Luis Gutierrez
Professor Velez
FIQWS
17 October 2021
                                                        Code-Switching                                                        
                Code-Switching is something we all do without realizing. Whether you are in an environment with people of different social status or infact, people of a different ethnicity/race, you may code-switch. However, I will be focusing on the racial part of code-switching. Code-Switching is when you switch either the way you speak or switch the language in general depending on the environment you are in. If you are in, for example, a primarily hispanic area, you may speak spanish primarily. However, if you are in a primarily caucasian area, you may start speaking English, whereas, you speak a different form of english compared to maybe the english you speak around your hispanic friends. You might censor yourself to avoid drawing attention towards you. This is how code-switching comes into play. People who are considered minorities tend to code-switch much more than others. Whether they code-switch when interacting with people of an opposing race, such as a colored person code switching to fit in with white people or they code-switch when interacting with even their own race, It could make someone feel negative about themselves as they aren’t comfortable in speaking their own way. This is discussed in the sources that I have compiled. I will be discussing Code-Switching as a whole and how it affects different people whether it be in the workplace, school, or just anywhere in general.

                The concept of Code-Switching is something that isn’t necessarily negative. It is something that can BECOME negative depending on how it comes into play. Code-switching in a formal place, like at a job interview, is overall positive for you as you need to impress your boss in order to get the job. Like you need to impress your boss in order to score the job. However, there’s a point in which Code-Switching can become negative. That line is drawn when you need to Code-Switch in order to not stand out, especially if you are in an environment where you are the only one of your race/ethnicity in which you can be judged more critically as you are the outlier in that situation. You could also feel outnumbered in that situation. This leads into my first source, an article titled,  “Code-Switching Is Not Trying to Fit in to White Culture, It’s Surviving It.” written by Ida Harris; The article basically speaks on colored people’s experience when being in a predominantly white environment. You can already tell by the title of the article, it considers code-switching a way in surviving white culture, as if the white culture is something dangerous. Something that sticks out with this article is the primary sources from people who experienced these events. The author describes their experience with being a colored teacher in a white class. “The voice that sprung from my throat was unfamiliar as I introduced myself to a classroom full of White students. Its tone was high-pitched and enthusiastic– a far cry from my naturally soft raspiness. It wasn’t the first time I was unsettled by being the sole Black person in a room, but these moments had a profound effect on me. Without thought, I’d shifted my demeanor and speech…It was the first time I noticed I had code-switched. Admittedly, I was later ashamed for abandoning my native tongue– African American Vernacular English.” (Harris, Pg. 1). It is clearly shown that when it comes to Code-Switching, It can happen without notice. Ida explains how they felt after code-switching. They felt as if they were disgracing their native tongue. They changed how they spoke in order to appease their students or to keep their students from judging her for race. A White Class vs a Colored Class obviously has their differences. Naturally, we all are more comfortable with those we can relate to, however, if we are forced to interact with those we don’t have much similarities which, in this case, skin color, you may feel uncomfortable. Hence why when it comes to Code-Switching, you do it in order to make sure the majority is appeased so you don’t seem like an outlier. When it comes to the idea of Code-Switching, you tend to do it without realizing it, as described above. However, there is an internal reason you do it consciously. As explained by the book, “Intercultural communication in contexts” specifically the 7th edition, it is stated by Judith N. Martin that there are several reasons to switch codes in a single conversation: Two of those being to fit in and, you guessed it, its an unconscious effort. However, with unconscious effort reasoning, This can occur when one is frightened by a specific event or circumstances. It isn’t necessarily your fault you code-switch. Its almost natural for you to do it as you need to do it to survive. It seems when discussing Code-Switching, it is often described as a survival tool.

          Its interesting as it truly does seem like a survival tool. As described in an article titled, “People of colour have to ‘code-switch’ to fit in with white norms.”, It is explained how colored people, specifically in the UK, use code-switching as “a survival technique, a tool to help someone seamlessly blend into different social and professional situations – particularly where you are a minority. It can be used consciously, or it can happen without even noticing that you’re doing it.” (Morris, Pg. 1).  While the example previously stated is in more of a professional situation;  it is also added that it can happen in a social situation, in a place where you are meant to be yourself. As amazingly stated in the same article; “frequently code-switching can be mentally taxing. It can be exhausting and demoralising to feel as though you have to hide or adjust parts of who you are.” (Morris, Pg. 1). Code-Switching is a survival tool. Its something that we all use from time to time, however, as explained by Natalie Morris, Colored people tend to do it to assimilate into white culture, or survive white culture. Because of this, it puts a mental toll on someone as it makes them feel they can’t be themselves even in a casual environment where you are supposed to act yourself, such as a Bar. Because of the established fear of being judged or in extreme cases being singled out, Code-Switching is used as a survival mechanism and as shown by these sources, it is something that can become negative quickly.

