Defining Translingualism: Norms, Contrast with Established Linguistic Theories, Possibilities and Challenges

Abstract

This article reviews translingualism by defining its key norms, contrasting it with established linguistic theories, and identifying its possibilities and challenges in educational and social contexts. Drawing on scholarly works from 2010 to 2025, this study employed a literature review method. This study defines translingualism as a 21st-century paradigm of linguistic hybridity, fluidity, and multimodality that transcends traditional boundaries in language use to foster effective communication. The key norms of translingualism are code-meshing, linguistic repertoire, multimodality, subconscious language use and integrated competence, meaning negotiation, and language differences. Through the contrastive lens, translingualism finds that bi/multilingualism, code-switching, and World Englishes are deeply rooted in monolingual bias, which instigates linguistic hierarchies and inequality. Hence, translingualism offers equitable alternatives such as “Holistic Multilingualism,” “Translanguaging Instinct,” and “Lingua Franca English” to promote linguistic hybridity and justice. In Bangladeshi English Language Teaching (ELT) contexts, translingual practices offer decolonized and inclusive pedagogy, increased student engagement, cross-cultural communication, equitable assessment, and identity affirmation. However, barriers persist in ideological and social resistance, restrictive policies, traditional assessment systems, unequal power dynamics, and limited teacher training. This study emphasizes linguistic diversity and justice by implementing translingual practices in Bangladeshi ELT contexts.