Code Switching: Definition, Types,

and Examples
Updated on January 2, 2019

Seckin Esen
more

Seçkin Esen is working as an English language teacher in Turkey. He obtained

his Bachelor's degree in ELT from Hacettepe University in 2010.
Contact Author

What is code switching?

Code Switching in Speech
The ability to communicate our thoughts, emotions, and opinions to others is truly a remarkable skill.
But not only does our language communicate who we are, but our use of language can influence our
self-concept and identity. It goes both ways: Cultural influences are reflected in our language and
also influence how we conceptualize who we are and where we come from. (The social aspect of
language is studied by sociolinguistics, a subdivision of linguistics which studies social factors.)

Bilingual communities use certain strategies to make communication more effective and meaningful.
One of these tricks is "code switching," which we can observe mostly in second- or foreign-language
classes. Code switching refers to the use of two languages within a sentence or discourse. It is a
natural conflation that often occurs between multilingual speakers who have two or more languages
in common.

Here, we will focus on the definition of code switching, the reasons for using code switching, the
types of code switching and their definitions, and examples and suggestions for teachers using code
switching to teach a foreign or second language.

What Is Code Switching?

Code switching is when a speaker alternates between two or more languages (or dialects or
varieties of language) in one conversation. This phenomenon can be observed in the following
examples.

What Are Some Examples of Code Switching?

 If you have an exam next week, şimdiden çalışmaya başlamalısın. (English + Turkish)
 Gracias for the lovely gift. Está awesome! (Spanish + English)
 Pwede ba tayo mag dinner sa Barney's Burgers later? I want protein! (Tagalog + English)
 Are we eating chez ta mère demain? (English + French)
 Saweyti l-homework tabaa’ik? (Arabic + English)
 Nó còng đang celebrate cái sinh nhật. (Vietnamese + English)
 Ní yào qù get pizza with me ma? (Mandarin + English)

Who Uses Code Switching?

Code switching occurs mostly in bilingual communities. Speakers of more than one language are
known for their ability to code switch or mix their language during their communication. As Aranoff
and Miller (2003:523) indicate, many linguists have stressed the point that switching between
languages is a communicative option available to a bilingual member of a speech community, just as
switching between styles or dialects is an option for the monolingual speaker.
Code switching is when you combine two (or more) languages in one communication.

Does the Term "Code Switching" Refer Only to

Speech, or Does It Include Actions Also?
Since its inception, the term "code switching" has expanded to encapsulate any situation in which
speakers finds themselves switching from one accepted vocabulary, cadence, style, or set of rules to
another. For example, you'd probably speak to a potential employer differently than you would
address a close friend, so you might switch from casual language to professional-speak in certain
settings. Another example is how many African Americans describe playing different roles in
different settings and with different micro-cultures, and talk about how they must be very careful to
speak with an academic vocabulary and cadence in any interaction with a police officer.

What About Code Switching With Dialects?

Yes, someone might code switch within one language by mixing dialects or types of vernacular. You
can mix academic-speak with street-speak, for example, or slip mid-sentence into baby-talk.

Reasons Speakers Use Code Switching

There are a number of possible reasons for switching from one language to another; three are
described below.

 To Fulfill a Need. A speaker who may not be able to express him/herself in one language
might switch to another to compensate for the deficiency. As a result, the speaker may be
triggered into speaking in the other language for a while. This type of code switching tends to
occur when the speaker is upset, tired, or distracted in some manner, or when they are less
fluent in one language.
 To Express Solidarity. Switching also commonly occurs when an individual wishes to express
solidarity with a particular social group. Rapport is established between the speaker and the
listener when the listener responds with a similar switch.
 To Exclude Others. Code switching may also be used to exclude others from a conversation
who do not speak the second language. For example, if two people in an elevator in an
English-speaking place spoke Spanish, then not only would the others on that elevator who do
not speak Spanish would be excluded from the conversation, but also a degree of comfort and
intimacy would be established between the Spanish-speakers due to the fact that not all those
present in the elevator can listen to their conversation.

All the reasons for code switching.

Is Code Switching a Bad Thing?

As Skiba (1997) comments, code switching is not a language interference on the basis that it
supplements speech. Where it is used due to an inability of expression, code switching provides
continuity in speech rather than presenting an interference in language.

