CODE-SWITCHING: Jumping Between 2 Different Languages

Summary

This video by Langfocus explores code-switching, the practice of alternating between languages within a conversation. It explains that code-switching is common in multilingual environments, such as immigrant families or countries with colonial histories. The video highlights different functions of code-switching, including expressing identity, emphasizing points, or including/excluding others from conversations. Examples from Indian and Filipino films illustrate various forms of code-switching, such as switching between sentences or within sentences. The video invites viewers to share their experiences with code-switching in bilingual settings.

Takeaways

• 😀 Code-switching is the practice of switching between two or more languages within a conversation.
• 🗣️ Code-switching is common in bilingual or multilingual communities, such as immigrant families or countries with colonial languages.
• 🌍 In India and the Philippines, code-switching between Hindi-English and Tagalog-English is widespread.
• 💬 Code-switching differs from diglossia, where languages or dialects are used in separate situations. Code-switching happens within a single conversation.
• 🔄 Code-switching often involves a matrix (dominant) language with an embedded (additional) language for specific functions.
• 🕵️ Code-switching can serve a directive function, such as including or excluding people from a conversation.
• 🎭 It can also express identity or status, especially when one language is associated with a particular culture or prestige.
• 💡 Speakers may switch languages to better express an idea if one language lacks the appropriate vocabulary.
• 💬 Code-switching can be used for emphasis or artistic expression, such as repeating phrases in different languages.
• 🎥 Examples of code-switching are shown in movies from India and the Philippines, demonstrating intersentential, intrasentential, and tag-switching.

Q & A

What is code switching?

Code switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages during a conversation, sometimes within the same sentence.

In what situations is code switching common?

Code switching is common in immigrant families where children grow up speaking one language at home but use another outside. It also occurs in countries where a native language is spoken alongside a colonial language, such as India or the Philippines.

How is code switching different from diglossia?

Diglossia refers to switching between two languages or language forms in different situations, like formal vs. informal settings. Code switching happens within a single conversation or even a single sentence.

What is the matrix language in code switching?

The matrix language is the dominant language in a conversation, often the native language of the speaker. It forms the basis of the communication.

What are some reasons for code switching?

People code switch for various reasons, including: the directive function (including or excluding others), expressive function (showing identity), referential function (expressing ideas more easily), phatic function (emphasizing a point), metalinguistic function (quoting or commenting), and poetic function (using language for amusement or art).

What is intersentential code switching?

Intersentential code switching occurs when speakers switch languages between sentences or clauses. For example, a speaker might start a sentence in English and finish it in Spanish.

What is intrasentential code switching?

Intrasentential code switching happens within a single sentence or clause, such as switching between English and Portuguese in the sentence 'I don’t know o meu lugar nesse mundo' ('I don’t know my place in this world').

What is tag switching?

Tag switching, or extra-sentential switching, involves inserting a tag phrase from one language into a sentence that is otherwise in another language, like using 'deshou' at the end of an English sentence in 'It’s a good movie, deshou?'

Why do people use code switching in movies?

In movies, code switching can emphasize certain words, express emotions, or highlight aspects of a character's identity. For example, English phrases may be used in Tagalog sentences to draw attention to feelings of frustration or status.

Is code switching more common in certain social classes or environments?

Yes, in countries like the Philippines, code switching between English and Tagalog is common among middle- and upper-class people. It often reflects identity, status, or emotional emphasis.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to Code Switching and its Contexts

This paragraph introduces the concept of code switching, where bilingual or multilingual individuals alternate between two or more languages in conversation. It describes how code switching is common in immigrant families and regions where a colonial language is spoken alongside a native language, such as in India and the Philippines. It also distinguishes code switching from 'Diglossia,' where languages are used in different contexts. Code switching occurs within the same conversation or sentence, is unpredictable, and often done impulsively. The paragraph also introduces the concept of the 'matrix language' (dominant language) and the 'embedded language' (additional language), explaining that utterances from the latter are integrated into the former.

