Code switching is the practice of moving back and forth between two languages or between two dialects or registers of the same language at one time. Code switching occurs far more often in conversation than in writing. It is also called code-mixing. It is studied by linguists to examine when people do it, and it is studied by sociologists to determine why people do it, such as how it relates to their belonging to a group or the surrounding context of the conversation.

 

Understanding code switching and its various forms is the aim of the research. additionally, the causes of code switching and its impact on our language. Three people participated in a meeting where we listened to what they had to say before posing questions about the subject. We finally provided answers to all the research’s open-ended questions.

Key words:

switching / types / foreign language / motivation / sentence / bilingual / speaker / multilingual / speakers

1.Introduction

Code switching has become widespread phenomenon in the world and it used in wide range and for various reasons and types by all ages and genders documenting their culture and language.

1.1 The definition of code switching

Code switching is the practice of moving back and forth between two languages or between two dialects or registers of the same language at one time. Code switching occurs far more often in conversation than in writing. It is also called code-mixing. It is studied by linguists to examine when people do it, and it is studied by sociologists to determine why people do it, such as how it relates to their belonging to a group or the surrounding context of the conversation.

1.2 types of code switching

There are three main types of CS which are: inter – essential switching, intra – essential switching, tag switching each one will be explained below.

Inter – essential switching: In this switching its used to switch between sentences and occurs on the sentence border when every sentence be in a language or another. Also, its happen when there is a complete sentence in foreign language between two sentences in base language.

 

Intra – essential switching: It’s an expression of switch within the sentence and sometimes it’s called code – mixing by linguists. In this type of switch its found when the word or sentence from foreign language found inside sentence in base language.

 

Tag switching: Includes inserting a sign from one language into speech that is completely in other language. Tag switching can be a sign, exclamation or an original language other than the rest of the sentence.

 

1.3 examples of code-switching types  

 Inter switching:

mac? innuh darjt- i fi al- mid kaanat hilwah still

though grade my was nice

laazim? acmal al- bonus assignment

should do the

assignment bonusالزم اعمل ال still كانت حلوة midمع ان درجتي في ال

‘Though my grade in the mid-exam was good still I have to do the bonus assignment’.

Bahil al-assignment gabl ma arruuh al class

Do the before go to

class قبل ما اروح ال assignmentبحل ال

I do the assignment before I go to the class.

Tag switching:

I have to finish it قبل نهاية الاسبوع

‘I have to finish it before the weekend’

kalmia- ni al- yuum

talk to me the today

okكلميني اليوم

‘Call me today, ok’.

Ok. Bukra? shuufik

. بكرا اشوفكOk

 

Intra switching:

al- mug haar please? ictii- ni cup holder!

the hot give me

ال mugحارplease اعطيني cup holder

The mug is hot; please, give me a cup holder.

 

 1.4 reasons of code switching   

In code – switching the motivation or speaker reasons is an important operation Hoffman in Pardede and Kisno (2012, p.133) said that some reasons for bilingual switch or mix their language are led to the following number:

1. Discussing a certain subject

Sometimes people would rather speak about a certain subject in one language than another. In a language other than their native tongue, a speaker may occasionally feel more at ease and free to express their emotional feelings.

2. Using someone else’s words

When quoting a well-known adage, statement, or remark by a renowned person, the speaker changes the code. The only words that have been switched are those that the speaker is saying the referenced source said. Like a series of quote marks, the switch.

3. Expressing your opinion strongly (Express solidarity)

A person who is speaking in a language other than his original tongue will typically flip, whether on purpose or accidentally, from his second language to his first language when he suddenly wants to be emphatic about something. However, because he finds it more comfortable to be forceful in his second language than in his first, he flips from it to his first.

4. Interjection (Inserting sentence fillers or sentence connectors)

Words or expressions that are placed into a sentence in order to indicate surprise, a strong emotion, or to draw attention are known as interjections. Interjections are short exclamations like “Damn,” “Hey,” “Well,” “Look,” and similar expressions that have no grammatical significance but are frequently used by speakers, usually more in speech than in writing. People who are bilingual or multilingual may occasionally distinguish an interjection or sentence connector by switching or blending their languages. It could occur accidentally or on purpose.

5. Repeating a phrase to make a point clear

A bilingual person may occasionally utilize both of the languages (or codes) that he is fluent in to convey the same idea to the listener. A message in one code is frequently literally repeated in the other code Repetition is utilized to not only make a speech clearer but also to emphasize or enhance a point.

6. Intention to explain the speech’s subject to the interlocutor

There will be a lot of code mixing and switching when a bilingual or multilingual speaks to another bilingual or multilingual. It refers to ensuring that his speech’s substance is clear and easy for the audience to understand. In a slightly modified form, a message from one code is duplicated in the other.

7. Displaying collective identity

Additionally, group identification can be expressed by code switching and code mixing

Academics communicate differently from other groups in each of their respective disciplinary contexts. To put it another way, members of one group communicate differently from those who do not belong to that community.

2. Literature review:

People who have lived in a community where two or more languages are used, regularly have a tendency to switch between them. As a result, in order to talk properly, people today frequently acquire two or more languages.

“Code switching is a speech pattern used by fluent bilinguals to switch between two (or potentially more) languages” (MacSwan, 2014, p.37). Code switching then, is a communication pattern in which the speakers purposefully alter the language being spoken by switching from one to another. Code flipping refers to the employment of a different language in the same utterances or conversations by speakers of two or more languages. The bilingual individuals are conversing with one another in this instance. For monolinguals, the switching may involve a linguistic change or a change in style.