When is code switching helpful?

  The socio-linguistic benefits of code switching include communicating solidarity with or
affiliation to a particular social group, so code switching can be viewed as a means of providing
a linguistic advantage rather than an obstruction to communication.
 Furthermore, code switching allows a speaker to convey more nuanced attitudes and emotions
by choosing from a bigger pool of words that is available to a bilingual person, much like how
one might use font, bolding, or underlining in a text document to emphasize points.
 Utilizing the second language, then, allows speakers to increase the impact of their speech and
use it in a more effective manner.

When is code switching harmful?

If a dominant culture requires all citizens to conform to the dominant language and manner of
speaking, or if subcultures are punished in any way for not conforming completely to the language
majority, this is harmful.

Code Switching as a Language Interference

In certain settings, code switching might be a barrier to communication rather than an aid. In the
classroom, for example, code switching can be seen as language interference since it might impede
learning. Although students may see code switching as an acceptable form of communication in
society and may feel comfortable switching languages in everyday normal conversation, in some
other settings, this type of communication would put those who are not bilingual at a disadvantage,
because they would not be able to understand. Therefore, code switching can be both beneficial and
a possible language interference, depending on the situation and the context in which it occurs.

Is Code Switching Deliberate or Accidental?

Sometimes, speakers flip from one language to another accidentally, but in many situations, code
switching is done deliberately to both create unity or to exclude someone from a conversation. It is
seen as a sign of solidarity within a group, and it is also assumed that all speakers in a conversation
must be bilingual in order for code switching to occur. Bilinguals do not usually translate from the
weaker language to the stronger one. Code switching is used most often when a word doesn't
"come."

Types of Code Switching

1. Inter-Sentential
In inter-sentential code switching, the language switch is done at sentence boundaries—words or
phrases at the beginning or end of a sentence. This type is seen most often in fluent bilingual
speakers. For example: If you are late for the job interview, işe alınmazsın.
2. Intra-Sentential

In intra-sentential code switching, the shift is done in the middle of a sentence, with no interruptions,
hesitations, or pauses to indicate a shift. The speaker is usually unaware of the shift. For
example: You are sleepy coğu zaman, because you spend a lot of saat in your bed. Different types
of switches occur within the clause level and within the word level.
3. Extra-Sentential or Tag Switching
This is the switching of either a single word or a tag phrase (or both) from one language to another.
This type is common in intra-sentential switches. It involves the insertion of a tag from one language
into an utterance in another language. For example: "Él es de Oaxaca y así los criaron a ellos, if you
know what I mean." Another example is how Turkish students use some boundary words
like ama (but) or yani (I mean) while speaking English.

Is Code Switching the Same as Code Mixing?

Both involve creating hybrid words or switching between two or more language within phrases,
clauses, or from one complete sentence to the next. Some use the terms "code mixing" and "code
switching" interchangeably, especially those who study morphology, syntax, and other formal
aspects of language, but other areas (like subfields of linguistics, communication, or education
theory) have their own extremely specific definitions for code mixing.
The main difference can be summarized like this: Code switching is something speakers do
intentionally because they want to express themselves with a personal style or flavor, but code
mixing is something speakers might do unintentionally simply because they don't know the correct
word or phrase.

What If Speakers Mix Languages Because They Are

Not Fluent?
Some researchers call this need-based conflation of languages "code mixing" rather than code
switching.

Is Spanglish a Kind of Code Switching?

Linguists regard Spanglish (Spanish + English) as a hybrid language, and many refer to Spanglish
as "Spanish-English code-switching," although it also includes lexical and grammatical shifts as well.
In Spanglish, speakers are allowed to switch back and forth without following rules.
However, a speaker is misguided to think that they can make up new words that sound kind of like
another language in order to fit in with that other culture. "Mi housa es su housa" for example, is just
silly (and possibly insulting).
Here are some other hybrid ways of speaking:

 Taglish (Tagalog + English)

 Franglais (French + English)
 Hindinglish (Hindi + English)
 Germanglish (German + English)

Is Code Switching the Same as Speaking a Pidgin

Language?
Code switching and pidgin are not exactly the same. The difference is that code switching generally
occurs when both speakers are fluent in both languages used in the conversation, while a pidgin
language is a grammatically simplified way of talking that develops between two or more groups that
don't share a language. Pidgin is more like a third dialect that evolves when speakers do not share a
common language. Usually, in pidgin, a speaker draws from two or more languages but vocabulary
and grammar are simplified and reduced.
It's best to give instructions in the language you're trying to teach. If students know you will interpret later, they
won't listen to and learn the new language.