05:03

💡 Functions and Reasons for Code Switching

This section dives into the six main reasons why people engage in code switching. These are: 1) Directive function, to include or exclude people from a conversation; 2) Expressive function, to express personal identity or status; 3) Referential function, to communicate ideas more easily in another language; 4) Phatic function, to emphasize or repeat ideas in both languages; 5) Metalinguistic function, to comment on or quote something in a different language; and 6) Poetic function, where languages are used creatively or humorously. These functions provide insight into the motives behind switching languages in conversation.

Keywords

💡Monolingual

A monolingual person speaks only one language. In the context of the video, monolingualism is contrasted with bilingualism or multilingualism, highlighting how some people operate exclusively in one language, unlike those who switch between two or more languages.

💡Code switching

Code switching refers to the practice of switching between two or more languages within a conversation or sentence. This is a central concept in the video, used to explain how people in bilingual or multilingual environments fluidly switch between languages based on the context, often unconsciously.

💡Bilingual

Bilingual individuals can speak two languages. The video discusses how bilingual people often switch between their languages depending on the situation, such as when speaking to family members or friends.

💡Matrix language

The matrix language is the dominant language in code switching, providing the main structure for communication. In the video, it is explained that the matrix language is typically the speaker's native language, into which phrases from the embedded language are incorporated.

💡Embedded language

The embedded language is the secondary language that is incorporated into the matrix language during code switching. It is used to add certain expressions, clarify meaning, or serve specific communicative functions within a conversation.

💡Directive function

The directive function of code switching is when speakers switch languages to include or exclude others from the conversation. In the video, this is one reason why people might switch languages, such as when they want to share secrets or engage a broader group.

💡Phatic function

Phatic function refers to switching languages to emphasize a point or to repeat something for clarity. The video explains this as a reason people use code switching, such as highlighting important information or making something stand out emotionally.

💡Expressive function

The expressive function involves switching languages to reflect personal identity or emotions. In the video, this function is seen when speakers switch languages to show cultural affiliation or express certain feelings tied to their identity.

💡Intersentential switching

Intersentential switching is when the language is switched at sentence boundaries, meaning an entire sentence is in one language and the next in another. This form of code switching is discussed with examples from Hindi-English and Tagalog-English, where speakers shift languages between sentences.

💡Intrasentential switching

Intrasentential switching occurs within a single sentence or clause, where parts of the sentence are in different languages. This is demonstrated in the video by examples where speakers switch between languages mid-sentence to express themselves more effectively.

Highlights

Monolingual people speak just one language, while bilingual or multilingual individuals can switch between two or more languages.

Code-switching occurs when bilingual or multilingual speakers switch between languages within a single conversation or sentence.

Code-switching is common in immigrant families, such as Russian children growing up in the U.S. switching between Russian and English.

In countries like India and the Philippines, code-switching between the native language and a former colonial language (Hindi-English or Tagalog-English) is common.

Code-switching differs from diglossia, where people switch between two languages or forms based on the situation, such as formal vs. informal settings.

Code-switching is often unpredictable, with speakers impulsively switching languages without conscious choice.

The matrix language is the dominant language in code-switching, while the embedded language adds phrases or words.

Code-switching serves various functions, such as including or excluding people from a conversation (directive function).

Speakers may switch languages to express their identity or status (expressive function).

Code-switching may help speakers express ideas more easily when one language lacks the appropriate words (referential function).

Repeating something in both languages can emphasize the message (phatic function).

Intersentential code-switching switches languages between sentences, while intrasentential switching occurs within a single sentence.

Tag-switching inserts a tag or phrase from one language into a sentence in another language.

In the Indian movie 'The Three Idiots,' code-switching between Hindi and English highlights academic and professional terms.

In the Filipino movie 'My Babe Love,' code-switching emphasizes emotional intensity, status, and rejection in a conversation.

Transcripts

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Hello everyone, (see screen)

Some people are monolingual and speak just one language.

Other people are bilingual or multilingual and speak more than one language.

Bilingual or multilingual people sometimes switch back and forth between two or more different languages.

This is called code switching.

One situation in which code switching is common is within immigrant families.

