This updated and revised edition of Hamers and Blanc's successful textbook presents state-of-the-art knowledge about languages in contact from individual bilingualism (or bilinguality) to societal bilingualism. It is both multi- and interdisciplinary in approach, and analyses bilingualism at individual, interpersonal, and societal levels. Linguistic, cognitive and sociocultural aspects of bilingual development are explored, as are problems such as bilingual memory and polyglot aphasia. Hamers and Blanc analyse the relationship between culture, identity, and language behaviour in multicultural settings, as well as the communication strategies in interpersonal and intergroup relations. They also propose theoretical models of language processing and development, which are then applied to bilingual behaviour. Other topics reviewed include language shift, pidgins and creoles, language planning and bilingual education. This book will be invaluable to students, teachers and scholars interested in languages in contact in a range of disciplines including psycholinguistics, linguistics, the social sciences, education and language planning.

‘Bilinguality and Bilingualism succeeds in presenting a wide-ranging and critical survey of theorizing and research on bilingualism … firstly, it presents comprehensive, integrated, and accurate views of the state of the art in the area of bilinguality and bilingualism; secondly, it sets wider challenges for theorizing in this field … an impressive and important piece of scholarship.’

Source: Applied Linguistics

‘Bilinguality and Bilingualism has carved a unique niche in its treatment of individual, interpersonal and intergroup dimensions of language contact. However, few other books on the market can claim to cover a similar breadth of issues in such a comprehensive and critical way and the authors are to be commended …’.

Source: Language and Education

‘… the volume handles a plethora of topics which are of great interest to a variety of scholars in disciplines such as linguistics, psychology, sociology, pedagogy, bilingual education planning, and translation …a clear and stimulating presentation is observed all throughout the book, which may be used as a textbook in a college course on bilingualism or as a reference book for researchers and anybody interested in the field of bilinguality.’

Source: International Review of Linguistics

‘… the material covered is very impressive. there is no book like it. No single-author work has the same breadth, and multiple-author books in the field do not have the same integrative potential.’

Source: Language in Society