Znajomość języków obcych z historycznojęzykowej perspektywy: multilingwizm na przełomie wieków – XIX/XX oraz XX/XXI

Command of Foreign Languages from the Perspective of Historical Linguistics: multilingualism at the turn of the centuries – 19th and 20th, 20th and 21st

In the present study Joanna Przyklenk deals with the linguistic representation of bilingualism and multilingualism. The image of bi-/multilingual people expressed in Polish texts and lexis was also taken into consideration. Two periods were compared: lexical and textual data gathered from late 19th and early 20th centuries were juxtaposed with the information taken from the contemporary dictionaries of the Polish language and texts of various styles and genres. The description of multilingualism phenomenon was concentrated on those historical, economic, and social conditions that are most certainly linked to the quantity and quality of acquired languages during studied periods. The linguistic-oriented studies resulted in the conclusion that the lingual conceptualisation of multilingual person, rather invariant during compared time frames, is focused on her/his ability to master the art of using foreign languages to interact fluently without mistakes. The changes in the attitude of Poles towards foreign language acquisition were recognised and described as a transition from the exclusive sphere into the public space, a transition that is connected with failing to meet European standards on plurilingualism.