so crucial to the monolingual approach, is a vital part of all fieldwork.Ī good case can be made for the claim that the most important tasks facing linguistics today are the preparation (or discovery or theorization or invention – choose your predicate) of grammars of little-studied or unstudied languages and the construction of theories of the nature of human language. The paper also argues that monolingual fieldwork should not be restricted to only those environments in which other methods are not available, but that it should be the method of choice, wherever the linguist is able. The purpose of this paper is to present the methodology, axiology, and teleology of monolingual fieldwork – how to do it, the values and ethics of engaging in it, and its ultimate aims. ![]() ![]() Margaret Mead to Franz Boas, Janu(cited in Freeman 1999: 115) This total is then broken down into indigenous (ind.) and immigrant (imm.) languages.I have no idea whether I am doing the right thing or not, or how valuable my results will be. ‘Total’ shows the overall number of languages spoken as a first language in the country. Everyone can speak the official tongue, Malay. The full ranking of the world’s most multilingual countries is below. Despite having fewer official languages, Malaysia is, in many ways, more multilingual than neighboring Singapore. World’s most multilingual countries – ranked Interestingly, Cuba has only five languages, explained in part by the fact that it’s an island nation but perhaps also by its history of political isolation. It’s not surprising that small countries and islands comprise the rest of the bottom five: British Indian Ocean Territory has one language while Vatican State, Tokelau and San Marino among others have only two. This Asian country is notoriously insular with vice-like controls on press, freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom of association. By using our site, you agree to our collection of. uses cookies to personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience. Results of the European Survey of Dictionary use and Culture. NORTH KOREA – which is predictable once you know the answer. The Image of the Monolingual Dictionary Across Europe. Pambudi Yoga Perdana/Shutterstock Indonesia is the 2nd most multilingual countryĬan you guess which country is the least multilingual? It has only one language within its borders and therefore zero chance that two randomly selected people will have different mother tongues. The country has a relatively small population of seven million, which means it is incredibly likely that two randomly selected people will have different mother tongues. This diversity is largely explained by the country’s topography: deep valleys and unnavigable terrain separated hundreds of different clans for centuries, giving rise to distinct languages and customs. Papua New Guinea takes the top spot with an overwhelming 839 languages. the number of people who speak more than one language), rather the world’s most multilingual countries – a count of the number of languages used as a first language in the country. It’s important to note that the ranking isn’t a measure of multilingualism on a personal level (i.e. Kaijankoski CC BY-SA 2.0 The world’s most multilingual countries are not necessarily crowded Heres an awesome list if you really want to fall deeper down the language rabbit hole. There are 56 languages spoken across its lands meaning if we chose to, we could likely learn a new language from someone who speaks a different one.Įthnologue, the premier authority on languages, has ranked the world’s most multilingual countries based on the number of living languages spoken within its borders. So lets recap the differences between monolingual countries and. This is a shame because on a country level, the UK has a very healthy degree of multilingualism. A few years of infrequent lessons from beleaguered GCSE teachers aren’t nearly enough to instil multilingualism on a personal level. We take a look at the world’s most multilingual countries, from Papua New Guinea with over 800 languages to the one country with only a single languageĪs guardians of the world’s lingua franca, we English have little incentive for learning a second language.
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