Diferencias

 Differences between being bilingual and bicultural

Bilingualism refers to the learning and appropriation of a second language, that is, the ability to communicate in the native language and in a second language learned. Therefore, learning a new language implies a cultural approach to the target language and the necessary knowledge to obtain opportunities to improve the quality of life and learn new experiences, as Mejía A, (2006) states: "It is seen as important that Colombian school graduates develop a pluralist vision of the world, so that they are open to new ideas and have contact with different ways of thought and expression." p. 153.

Therefore, biculturality is closely related to bilingualism and as such, it can be differentiated in many ways; first, it must be recognized that the fact of being bilingual does not mean that one is bicultural, since to be bicultural one must know and put into practice traditions and customs of two cultures and not only know the language. On the other hand, biculturality can occur in monolingual people, who either because of their ancestry or because of their social or sentimental relationships, have an approach to a culture different from their own and practice both cultures. Likewise, the main difference between these two concepts is the tolerance and perception of one culture to another; biculturalism is more focused on tolerance, respect, and the experience of knowing and practicing two different cultures. While bilingualism simply focuses on knowing the language, how to communicate and how to relate to others.