                  There have been some examples of scenarios of what could happen if you don’t code switch. Whether it be something as extreme as receiving corporal punishment in school or doing it in the wrong situation, it can collectively be agreed upon that not code-switching is something that, on paper, is positive and will show a sense of rebellion toward cultural norms, however, because of the social acceptance of Code-Switching and the expectancy of Code-Switching, when not practiced accordingly, it could lead to unfortunate consequences. A good example being Gloria Anzaldua, Author of the paper, “How to tame a Wild Tongue.” In this paper, Anzaldua explains her struggle throughout her life while being Bilingual. On one hand, she experiences being corporally punished for speaking Spanish in her school, “I remember being caught speaking Spanish at recess — that was good for three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler. I remember being sent to the corner of the classroom for ‘talking back’ to the Anglo teacher when all I was trying to do was tell her how to pronounce my name. If you want to be American, speak ‘American.’ If you don’t like it, go back to Mexico where you belong.’” (Anzaldua, Pg. 2). While on the other hand, she is insulted/criticized by her own people for speaking English, “ ‘Pocho, cultural traitor, you’re speaking the oppressor’s language by speaking English, you’re ruining the Spanish language,’ I have been accused by various Latinos and Latinas.” (Anzaldua, Pg. 3) In Anzaldua’s case, shes criticized by both parties. If she wanted to, she could Code-Switch and assimilate into how her teachers and culture wants her to be, however, she chooses to push away the idea of Code-Switching in turn of being herself. However, this is an example of how Code-Switching has integrated so heavily into society, its a norm to do it to appease the other party.

                 However, this isn’t the only example of the idea of Anti Code-Switching. In June Jordan’s case, the author of “Nobody Mean More to Me Than You And the Future Life of Willie Jordan.” It is explained by her on how she teaches her students to speak in ‘Black English.’ and one of those students is Willie Jordan. Unfortunately, his unarmed brother was killed by police without any reasoning. With that, they decided that they’d use Black English to express their concern for the situation and to make it right. They would write to Willie Jordans family in black english along to the Police department in Black English. “They decided to compose a personal statement of condolence to Willie Jordan and his family, written in Black English. Number Two: They decided to compose individual messages to the police, in Black English. These should be prefaced by an explanatory paragraph composed by the entire group. Number Three: These individual messages, with their lead paragraph, should be sent to Newsday.” (Jordan, Pg. 34) This, on the surface, is something that is strong and shows how they won’t assimilate into the idea of Code-Switching, however, in that instance, It wasn’t such a smart thing to do to get the point across as not everyone knows Black English. As discussed in class, It would just look like Nonsense to those who don’t understand Black English and It’ll probably be thrown away. Those who don’t know what Black English is or anything about it, they’ll assume that these papers are written by uneducated people, especially the Police Officers. Whilst Code-Switching is overall negative, It is something that is unfortunately needed in general to get through life. As stated before, its a Survival Tool. Its like the Fight or Flight response. You may dislike that feeling, however, its a Survival Tool.

      Code-Switching. Its something we all do without realizing it. Its something that we may all experience at one point or another. Hell, we may have all experienced it without even realizing it. It’s something that can help you with getting a job or harm you with having to be uncomfortable with the situation you’re in. Regardless, you are allowed to be just like June Jordan and reject that idea or assimilate into Code-Switching. Either way, It’s a fascinating thing that colored people use to get through everyday life. Here, I explained Code-Switching and how it affects others. I hope that I was able to inform you on the topic and learned something new about this controversial topic.

SOURCES:
Harris, Ida. “Code-Switching Is Not Trying to Fit in to White Culture, It’s Surviving It.” YES! Magazine, 17 Dec. 2019, https://www.yesmagazine.org/opinion/2019/12/17/culture-code-switching. 

Morris, Natalie. “People of Colour Have to ‘Code-Switch’ to Fit in with White Norms.” Metro, Metro.co.uk, 3 Mar. 2020, https://metro.co.uk/2020/03/03/what-is-code-switching-12221478/. 

Martin, Judith N. “Intercultural Communication in Contexts.” Find in a Library with WorldCat, 2018, https://www.worldcat.org/title/intercultural-communication-in-contexts/oclc/969438815. 

“How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” by Gloria Anzaldua (Unable to source)

“Nobody Mean More to Me Than You And the Future Life of Willie Jordan.” By June Jordan (Unable to Source)