Background

Multilingualism has been ever-present throughout the recorded history of the British Isles. Yet it is a phenomenon which only recently appears to be recognised, discussed and even celebrated in the UK and Ireland. An article published in early 2005 claims that London today hosts more linguistic, cultural and racial diversity than any other city on Earth or in history (Benedictus, The Guardian 21 January 2005). This chapter provides an overview of the extent of multilingualism currently found in the British Isles. Multilingualism cannot be viewed in isolation. Rather, it is intimately linked with concepts such as identity, culture, ethnicity, religion and minority status in a UK context. To be a native speaker of a language other than English is often a marker of being culturally and ethnically ‘different’ from the mainstream population.

In addition, as with Anglo-Saxon and probably even the Celtic languages at an earlier time, new languages are introduced into the British Isles as a result of migration. This chapter places multilingualism within the context of such major demographic changes, particularly as experienced in the UK during the twentieth century. It then examines attitudes from government and mainstream society towards minority communities and their languages, using healthcare as an example, with particular emphasis on health information provision. It discusses how language, alongside factors such as socioeconomic status, lifestyle and culture, is often identified as a barrier to receiving quality healthcare, and which may contribute to widening health inequalities in the UK. Yet, while such inequalities are recognised, healthcare providers acknowledge that it is no simple task to provide information which would be beneficial to patients for whom language is a barrier.