Abstract:

In the context of multilingualism and multiculturalism as social phenomena, the process of globalization has become the most significant and widely used term over the past few decades, implying contradictory forces of global homogenization and local hybridity. In other words, the world has seen many changes in the field of education in the light of information technology and globalization over the past three decades. As a result, the focus of language education has shifted from monolingualism to bilingualism and multilingualism. This phenomenon implies the understanding of linguistic acquisition. Today more than ever the multilingual acquisition become a need because the increasing contact between comunities in the context of globalization motivates a shift of paradigms. Starting from the most recent theoretical concepts of use for explaining multilingualism from the points of view of the individual and society, this paper aims to present the most important socio-linguistic characteristics and tendencies of multilingual societies and individuals. At the methodological level, this research is based on the analysis of Eurobarometer reports on gender multilingual acquisition at the European Union level.

Keywords:

Globalization, multilingual aquisition, sociolinguistic approach, European Union.