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Code Switching in Speech

Code switching refers to alternating between two or more languages within a sentence or conversation. It is commonly used in bilingual communities, as speakers with more than one language in common may naturally incorporate elements of both. Code switching allows for more effective communication and expression of cultural influences and identities. It originally referred only to language switching but now encompasses changing vocabularies, styles, or rules based on social context or audience. Examples show words or phrases from different languages combined in sentences.

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Aahron Montoya Dinauanao
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107 views2 pages

Code Switching in Speech

Code switching refers to alternating between two or more languages within a sentence or conversation. It is commonly used in bilingual communities, as speakers with more than one language in common may naturally incorporate elements of both. Code switching allows for more effective communication and expression of cultural influences and identities. It originally referred only to language switching but now encompasses changing vocabularies, styles, or rules based on social context or audience. Examples show words or phrases from different languages combined in sentences.

Uploaded by

Aahron Montoya Dinauanao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Code Switching in Speech

The ability to communicate our thoughts, emotions, and opinions to others is truly a
remarkable skill. Not only does our language communicate who we are, but our use of
language can influence our self-concept and identity. It goes both ways; cultural
influences are reflected in our language and also influence how we conceptualize who
we are and where we come from. (The social aspect of language is studied by
sociolinguistics, a subdivision of linguistics which studies social factors.)

Bilingual communities use certain strategies to make communication more effective and
meaningful. One of these tricks is "code switching," which we can observe mostly in
second- or foreign-language classes. Code switching refers to the use of two languages
within a sentence or discourse. It is a natural conflation that often occurs between
multilingual speakers who have two or more languages in common.

Here, we will focus on the definition of code switching, the reasons for using code
switching, the types of code switching and their definitions, and examples and
suggestions for teachers using code switching to teach a foreign or second language.

What Is Code Switching?

Code switching is when a speaker alternates between two or more languages (or
dialects or varieties of language) in one conversation. This phenomenon can be
observed in the following examples.

What Are Some Examples of Code Switching?


 If you have an exam next week, şimdiden çalışmaya başlamalısın. (English +
Turkish)
 Gracias for the lovely gift. Está awesome! (Spanish + English)
 Pwede ba tayo mag dinner sa Barney's Burgers later? I want protein! (Tagalog +
English)
 Are we eating chez ta mère demain? (English + French)
 Saweyti l-homework tabaa’ik? (Arabic + English)
 Nó còng đang celebrate cái sinh nhật. (Vietnamese + English)
 Ní yào qù get pizza with me ma? (Mandarin + English)

Who Uses Code Switching?


Code switching occurs mostly in bilingual communities. Speakers of more than one
language are known for their ability to code switch or mix their language during their
communication. As Aranoff and Miller (2003:523) indicate, many linguists have stressed
the point that switching between languages is a communicative option available to a
bilingual member of a speech community, just as switching between styles or dialects is
an option for the monolingual speaker.

Does the Term "Code Switching" Refer Only to Speech,


or Does It Include Actions Also?

Since its inception, the term "code switching" has expanded to encapsulate any
situation in which speakers find themselves switching from one accepted vocabulary,
cadence, style, or set of rules to another. For example, you'd probably speak to a
potential employer differently than you would address a close friend, so you might
switch from casual language to professional speak in certain settings. Another example
is how many African Americans describe playing different roles in different settings and
with different micro-cultures and talk about how they must be very careful to speak with
an academic vocabulary and cadence in any interaction with a police officer.

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