Multilingual writing

Multilingual writing is a concept derived from multilingualism used to describe a person’s ability to be able to write in more than one language. Multilingual writing allows for the development of rhetorical awareness and attunement through multilingual writers' experiences across languages and cultures that have helped in shaping how they communicate in academic and social contexts^[1]. Multilingual writing researchers have begun associating the concept as the translingual approach in which it sees difference within language not as a barrier to overcome, but as production of meaning within writing, speaking, reading, and listening^[2]. Multilingual writing uses approaches such as translingualism to allow for full usage of the writer’s linguistics.

Multilingual writing, being a concept traced from multilingualism, is said to have originated earliest during the Sumerian and Ancient Egypt period when multilingual written clay tablets were discovered showcasing the skills of people who were taught to speak and write in Sumerian and Akkadian during this period^[3]. Similarly, there were findings during The Roman Empire, The Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Enlightenment periods. Multilingualism was found in forms of literary texts, letters, and a means of communication amongst people, slaves, and trade^[3].

Multilingual writing helps writers become linguistically flexible, developing rhetorical attunement, and building a better cultural understanding.

Multilingual writing contributes to writers becoming more linguistically flexible, which is when they’re able to adapt, switch, and modify language based on the context or audience. By using the translingual approach to become linguically flexible, it helps build recognition towards differences in language as the resource for producing writing, speaking, reading, and listening^[2]. Using this approach, writers are able to expand their abilities with how they decide to choose words, expressions, structures, and communication within their writing, allowing them to become linguistically flexible with their work.

Multilingual writing has also helped writers develop a rhetorical attunement, the ability to notice differences in audience, culture, power, and context in order to adjust language accordingly^[1]. Through their experiences as multilingual writers, the development of rhetorical attunement allows them to notice the distinction within languages and see its differences, history, and complications^[1].

Building of linguistic flexibility and rhetorical attunement helps multilingual writers acquire better cultural understanding. Writers actively engaging with the translingual approach are developing transcultural dispositions, which helps them see how culture influences writing^[4]. This shapes their cultural understanding of different perspectives, audience, and writing styles^[4]. Similarly, rhetorical attunement shapes their cultural understanding by helping the writers understand and notice the differences within languages, cultural perspectives and communications^[1]. Through developing cultural understanding, writers are able to build a sense of comfort using and sharing languages as they've come to familiarize themselves with the cultural differences lying underneath languages.

Multilingual writing has begun to see support from writing professionals and educators after studies have recommended encouraging them to recognize language differences instead of shutting them down and sticking to conventional English writing, monolingual writing^[2]. Despite these findings, advocates in the multilingual writing community are advocating for the installation of multilingual writing institutions, whether it be creating writing centers or integrating support within schools^[5]. These institutions allow for a better support system for multilingual writers by enabling them to receive tutoring services^[6], help in seeing the competence with using another language besides English^[6], and the further development of their multilingualism skills^[5][6].