For example let’s imagine a Russian family moves from Russia to the United States and

the children grow up speaking Russian as their native language but they learn English outside of their home.

When the children of that home speak to their sibling, they might code switch between Russian and English.

Another situation where code switching is common is in certain countries where a native language is spoken alongside a former colonial language.

One example that comes to mind is in India where Hindi-English code switching is common.

And another example is in the Philippines where Tagalog-English code switching is common.

You may have seen my earlier video on “Diglossia”,

which means switching between 2 different languages or 2 different forms of a language in different situations.

For example, formal versus informal situations.

Code switching is different in that

people switch languages in a single situation within a single conversation and sometimes within a single sentence.

Code switching is largely unpredictable and speakers often impulsively switch languages without any conscious choice.

In code switching one language is the dominant language, normally the native language of the group.

This is sometimes called the matrix language

and the additional language is called the embedded language.

The matrix language lays out the basis for the communication

and then utterances from the additional language are embedded into the matrix language.

There are various reasons why people might switch from their matrix language to an embedded language.

Number one: Directive function.

People switch languages to either include or exclude other people from the conversation.

Maybe you want to tell secrets, so you switch to a language that the people around you don’t understand or maybe the opposite.

Maybe you want to end the private conversation and re-engage with the people around you, so you switch to a language that they do understand.

Number two: Expressive function.

People include the embedded language in order to express some part of their identity.

For example, they want to show their connection to a certain country or culture.

And in some cases it might be an expression of status through association with the prestigious outgroup.

Number three: Referential function.

Someone who is unable to express an idea easily in one language, switches to the other language in order to express it more easily.

This seems to be very common among bilingual children and immigrant families.

Number four: Phatic function.

Sometimes the speaker switches languages or repeats something both languages in order to emphasize it.

Number five: Metalinguistic function.

This is reporting something in the other language, or commenting on something said in the other language.

For example, you’re speaking in Japanese but then you quote a lyric from an English language song, without translating it.

Maybe you say something in the embedded language but then you explain it or add further commentary in the matrix language.

Number six: Poetic function.

The speaker says certain words or makes jokes in the embedded language for amusement or for some kind of artistic purpose.

Code switching takes a few different forms. Here are some of the main ones.

Number one: Intersentential switching,

in which the language switched for entire sentences or clauses.

For example, a bilingual Spanish-English speaker says:

”Sometimes I’ll start a sentence in English y termino en español.”

Number two: intrasentential switching,

the speaker switched languages within a clause or sentence boundary.

Here’s an example from a bilingual English-Portuguese speaker’s speech:

“I don’t know o meu lugar nesse mundo”.

This means :”I don’t know my place in this world”.

Number three: Extra-sentential or “tag-switching”.

A tag from one language is inserted into an utterance in another language.

For example a bilingual English-Japanese speaker might say:

“It’s a good movie, deshou?”

meaning, it’s a good movie right?

Let’s look at a couple of cases of code switching.

The first one is from the Indian movie: “The Three Idiots”.

The matrix language is Hindi and the embedded language is English.

The background to the scene is that the director of the university is welcoming the incoming freshmen students.

"Don’t forget के हरै साल ICE में चारे लाख select होते हैं। you!

Now let’s take a look at the sentence we just heard.

The sentence means:

“Don’t forget, ICE receives 400 000 applications a year, and of those only 200 are selected: YOU!”

The first clause of this sentence, “don’t forget”, is in English,

this is intersentential code-switching because the switching occurs at the clause boundary.

This is probably done to draw attention to the phrase, which is the phatic function.

“Applications” is also in English, switching within the clause or sentence boundaries.

I suspect that this word is in English because it’s referring to college applications

and words related to academic affairs are probably said very frequently in English.

“Select” is also in English,

this is intrasentential switching again.

The speaker or the scriptwriters probably chose to say this word in English

in order to emphasize the importance of this action of selecting the freshman students.

And of course “You” is in English.

This is intersentential because it occurs at the clause boundary.

This word was probably set apart and said in English in order to emphasize the selection of these particular students.

So again that’s the phatic function.

In general the speaker in this scene might be using English because he’s the director of a university and English is seen as an integral part of academic life.

