Spanglish: Speaking Code-Switching
Cultural differences in communication is seen across various settings in day-to-day life. People from different cultures have different ways of speaking and there are more reasons than one as to why we often change the way we speak. One phenomenon that demonstrates this is referred to as “code-switching”. Code-switching is the ability to switch between two languages when conversing with another bilingual person. The main takeaway from this week’s readings discusses the reasons why people code-switch and how the benefits in doing so outweigh the cons. In the article “Five Reasons Why People Code Switch”, we read stories that illustrate why people code-switch. There are many reasons why people do so, however, the five main reasons that are discussed are: we do so without realizing it, we want to fit in, we want to gain something, we want to be secretive, and it helps us form a thought. Although many different people from different cultures code switch, there are widespread views about this type of dialect. In the article “Love it or Hate it, Spanglish is here to Stay…”, we specifically read into the use of Spanglish—combining English and Spanish dialect. However, whether it be Spanglish or a different combination, switching between two languages is seen as “lazy” or “having poor manners”. Yet, scholars say that there is “sophisticated brain work” behind code-switching, similar to the technique of multitasking. While there is still debate on the topic, many people love using elements of both languages through their interactions and it is apparent that there are more pros than cons in doing so.
What I learned about people from other cultures is that many of us hold value to our cultural identity. Culture is what shapes us—it is the set of ideas, behaviors, and traditions that are shared among a group of people. Code-switching, in a sense, is a way of maintaining the cultural identity of an individual. It is a way of communicating more efficiently with someone who may or may not share similar cultural backgrounds. A characteristic of culture is embracing language. Therefore, when we speak among a larger or more diverse group, it ties together the community and allows for more collaborative communication. This week’s readings have changed how I view the world. It has shown me that people love the sense of togetherness even amongst the bias that cultural groups face on a day-to-day basis. For example, in last week’s article, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”, we made the association of white privilege as being an advantage. Many conditions such as class, status, and living conditions attach importance to your skin color. These factors gave a broader sense as to what a system of unfairness looks like. From this reading, we can make the association that the way we communicate may unfortunately attach importance to conditions such as class and status, as well. As stated above, code-switching can be seen as a disadvantage and possibly an ‘unprivileged’ skill. However, language can break those barriers. Instead, the majority of people see it as a positive skill. It ties people together for more productive communication while also helping to embrace your identity.
These readings relate to my own experiences with code-switching. Growing up in a bilingual household, my family speaks both English and Urdu. I am more proficient in speaking English and my parents are more proficient in Urdu. So, there are certain things that I express to my parents in Urdu when saying it in English can be a little confusing, or I just simply like to include short phrases of Urdu in my sentences. For example, if I ask my parents “What’s for dinner?” I would say “what’s for khana?” If I were to tell them that “Today is Friday”, I would instead say, “Today is Jummah”. I have grown up in a household where we tie a lot of importance to our culture and religion. Language is one way where I maintain my personal cultural identity even when it involves codeswitching.
