In sociolinguistics, particularly in bilingualism studies (Ferguson, Fishman, etc.), the complementary function means:
Each language in a bilingual’s repertoire serves a different, often non-overlapping set of purposes or domains.
One language covers certain functions, while the other covers different ones — they complement each other.
Example in India:
First language (L1) → used at home, in local cultural events, community gatherings.
English (L2) → used for inter-state communication, higher education, government, or professional domains.
Here, the two languages together cover all communicative needs, but in different spheres.
Why not the other options?
Supplementary — usually means optional extra help, not a structural division of communicative functions. Not the technical term used in bilingualism.
Auxiliary — often means a supporting role, especially in “auxiliary language” contexts (like Esperanto) or auxiliary verbs; here, English isn’t just a helper but has its own specific domain.
Equative — means equal or same function; here, the two languages are not used for the same purposes, so not equative.
✅ Correct Answer: Complementary
Because English in India, as a link language, is used in addition to a person’s first language, each serving distinct, non-overlapping communicative functions in stable bilingual contexts.
Year-wise PYQs
