Code switching

1.

Lead - In
When I was a student, years back, my school had an ‘English Only’
policy. What this meant was that we could only speak English while in
school. If teachers found students talking in any other language other
than English, they would punish the student. However, this
enforcement was possible only in kindergarten and primary schools. By
the time we reached secondary school, we were effortlessly speaking
multiple languages with each other – English when speaking to our
teacher and a mixture of English, Hindi, Gujarati and even Parsi when
speaking with each other. What we didn’t know then was that we were
actually code-switching!

2.

Code Switching
Code Mixing

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“Knowledge” chart
Things I/ we know
Things I/ we would like to What they have learned
know

4.

Discussion
Now discuss why it’s necessary to “code switch” between these groups.
• Do you and your parents speak a different language than you
and your friends?
• Is there a cultural or generational difference?
• If English is your second language, do you and your friends
speak different first languages?
• What are the reasons of code switching?

5.

Introduction
Each day, we decide which language to use in different settings. The
language that you use in school may be different than the language
you use at home, etc.
This ability to choose which language you will use based on the
setting you are in is called code-switching. Code-switching is a
valuable tool that enables us to succeed in different environments
with different people. Boutte and Johnson cite the importance of
code-switching saying, "the goal is to help children translate from
their home language to school language at appropriate times."

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WHAT IS CODE SWITCHING?
• Code Switching (also called language mixing) is the “use of elements
from two languages in the same utterance or in the same stretch of
conversation” (Paradis, Genesee, & Crago, 2011, p. 88).
• Code switching occurs when children or adults alternate between two
or more languages. The most common way young children mix two
languages is by beginning a sentence in one language, then switching
to another (Genesee et al., 2004).

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9.

Activity
• Review the steps of ‘Greeting Others’
1. Look at the person.
2. Use a pleasant voice.
3. Say ‘Hi’ or ‘Hello.”
• Remind students that these are the general steps you would use to
greet someone.
• Ask “Is this how you’d greet your grandmother? How would that look
different?”

10.

Discussion questions :
• Why wouldn’t you hug a stranger that says ”Hi” to you in the grocery
store?
• Who might you hug when you see them?
• Would you greet the Queen of England in the same way you greet
your best friend? Why not?
• Why is it important to ‘greet others’ in different ways?
• Is it code switching?

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Discussion
•When Is Code switching Helpful?
•When Is Code switching Harmful?

14.

When Is It Helpful?
• The socio-linguistic benefits of code switching include communicating
solidarity with or affiliation to a particular social group, so code
switching can be viewed as a means of providing a linguistic
advantage rather than an obstruction to communication.
• Furthermore, code switching allows a speaker to convey more
nuanced attitudes and emotions by choosing from a bigger pool of
words that is available to a bilingual person, much like how one might
use font, bolding, or underlining in a text document to emphasize
points.
• Utilizing the second language, then, allows speakers to increase the
impact of their speech and use it more effectively.

15.

When Is It Harmful?
• If a dominant culture requires all citizens to conform to the
dominant language and manner of speaking, or if
subcultures are punished in any way for not conforming
completely to the language majority, this is harmful.

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Here are some examples.

22.

Analysis
• In (a), Tamati uses a Maori tag at the beginning of his utterance while
the Mandarin speaker in (b) uses a final tag. This kind of switching is
sometimes called emblematic switching or tag switching. The switch
is simply an interjection or a linguistic tag in the other language which
serves as an ethnic identity marker.
• The exchange in (c), for instance, occurred between two Mexican
Americans or Chicanos in the USA. By using the Spanish tag, M
signalled to A that she recognised the relevance of their shared ethnic
background to their future relationship. The tag served as a solidarity
marker between two minority ethnic group members whose previous
conversation has been entirely in English.

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Example

25.

Analysis of Example 1
Mere is Maori and although the rest of the meeting will be conducted
in English, Sarah switches to Maori to greet her. The Maori greeting is
an expression of solidarity. So a code-switch may be related to a
particular participant or addressee.
In a Polish family living in Lancashire in the 1950s, the family used
Polish in the home. When the local English-speaking priest called,
however, everyone switched to English. In both of these cases the
switch indicates a change in the social situation and takes positive
account of the presence of a new participant.

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33.

Extended Language
Examples 1 Example 1: In
an EHS classroom, 18month-old Rosie is
walking back and forth
between two toy
shelves, visually scanning
the toys. Her language
background includes
regular
contact/experiences with
both English and
Spanish. The teacher
speaks only English.

34.

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)

35.

Read the statements and fill in the gaps.

36.

Activity
• Write a poem that explores the contrasts between two cultures
within your demographic.
• Russian and Uzbek
• Russian and English
• Uzbek and English

37.

Assignment
1. Review one or more examples of adult code switching in the
document
2. Record your answers to the following questions.
• What information was the speaker using?
• What message(s) was the speaker trying to communicate?
• What knowledge or skills did the speaker demonstrate?
• How does the example of code switching connect to the speaker’s
home culture and language?