Definition of bilingual

[cointreau]

I have just heard of someone of being bilingual in several different languages, and I was wondering how one defines a native level of language, as individuals differ so greatly in their own level of ability in their native tongue. Presumably it is greater fluency than BA standard, or am I wrong? I am wondering if there are certain qualifications that entitle people to say that they are bilingual - please can anyone enlighten me on this?

[MatydaLover]

"Bilingual" refers to fluency in two languages. If you are fluent in three or more then you are certainly not bilingual. I think the eseence is being more or less equally fluent in them.

[scuzzball]

multilingual

[scuzzball]

http://www.allwords.com/word-multilingual.html

[cointreau]

Thanks very much to you both, MatydaLover and scuzzball...I was really wondering how fluent one has to be in a language before that kind of description can be used, as it seems rather vague to me? Thanks

[Peter Pedant]

Studies in the sixties in bilingual people showed they had one which they preferred.

I've met a few BAs who were not particularly bilingual.
and translators who are, may not have degrees.

If you can have a telephone conversation in a foreign language you are doing very well indeed
[because there are no visual cues and because telephones do not transmit the high tones verywell which carry nuances]

and hahahaha I must end with a joke

Tramslators Polish lacks polish

Some President took a Polish translator on his state visit to Poland, who translated, "The president loves [coming to] Poland"

as

The President wishes to have carnal knowledge of Poland.

[You will have to substitute a word for carnal habits as This is a Family Site]. All the Polish correspondents (=hacks) jumped out of their seats when they heard this.....

and the translator took the first plane back to the good old US of A.

as reported in the Daily Telegraph ten or twenty years ago.

[cointreau]

Thanks, Peter Pedant, I thought that there must be a bias...also thanks for the joke...let's hope that sort of thing doesn't happen too often!

[ace bt]

My personal definition is when you dream in two languages...

[cointreau]

that is a lovely thought...

[rojash]

Ace bt, I often dream in Greek as well as English - problem being that in most of the Greek dreams I haven't a clue what's going on...