Monolingualism, that is, the ability to use only one language, is such a widely accepted norm in so many parts of the world that it is often assumed to be a world-wide phenomenon, at the extent that bilingual and multilingual in- (54)______ dividuals may appear to be "unusual". Indeed, we often have mixed feeling (55)______ when we discover that someone we meet is fluent in several languages: per- haps mixture of admiration and envy but also, occasionally, a feeling of superi- (56)______ ority in that many such people are not native to the culture which we func- (57)______ tion: they are likely to be immigrants, visitors, or children of "mixed" marria- ges and in that respect "marked" in some way. Although, in many parts of the (58)______ world an ability to speak more than one language is not at all remarkable. In fact, a monolingual individual would be regarded as a misfit, lacking of an im- (59)______ portant skill in society, the skill of being able to interact freely with the speakers of other languages with whom regular contact is made in the ordinary business of living. In many parts of the world it is just a normal requirement of daily living which people speak several languages: perhaps one or more at (60)______ home, another in the village, still another for purposes of trade, and yet another for contact with the outside world of wide social or political organiza-(61)______ tion. These various languages are usually acquired naturally and unself- consciously, as the shifts from one to another are made without hesitation. (62)______ People’s language choices are part of the social identity they acclaim for (63)______ themselves.