Language Contacts and Collisions of Codes in the Case of Bilingualism

Abstract

Language constitutes one of the many systems of knowledge that man has acquired during his existence. Unlike traditional conceptions that see language as a phenomenon related to community, we can say that the language has an individual way, which is not only related to its performative displays, but also to its integral competence of special speakers. If nearly two centuries ago, the situations of bilingualism were viewed with suspicion and as temporary existence, now they are seen as the densest forms of linguistic and ethnic contacts. At this point, to a large extent of individuals, the monolingual situation is slowly being replaced by the bi- or multilingualism, as a result of various causes. If we drew a comparison between the monolingual speakers and the bilingual ones, we would understand those bilingual speakers are not just individuals who recognize two languages, but they can also use them regularly. For this reason, we cannot expect their language behavior to be the same with that of monolingual speakers, who use only their native language. In today's society, the idea of a sustainable and clear monolingual situation is unreal. Despite the level of language knowledge, the contact with other languages is inevitable. In such a group, no language system is immune to barriers of words or phrases that come out in one language and take place naturally in the lexicon of another language, or some other languages. Keywords: language analysis, identity, diglossia, social identity, bilingualism, asymmetry.