Code Switching

People user certain strategies to make communication more effective and

meaningful. By switching one code to another or mix them into one sentence in order to
create an effective communication. It called as code switching. Code switching refers to the
use of two language within a sentence. According to Romaine, code switching is the use of
more than one language, variety, or style by a speaker within an utterance or discourse, or
between different interlocutors or situations. Code switching is a term in linguistics
referring to using more than one language or dialect in one conversation (Victoria and
Rodman, 1998; Myres and Scotton, 2006 as cited in Nur fitria, 2014). Code switching is
commonly found on bilingual or multilingual speakiers. Code switching can occur between
sentences (inter-sententially) or within a single sentence (intra-sententially) and in a short
expression (tag code-switching).
As the type of code switching, in inter-sententially code switching, the language
switch is done at the beginning or end of the sentence. Inter-sententially type is seen most
often in fluent bilingual speakers. For example, an Indonesian bilingual switches from
Indonesian to English:
- Where have you been? Kami sudah menunggumu!
While in intra-sententially code switching, the shift is done in the middle of a sentence,
with no interruption, hesitations, or pauses to indicate a shift. For example, an English
bilingual switches from English to French:
- The hotel, il est grand, is really huge and unbelievably majestic.
The example shows that the code is switching in the middle of the sentence and followed
by the previous language. Besides, a tag code-switching is happened when a bilingual insert
short expressions (tag) from different language at the end of utterances. For example, an
Indonesian bilingual switches from English to Indonesian:
- It’s okay, no problem, ya nggak?
Unlike the grammatical classification, which based on the position of different code found
in the utterances, the contextual classification is based on the reason why people switch.
The classification divides two types of code switching, those are situational and
metaphorical code switching.
 Situational or contextual code switching appears when there is a change in the
situation that causes the bilingual switches from one code to the other. The changing
situations involved could be the settings, the participants, or the norm of interaction.
Metaphorical switching is when alternation enriches a situation, allowing for allusion to
more than one social relationship within the situation. In metaphorical code switching, the
context of the conversation is undistributed but rather the changes adhere to the social
context including the role of those involved in the conversation.
There are several possible reasons why speakers use code switching form one
language to another, three possible reasons are described below:
- To Fulfill a Need
a speaker who may not able to express him/herself in one language might switch
to another to compensate for the deficiency. 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 want to express solidarity
in certain social group.
- To Exclude Others
When a speaker wants to exclude others from conversation who do not speak
the second language, he/she may use code switching.
Code switching is a phenomenon in bilingual communities that is inevitable. In occurs
naturally in second or foreign language community. It also beneficially can be used in
many classroom activities. Even though, sometimes it is seen as a sloppy or presumptive
way to speak, it is natural and can be a purposeful and useful activity in language classes.

Reference
Nur fitria, T. (2014). Sociolinguistic “Code Switching and Code Mixing.” 0–20.
Esen, Seckin. Code Switching: Definition, Types, and Examples. Retrieved on
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Code-Switching-Definition-Types-and-Examples-of-
Code-Switching