“When bilinguals or multilinguals choose to use forms from an embedded language (or languages) in utterances of a matrix language throughout the same discourse, this is known as code-switching” (Cantone, 2007, p.57). As a result, code switching is understood to be the occurrence in which a bilingual or multilingual speaker switch between languages while having a conversation. Code switching according to Ward Haugh (2006, p. 101),” is a linguistic tactic that can be used to construct, evoke or alter interpersonal interactions with respect to rights and obligations”. It may imply that code switching is a tactic used by a group of speakers as a primary indicator of identity or by a group that must deal with more than one language.

When one person speaks in one language and the other responds in a different language, this is known as “code switching” in a conversation. When speaking or occasionally even in the middle of a sentence a person may switch from one language to another in the middle of their speech.

 

 

 

3. Significance of research:

Code – switching is important because we use it in daily life between people who speak more than two languages.

4. Methodology:

We gathered with three participants who could speak English and Arabic over coffee, then we let them speak freely as we took notes on what they said.

5. Data analyze:

 

Participant N3	Participant N2	Participant N1
Mostly all the day	Depend in the situation	Nearly 10 times	How many times do you use English within Arabic?
English and Arabic	English and Arabic	English and Arabic	What are the languages that you speak interchangeably code switching with?
Arabic in home English with friends	Arabic more	Arabic in home English in school	Do you use English or Arabic more in daily speech?
Knowing a word in different meaning of two languages can help us to explain the word better	Can explain the word better	Help when I forget certain word	How does code switch help us in communication?
We might forget our native language if we use it more	Help to deliver my point quickly	Help to practice the second language	How code switching is affecting our languages?
Tag switching	Inter essential switching	Tag switching	What the most type they use?
2	3	3	How many times they use code switching?
Ok بشوق الوضع وارد لكم خبر ال menu قررتوا وش بتطلبون منه؟	أمس لعبت due باللعبة وكانت fun مره خلصتوا نطلب ال bill ولا still باقي؟ شسويت بال mid أمس مره hard صح؟	نتقابل بعد الجامعة بال coffee؟ اللعبة كانت مره interesting	Example that they said?

 

As it shown in the table above, we ask three participants to an interview and answers some question which is How many times do you use English within Arabic? The first participant said that he uses it nearly 10 times in a day and the second participant said it depend on the situation that makes him to use it and for the last participant he said it almost all the day. Then we ask them, what are the languages that you speak interchangeably code switching with? The three-participant agreed that they use Arabic and English. For the third question we ask them, do you use English or Arabic more in daily speech? The first participant said that he uses English in school and Arabic at home and, for the 2^nd participant said that he uses Arabic more and the 3^rd participant said he use English with friend and Arabic in home. The fourth question that we ask them was How does code switch help us in communication? The 1^st participant said that code switching help him when he forgot certain words and the 2^nd and 3^rd participant agreed that knowing a word in different meaning of two languages can help to explain the word better. The fifth question that shown in the table is How code switching is affecting our languages? The 1^st participant said that code-switching affect in practice the second language and the 2^nd participant said that effect on him in helping to deliver his points better and for the last participant he said that using code switching a lot leads to forgot our native language. Also, for the interview that we did we know answer for the three last question which is first, the most type of code switching they used? the answer is the 1^st and 3^rd participant used tag switching and for the 2^nd participant he used inter essential switching. Second, is that how many times they switch in the meeting of the three participants? the 1^st and 2^nd participant are 3 times and for the 3^rd participant are 2 times. Lastly in the table above shows the examples they said in the meeting which for 1^st participant   

نتقابل بعد الجامعة بال coffee؟، اللعبة كانت مره interesting

Then for the 2^nd participant said

أمس لعبت due باللعبة وكانت fun مره، خلصتوا نطلب ال bill ولا still باقي؟، شسويت بال mid أمس كان hard صح؟

And for the last participant said

Ok بشوف الوضع واعطيكم خبر, الmenu قررتوا وش بتطلبون منه؟

6. Results:

As we can be seen from the table, participant 1 and participant 3 employ tag switching whereas participant 2 uses inter essential switching more frequently. Additionally, we can see from the participant’s responses to the questions in the table how code-switching affects and benefits us in daily life. The meeting and the questions revealed the benefits and drawbacks of code flipping, which include its ability to help us remember unfamiliar words and teach us how to pronounce them in other languages. Last but not least, frequently using code switching makes us converse with monolingual people, which increases the risk that we will forget our mother tongue language.

7. conclusion:

We learn from the research that code switching has three types and the advantages and disadvantages of using it. Also, that the code switching can be with two or more languages and the reasons of why people use code switching in their conversation.

 

 

 

 

References:

Astute, C. W. (2020). Language awareness: Language use and reasons for code-switching. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 23(1), 116-130.‏

 

Kaushanskaya, M., & Crespo, K. (2019). Does Exposure to Code‐Switching Influence Language Performance in Bilingual Children? Child development, 90(3), 708-718.

 

Kim, E. (2006). Reasons and motivations for code-mixing and code-switching. Issues in EFL, 4(1), 43-61.

 

Haya, T. D. (2018). Sociolinguistics (code: code switching and code mixing). LENTERA: Journal Limia Kependidikan, 11(1), 87-98.

 

Alkhawaldeh, A. (2019). Code-switching between Arabic and English: Reasons, types and attitudes as expressed by EFL female students at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University. International Journal of English Linguistics, 9(6), 135-147.

 

. (MacSwan, 2014, p.37)

Adi, W. T. (2018). Code switching in critical eleven novel. Metathesis: Journal of English Language, Literature, and Teaching, 2(1), 39-57.

 

. (Cantone, 2007, p.57)

Adi, W. T. (2018). Code switching in critical eleven novel. Metathesis: Journal of English Language, Literature, and Teaching, 2(1), 39-57.