How to Use Code Switching in the Classroom

Allow language-learners to code switch when they have difficulty continuing a
conversation in the new language.
If a student pauses mid-sentence trying to remember a word, it will be helpful if the teacher allows
her to substitute the word with one from her native language in order to continue. If rules strictly
prohibit code switching, classroom rapport and learning will be thwarted.
If students find the need to resort to code switching, it's the teacher's job to use those events as
opportunities for learning. Teach the vocabulary, offer synonyms, and model other things students
might do to continue conversations without resorting to code switching.

Should a teacher explain instructions in both the native and the new
language?
It's best to explain instructions in the language you're trying to teach, and to avoid repeating those
instructions in the native language afterward. If students know that you will explain it in their native
tongue later, they are less likely to listen to and learn the new language.

Is there any situation where code switching should be avoided in the

classroom?
Try to avoid code switching in classrooms where students speak different native tongues. If all your
students are native English speakers occasional code switching may be helpful, but if your
classroom includes students from different linguistic backgrounds, it will confuse the class and
prevent learning.

Suggestions for Teachers

The teacher can use code switching to help promote learning, especially while teaching new
vocabulary. Here are some suggestions for teachers of intermediate level students learning English.
These examples set the lesson in a classroom of native Turkish speakers, but you could do
something like this in any classroom full of students who share any native tongue.
Activity #1:

The teacher shares a written dialogue which includes an English statement for which the students
don’t know the Turkish meaning.

Joselyn: Babs, Babs, Oh there you are!

Babs: Calm down. What’s the rush?
Joselyn: (I’ve been bursting to tell you.)

Babs: Tell me what? It’s obviously got you excited.

Jocelyn: Well, Heather just told me that Mandy has dumped Gordon and got a new boyfriend.
Babs: Oohh, fancy that. Who is he?

The teacher wants the students to learn the meaning of the new word "bursting." Have the class
brainstorm to guess what it means in context (hopefully they'll come up with something like Sana
söylemek için can atıyorum), then the teacher introduces the new word: To burst.

*
Activity 2:

The teacher gives another dialogue to the students and wants them to guess the meaning of the
words which are written in bold.
John: Would you like to go out to dinner or to a movie?

Karen: Either one, it’s up to you.

John: What would you prefer?

Karen: I really don't care; I just want to get out of the house.
John: Well, then how about dinner and a movie?

Karen: That’s a great idea!

Students try to guess the meaning of it’s up to you from the context. And after finding the its
meaning as ‘sana bağlı’ , they are asked to put those words in the dialogue and read it again.

Conclusion
Code switching is a phenomenon that is inevitable in bilingual communities. It occurs naturally in
second- or foreign-language classrooms and it can be used beneficially in many classroom activities.
Although it is sometimes seen as a sloppy or presumptive way to speak, it is natural and can be
turned to a purposeful and useful activity in language classes.

References
Aranoff, M. and Rees – Miller, J. (2003). The Handbook Of Linguistics. Blackwell Publishers: Oxford
Crystal, D. (1987). The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of Language. Cambridge University Press:
Cambridge
Romaine, S. (1992). Bilingualism. Blackwell Publishers: Cambridge
Saunders, G. (1988). Bilingual Children: From Birth To Teens. Multilingual Matters Ltd: Clevedon

Skiba, R. (1997). Code Switching As a Countenance of Language Interference. The Internet TESL
Journal. Vol. III. No: 10.
© 2014 Seckin Esen
Difference between Code Mixing
and Code Switching
BY PAYAL KHULLAR · FEBRUARY 6, 2018


