polylingual
Speaks several languages
Polylingual means using or able to use several languages—essentially a synonym for multilingual.
The poly- prefix (many) emphasizes plurality: a polylingual household, polylingual education programs.
Someone polylingual might speak three, five, or more languages.
The term appears more in academic and technical contexts than in everyday speech.
Smooth linguistic command
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- translationConverting between languages
- interpretationAssigned meaning
comprehension · pronunciation · vocabulary · grammar · articulation · eloquence · literacy · reading
Rules for arranging words
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- phoneticsStudy of speech sounds
- phonologyScience of language sounds
- morphologyStudy of structural forms
lexicon · pragmatics · etymology · lexicography · cognates · loanwords · interlanguage · pidgins
Concerning relations among countries
- cross-culturalInvolving multiple societies
- globalizationWorldwide economic and cultural integration
- transnationalCrossing country lines
- diplomacyNegotiation between nations
trade · tourism · migration · UN · EU · interpreter · ambassador · expatriate
Inherited cultural legacy
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- trilingualismFluency in three languages
- mother-tongueLanguage acquired from birth
- native-speakerOne fluent from birth
cosmopolitan · diaspora · immigrant · bicultural · ethnicity · belonging
Act of obtaining something
- immersionState of being submerged
- pedagogyArt of instruction
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- didacticsScience of instruction
study · practice · tutoring · Duolingo · flashcards · drilling · memorization · retention
Brain's self-rewiring ability
- brainSeat of cognition
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- problem-solvingAddressing challenges methodically
creativity · attention · processing · switching · adaptability
fluency
Smooth linguistic command
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- code-switchingAlternating between linguistic varieties
- translationConverting between languages
interpretation · comprehension · pronunciation · vocabulary · grammar · articulation · eloquence · literacy · reading · writing
syntax
Rules for arranging words
- semanticsStudy of linguistic meaning
- phoneticsStudy of speech sounds
- phonologyScience of language sounds
morphology · lexicon · pragmatics · etymology · lexicography · cognates · loanwords · interlanguage · pidgins · creoles
international
Concerning relations among countries
- cross-culturalInvolving multiple societies
- globalizationWorldwide economic and cultural integration
- transnationalCrossing country lines
diplomacy · trade · tourism · migration · UN · EU · interpreter · ambassador · expatriate · worldly
heritage
Inherited cultural legacy
- bilingualismProficiency in two languages
- trilingualismFluency in three languages
- mother-tongueLanguage acquired from birth
native-speaker · cosmopolitan · diaspora · immigrant · bicultural · ethnicity · belonging
acquisition
Act of obtaining something
- immersionState of being submerged
- pedagogyArt of instruction
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
didactics · study · practice · tutoring · Duolingo · flashcards · drilling · memorization · retention · input
neuroplasticity
Brain's self-rewiring ability
- brainSeat of cognition
- memoryMind's retention capacity
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
problem-solving · creativity · attention · processing · switching · adaptability
language, polyglot, linguist, bilingual, linguistic, multilingual, polygon, trilingual, polyphony