First of all, it is important to know what bilingualism is. It is the capability to make alternate (and sometimes mixed) uses of 2 languages. Also, a person who does not speak both languages with equal fluency can be considered as bilingual too as long as he/she uses both languages on a regular basis, since most of bilinguals have one dominant or preferred language. And there are different types of bilingualism.
Consecutive bilingualism, also called successive bilingualism, is when a person learns one language after already knowing another. People who become bilingual as adults and those who became earlier are the case.
Secondly, simultaneous bilingualism is when a person learns two languages as first language. People who are simultaneous bilingual freely think, listen, speak, and read in both languages. Infants who are exposed to two languages from birth will become this type.
The last, receptive bilingualism is when a person is able to understand two languages but expressed oneself in only one.
The classification can be also done with the level of skills. The ability of communication through two languages increases in the order of passive bilingual, dominant bilingual, balanced bilingual, and equilingual where passive bilingual is the lowest.
Bilinguals seem to have a greater tolerance of other languages and cultures and to be in a better situation to access to different cultures. But, this can happen when a person has a clear identity about oneself. A lot of bilingual people get confused about his/her identity because he/she cannot distinguish the differences between two different cultures in different languages. ‘Exported’ babies for adoption, people born in a foreign country and immigrants are often more than balanced bilingual, and they don’t realize which language is their mother tongue. A word “mother tongue” has an important meaning in it as “mother tongue” represents one’s ancestors, history, and characters, thus identity. Without identity and a sense of belonging, a person is not likely to settle in one society. What’s more, most of young bilinguals who don’t know how to read or write their actual language that they should know. This is same as to distort and ignore the history and ancestors who made us to be here today.
Not knowing the actual mother tongue normally comes from lack of concern and interest for mother tongue, as some people think that it is unnecessary or waste of time. There are people who think that their actual mother tongue is inferior to another or is not as important as other languages. The survey carried in U.S.A. showed that 2 of Koreans who were born in U.S.A. in 10 don’t have Korean identity at all, considering themselves totally American while their parents are totally Korean. And 3-4 of those in 10’s ability to use Korean language was at a primary school student’s level. It shows that then these people will create their own mixture of Korean and American culture, which may not be accepted by majority of people.
Also, when there is no cleary identity or full understanding in another langyage, the mixture of two languages occur. Deformation of one language occurs in many countries, but famous examples are Hinglish (Hindi+English) and Japlish (Japanese+English). A language is changed into a convenient form for a group of people and this puts languages in disorder, making them lose its uniqueness and purity.
Furthermore, not clear identity may bring a communicating problem with monolingual people. Many of old Asian people feel that English is a rude language, because the language doesn’t really have special words for calling elder people, like elder brother.
