Code Switching Sociolinguistics

An introduction to Code Switching

There are some phenomena of language occur in societies to make the communication more effective and meaningful.

One of these phenomenon is code switching which we can observe mostly in second/foreign language classrooms. It refers to the use of two languages within a sentence or discourse.

The Definition of Code Switching

is the use of more than one language, variety, or style by a speaker within an utterance or discourse, or between different interlocutors or situations (Romaine, 1992:110).

Examples about code switching:

If you know him علميني امر ماعليك

مررره nice هالقطعه elegant و

Speakers of more than one language are known for their ability to code switch or mix their language during their communication.

People switch code within a domain or social situation

The switch will be clear, when there is an obvious change in the situation ( Example)

 Code switch may be related to a

particular participant or addressee

A speaker may similarly switch to another language as a signal of group membership and shared ethnicity with an addressee.

Such switches are often very short that it is called emblematic switching or tag switching and they are made primarily for social reasons. 

The tag served as an ethnic identity maker or solidarity maker

For example: 1- Günaydìn girls, did you study for today’s quiz? (Switch between English and Turkish)

أي -2 ?questionعندك(Switch between Arabic and English)

Situational switching refers to the tendency in a bilingual or multilingual community to use different languages or language varieties in different social situations. It may be based on the topic, on the addressee, the institution, or on any specific combination of situational factors.

An example of situational

code switching:

o Code switching in multilingual communitiesFor example:

in the shops, salespeople often switch to the language of their customers

o Bilinguals find it easier to discuss particular topics in one code rather than another.

when a speaker switches code to quote a person or give a proverb

For example: 1) My father used to say to “ يصير شي كل ، بالحياه صعب شي مافي

” واالجتهاد الجد مع سهل

2) some people used to postpone doing their work and they ended up wasting their time without achieving anything. Arabic proverb

said “ الغد الى اليوم عمل تؤجل ”ال

The functions of Code Switching

① To show identity with a group to stress the fact that they all belong to this group

② Lack of Facility ; switch when they cannot find an appropriate expression or vocabulary item .

③ Lack of Register; : When speakers are not equally competent in two languages .

④ To attract attention ; shows that in advertisements (in both, written as well as in spoken) in India, code switching is used to attract the attention of the readers/listeners

⑤ language switch from L to H can signal disapproval . We

switch to express anger using different styles of English

⑥ used for amusement and dramatic a fact by telling joke for

expressing emotions.

Metaphorical Switching

A type of code switching where each of the code represents or symbolizes a set of social meanings. just as using a metaphor. it requires being skillful.

حقه حق ذي كل اعطي

Give the devil his due

تقع اشكالها على الطيور

Birds of a feather flock together

Lexical borrowing

Lexical borrowing is the adoption of individual words or even large sets of vocabulary items from another language or dialect. 

Lexical borrowing is results from the lack of vocabulary and it is motivated by lexical need.

When speaking a second language, people will often use a term from their first language because they don't know the appropriate word in their second language.

People pronounced and used grammatically as if they were part of the speaker's first language. Examples

Borrowing words

بالستيك

اتوماتيك

تنس

English origin

Plastic

Automatic

Tennis

linguistic constraints

There are very general rules for switching. These rules are universal.

The switches occur within sentences( intra-sentential switching) when there is

1/ Linguistic equivalence between the two codes, meaning when there is a point where the grammars of both codes match each other. 

English French Possible switch point

Red boat Bateau rouge No

Big house Grande maison Yes

2/ The matrix language frame (MLF) which imposes structural constraints on code switched utterances. So all system morphemes (such as tense and aspect inflections) will come from this matrix, and any switch will be determined or governed by this matrix. For example: المحاضره كنسلت األستاذه

3/ the level of proficiency in each code of the people switching.

less-proficient people will tend to switch at sentence boundaries (inter-sentential switching) or use only short phrases or tags at the end of the sentence for example : بليز كتابك عطيني

Attitudes to code-switching

People are often unaware of the fact that they code-switching.

When their attention is drawn to this behaviour ,many tend to apologize for it .

For Example: among Mexican Americans the derogatory term Tex Mex is used to describe rapid code-switching between Spanish and English .

Reaction to code-switching styles are negative in many communities .

Despite the fact that proficiency in intra sentential code-switching requires a good control of both codes .

In conclusion, code switching is a phenomenon that is inevitable in bilingual communities. It occurs mostly in second/foreign language teaching and it can be used beneficially in classroom activities.

In Conclusion The definition of Code Switching

Tag switching ( very short switches)

The first type of code switching which is the situational switching

The second type of code switching which is the metaphorical switching

The functions of code switching ( 7 functions)

Definition of Lexical borrowing

Why we use Lexical borrowing

General rules for switching and examples.

Attitudes to code-switching