Language Choice and Code Switching

Language Choice and Code
Switching
Mansoor Al Surmi
Mahishi Ranaweera
Nataliya Rihs
Objectives
know the basic terminology related to the
topic of code-switching;
be familiar with the techniques used in
this sub-field of sociolinguistics;
be able to distinguish between the various
theoretical explanations.
Outline of Presentation
Terminology/definitions
Methodology (Matched-guise technique)
Examples of Variationist Studies
Theoretical Explanations for Variation
(determinist vs. accommodation)
Questions
Activity
Language Choice
Marked and Unmarked
It’s when speakers choose what language
to use in diverse social situations in bi or
multilingual communities.
“Who speaks what language to whom and
when?” Fishman (1965)
- Marked- the language used would not be
normally expected in a certain context.
- Unmarked- Language used is one that
would be expected in that context.
Language Shift
Happens in bi/multi lingual communities
when the functions carried out by one
language are taken over by another; one
language is replaced by another.
People start using one language over the
other and this shift threatens the viability
and may even eventually result in
language death.
Code Switching
Refers to “the use of words and structures from
more than one language or linguistic variety by
the same speaker within the same speech
situation, conversation or utterance.
Conversational code switching refers to the use
of two languages by the same speaker within the
same speech event.”
Laura Callahan (2001)
This presentation will concentrate on codeswitching in bi or multi lingual societies.
Style Shifting
“By style…we mean to include any
consistent…(set of) linguistic forms used by
speaker… that can be associated with a set of
topics, participants, channel, or the broader
social context.”
Labov (1994)
Mono lingual speakers need to choose which
style to use according to the context and thus
they switch between styles.
Speakers may style-shift within a single
conversation.
Accommodation
Speech Accommodation
-Speakers change the way they spoke according
to the person they were speaking to. We
accommodate to others by adjusting our
communicational behavior.
a) Convergence
- Speakers tend to adopt similar styles to reduce
the social distance. It is positively evaluated
by speakers.
Accommodation (cont’d.)
b) Divergence
-Speakers adopt different styles to
emphasize their distinctiveness or
increase their social distance. It is
negatively evaluated by speakers.
Methodology
Matched guise
-A measurement of language attitudes.
-Technique used in social psychological studies to
investigate people’s constant evaluation of personal
qualities of others based on the use of linguistic
varieties.
- The use of certain language varieties carries certain
social associations that affects the process of language
maintenance and change.
- Ex: Lambert et al asked listeners to rate the same
speaker reading out a passage in English and in
French. They found that both French Canadian and
English Canadian listeners rated the English guises
more favorably than the French guises.
Variationist Studies
Language use is determined by factors such as social
class, ethnic group, age and interlocutors’ relationship.
Language choice and code-switching is ‘habitual’: in
practice certain languages tend to be associated with
certain contexts.
1.Fishman(1972): In cases of stable bilingualism, certain
language or variety will be used by particular classes of
speakers on particular occasions and topics.
Domains of language use: institutional contexts and their
congruent behavioral co-occurrences. Ex: family,
employment, friendship, and government administration.
Variationist Studies (cont’d.)
2. Carol Myers-Scotton
The use of mother tongue as a means of maintaining ethnic identity
and in securing certain material advantages.
Language choice of English is linked to education, authority, and
official use.
Swahili is used with other ethnic groups.
Languages convey certain meanings about
the speakers and also index certain rights
and obligations that speakers wish to
obtain between themselves and others.
Variationist Studies (cont’d.)
Susan Gal
Hungarian is associated with traditional peasant life &
German is the language of waged work and
associated with modernity and economic success.
Standard variety of Hungarian is appropriate for conveying
personal involvement and emotion or with elder
people.
German enjoys a position of prestige compared to
Hungarian and may cause death to Hungarian
Language. ( Language Shift)
3.
Theoretical Explanations
Determinist Studies
Speakers in part respond to the overt and
covert prestige of different language
varieties. (Labov & Trudgill)
-Overt and covert prestige.
Theoretical Explanations
Accommodation theorists
Creativity involved in language behavior focusing
on speakers’ use of different language varieties
to express solidarity with or social distance from
their interlocutors. (Howard Giles et al.)
Speakers’ language use is viewed as a series of
‘acts of identity’, in which speakers seek to align
themselves with, or distance themselves from,
certain social groups.( Tabouret-Keller)
Conclusion
All studies tend to see that speakers use
different language varieties strategically as
a means of negotiating, maintaining or
changing relationships with others.
Context and social factors such as gender,
socio-economic status, age, ethnic group
play a role in language choice and code
switching.
Questions?
Activity (handout)
Why did the speakers code switch?
What factors do you think determined the
code switching choices?
Thank you
Bohoma Sthuthi
Spasiba
Shukran
Zhelaim honda yaum!
(Russian)
(Sinhala)
(Arabic)
(Wish you) (a good) (day!)

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