Lingualism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The possession or use of language or languages ; the state or quality of being associated with tongues or speech
2. The ability or tendency to utilize one or more languages ; characteristics or phenomena related to speaking or tongues
3. A condition involving knowledge or application of language ; anything pertaining to the function or structure of the tongue or speech

Etymology: "Lingua" is the Latin word for "tongue," and it supplies English with a whole family of terms for speech, from "linguist" to "linguistics." Lingualism adds the suffix "-ism" to that stem. The suffix reached English through French from Latin "-ismus," which was itself borrowed from Greek "-ismos," a noun ending for an action, a state, or a practice. The closest relative is "bilingualism," which uses the same kind of construction for the condition of speaking two languages. Lingualism is a rare formation. Its pattern is the same, but it names the general practice of using language rather than a particular condition.

Synonyms: language use, linguicism, languageism