Bilinguals use a single unified linguistic repertoire rather than switching between languages
In short: Researchers examining the concept of translanguaging found that bilinguals do not actually switch between separate grammars. Instead, they draw from a single, unitary collection of linguistic features to communicate, using their full repertoire without adhering to the social or political boundaries that define named languages like English or Spanish.
This perspective suggests that 'named languages' are social constructs rather than linguistic ones, meaning their boundaries are defined by society rather than by internal grammar. The authors argue that while an individual's idiolect is defined by structural features, the languages we assign to nations or groups are social objects.
The study highlights how school systems often misinterpret bilingual proficiency by testing for specific named languages rather than overall linguistic ability, though the authors' perspective is a theoretical clarification of linguistic concepts.
Why it matters: Understanding bilingualism requires viewing languages as social constructs rather than separate internal grammars.
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