Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 12, 2026

Polyglossia

Polyglossia refers to the coexistence of multiple languages in one society or area. The term implies a living interaction among multiple languages within a single cultural system, producing significant effects on that culture. The word was used in a number of anthropology journals in the 1970s referencing multilingual communities in Malaysia, Singapore and the Caucasus region.

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Jun 12, 2026
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Polyglossia (/ˌpɒlɪˈɡlɒsiə/) refers to the coexistence of multiple languages (or distinct varieties of the same language) in one society or area. The term implies a living interaction among multiple languages within a single cultural system, producing significant effects on that culture.1 The word was used in a number of anthropology journals in the 1970s referencing multilingual communities in Malaysia, Singapore and the Caucasus region.2

See also

See also

References

References

  1. Holquist, Michael; Emerson, Caryl (1981). The Dialogic Imagination: Four Essays of M.M. Bakhtin (Glossary). University of Texas Press. p. 431.
  2. "Results for 'polyglossia' > 'Article' [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
External links
  • The dictionary definition of polyglossia at Wiktionary