Let’s look at a second example, this time from the Filipino movie: “My Babe Love”.

Now the background to the scene is that the young woman’s father and the young man’s aunt have started dating each other.

Let’s take a look at the whole scene first.

Guy: “ So, ok lang ba sa iyo yung Dad mo sa ka young ...”

Girl: “Of course not! Nothing personal ha pero excuse me ang ganda ng mommy ko.”

Guy: “So, ano ang ibig sabihin?”

Girl: “Wala. Sinasabi ko ang magandang mommy ko.”

Guy: “So, aunty ko hindi?”

Girl: “Well, mas maganda ang mommy ko.”

Guy: ”Well, mabait ang aunty ko.”

Girl: “Still mas maganda ang mommy ko.”

Guy: ”Fine!”

Girl: “And besides, ayo ko rin naman Aunty mo para sa Daddy ko. if that what you wanted to hear.”

Guy: ”Edi good. At least we agreed on something.”

Girl: “I have to go now. Baka hinahanap na ako ng... Bye.

Now let’s look at a few parts of that scene again and break them down.

Guy: “ So, ok lang ba sa iyo yung Dad mo sa ka young ...”

Girl: “Of course not! Nothing personal ha pero excuse me ang ganda ng mommy ko.”

Here we see intrasentential switching with English phrases embedded into a Tagalog sentence.

In her reply I think the woman switched to English to emphasize certain points.

The main message of her reply, that her mother is beautiful, is in Tagalog

but this is an emotional conversation and the English phrases draw attention to how she’s feeling.

Guy: “So, ano ang ibig sabihin?”

Girl: “Wala. Sinasabi ko ang magandang mommy ko.”

Guy: “ So, aunty ko hindi?”

Girl: “Well, mas maganda ang mommy ko.”

Here we see extra-sentential switching or tag switching.

The interjection “well” is in English, but the rest of the sentence is in Tagalog.

“Well” is a word that often comes before a correction or something the other person has said.

She says it with some obvious annoyance, so again I think she’s using the English word to draw attention to the fact that she’s correcting this guy.

Guy:” Well, mabait ang aunty ko.”

Girl: “Still mas maganda ang mommy ko.”

Guy: ”Fine!”

Here we see the same kind of tag switching with “Still”.

That word basically rejects the guy’s response.

And by doing it in English she’s drawing attention to that rejection.

Girl: “And besides, ayo ko rin naman Aunty mo para sa Daddy ko. If that what you wanted to hear.”

The first sentence here too begins with tag switching and then she switched to English again for the entire second sentence.

Her second sentence is spoken with some resentment and I think it’s said in English to emphasize that.

Guy: ”Edi good. At least we agreed on something.”

The first interjection, “Edi good”, means good then, and is a kind of vindictive expression

and then in the second sentence the guy speaks entirely in English.

I think this shows that he’s starting to lose his cool and get annoyed.

Making his speech more emphatic.

Girl: “I have to go now. Baka hinahanap na ako ng... Bye.”

In this final comment from the woman we see intersentential switching.

And I think she basically emphasizes the important point by using English and de-emphasizes the less important point by using Tagalog.

The important point is that she’s leaving and the reason for leaving is unimportant.

And she may even want it to be obvious that the reason is a made-up excuse.

She quickly rushes through her excuse in Tagalog. Almost too quickly to even understand.

This kind of code switching using basically fifty percent English and fifty percent Tagalog is quite common in the Philippines

especially amongst middle-class and upper-class people.

The reason for switching is not always emotional like in that scene but it’s more often an expression of identity and status.

Code switching is very common in certain bilingual or multilingual environments.

And I hope that these examples gave you some insight into how and why it’s used in certain situations.

The question of the day,for people who live in a bilingual environment:

“Do you often code switch between 2 different languages? Tell us a little bit about how and why you code switch.”

Be sure to follow Langfocus on facebook, twitter and Instagram.

And once again I’d like to say thank you to all of my fantastic patreon supporters,

especially these ones right here on the screen.

Thank you for watching and have a nice day.