semilingual

English

Etymology

semi- +‎ lingual

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪŋɡwəl

Adjective

semilingual (not comparable)

1. Having a low profile in all of several languages the person can speak.
   • 2014, Mia Halonen, Pasi Ihalainen, Language Policies in Finland and Sweden: Interdisciplinary and Multi-sited Comparisons‎^[1]:

     The harmful effects of semilingualism on the identity and psyche, together with an incomplete mastery of Swedish, made the semilingual person socially handicapped in comparison with the monolingual Swede.

Derived terms

• semilingualism

Noun

semilingual (plural semilinguals)

1. A person who knows two or more languages but exhibits low profile in all of them, that involves having poor vocabulary and wrong grammar.