Mehrsprachigkeit: ein Überblick. Konsequenzen für den DaF- = Pluringualism: an overview : consequences for the teaching of German as a foreign language

Plurilingualism is an important and widespread term. There are many defini- tions of the concept and its related words, and these definitions sometimes overlap and cause confusion. The European Union has evidenced plurilingualism since the Treaties of Maastricht and Amsterdam, and its influence on the teaching of foreign languages – especially German – remains considerable. This article aims to provide an explicit, con- crete definition of the term, analysing it in lexicographic products, official EU docu- ments and specific literature. The article will conclude with a review of didactic strate- gies for increasing this complex competence.