Plurilingualism and translanguaging: commonalities and divergences

TLDR

Plurilingualism and translanguaging are defined and distinguished, each reshaping bilingualism research; plurilingualism supports a dual lexico‑grammatical system while translanguaging challenges that conception. The concepts introduce distinct epistemologies and socio‑political foundations, producing divergent educational paths, yet both foster continuous practices that benefit bilingual students.

Abstract

The concepts of plurilingualism and translanguaging are explained and distinguished, showing how each has contributed to transformations in the study of bilingualism and multilingualism. The terms have introduced different epistemologies related to multilingual speakers. The two concepts have different socio-political grounding, a difference that has contributed to carving divergent paths in educational practice. Plurilingualism, whose educational benefits are discussed here, upholds the familiar conception of the dual lexico-grammatical system of bilinguals, a conception challenged by translanguaging. But alongside divergences, we point out the continua of practices enacted by educators informed by plurilingualism and translanguaging, both of whom have engaged with an education that benefits bilingual students.