Polyglossia (pronunciation: /ˌpɒlɪˈɡlɒsɪə/)is a noun that refers to the coexistence of multiple languages (or distinct varieties of the same language) in one society or area. It was first used in the 1970s in the Academic journal "International Migration Review".
Polyglossia is a useful term for describing situations where more than two distinct varieties are used for clearly distinct purposes.