Code in sociolinguistics simply refers to a language or a language variety.
Both Code Mixing and Code Switching are in one way or another coming
together of two or more languages or codes. Unlike Pidgins and Creoles,
these are milder instances of language contact situation. By simple
definition, Code Mixing is mixing of mostly words, but also phrases, clauses or
even complete sentences of two languages or varieties. Code Switching is
nothing but switching from one language to another to create a special effect.
Note the addition of the phrase “special effect” in the definition of the latter.
The key Difference between Code Mixing and Code Switching is indeed that
Code Switching has a special, social pragmatic consequence while Code
Mixing does not.
What are the Causes of Code Mixing and Code
Switching?
Let us first talk about one of the major causes of Code Mixing and Code
Switching in linguistics. Language contact is when two or more languages or
communities speaking those languages come in contact with each other.
Coming together of individuals or communities speaking distinct languages
most often results into bilingualism within the communities or its members. In
this age of wide spread global communication, you can imagine that a
language or speech community can rarely be monolingual. Even if there were
an isolated, monolingual community somewhere, it would still show
bilingualism, although within the language varieties or dialects of that same
language.
Hence, language contact and bilingualism are the prime causes of code
mixing and code switching in speech communities. This contact situation is
not only brought by physical interaction of the speakers. It can also be social
media interaction. Some other examples that facilitate language contact are
academic or non-academic reading in a non-native language.

Code Mixing and Code Switching Difference

Let us now go on and talk more about the Difference between Code Mixing
and Code Switching with examples. Note that the terms code mixing and
switching in sociolinguistics are so closely related that some linguists do not
mind using them interchangeably. Both involve hybridization of words,
phrases, clauses or even full sentences of two or more languages. The
Difference between Code Mixing and Code Switching is that switching is done
in a particular setting or for a particular purpose. And code mixing is done
more out of linguistic requirement.

The language user switches codes while speaking in a certain style in front of
another person. In one way, we kind of change identities while talking to
different people. However, code mixing is more unintentional that way. We
can mix one code with another when we do not know the correct translation of
a particular word in another language. In fact, over the time, many code-mixed
words become so frequent that they form a part of the language as loan or
borrowed words. It is important that we look at a language synchronically to
better study code mixing.

Also, language and cultures are closely related. Sometimes a concept

expressed by one language is totally missing in another language. For
example, the word jhootha in Hindi. The word is used for something like a
utensil or food that someone has already used or tasted. This concept is
totally missing in a language like English. So while speaking or writing in
English, the user has no option but to use the word as it is. She can also
choose to give a description of that word instead. However, if she knows that
the other person knows Hindi as well, she will most likely use the word as it is
without hesitation. You may want to read this interesting Quora discussion on
how to say something is jhootha in English.
Examples for Difference between Code Mixing
and Code Switching
Let us now try to understand Difference between Code Mixing and Code
Switching by looking at some example scenarios. While speaking Hindi, many
people use the word “teacher” instead of the word adhyapak. This is because
we use it less frequently. In fact, it is quite unnatural to say it like that. Pure
Hindi is spoken rarely these days. Many a times, it is humorous to speak pure
Hindi.
Sometimes we do not mix words just to sound natural. It also happens that we
forget words in our language. Or we do not know them at all. For instance, do
you know the Hindi word for the famous sport “Cricket”? How about the word
“Computer”? Please write the correct answer in the comments below if you
do. But I feel, you most likely don’t.

The thing is that English is the language of Education. We use it everyday to

achieve various purposes. We see it all around us. Hence, it is not unlikely
that we remember more English words for common things. Code mixing of
single words is very common in formal and informal speech. Code mixing of
complete clauses and sentences is also done. Although it is a little less
frequent.

Now, let us move on to another scenario. A native Hindi speaker is speaking

Hindi with his friends. All of a sudden, her boss comes and now she starts
speaking English. This is switching. It is done intentionally because language
users feel appropriate to communicate in a certain way in certain situations.

The example I gave above is an example of inter-sentential code switching.

Code switching of single words can also be done. This is called tag code
switching. Let us look at an example of tag code switching also. Consider a
native English person giving speech in front of Spanish audience. The
audience understands both English and Spanish. But just to induce comfort,
she greets them with Hola instead of “Hello”. And says the rest of the things in
English. She intentionally uses the word Hola to create a special effect in her
speech. Hence, it would not be an example of code mixing but code switching.