Julia Adamczyk

ENC 1102

Code-Switching: An Analysis on the Impacts of Culture

Research questions:

- How is code-switching misinterpreted amongst different cultures?

o How does English code-switching differ from Korean code-switching?

- What are the parallels between internet code-switching and AAVE code-switching?

o How has AAVE code-switching influenced modern-day “slang”?

Code-switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages or varieties of

language in a conversation. The reasoning behind the use of code-switching varies from person to

person, whether it be the feeling the need to “fit-in”, or to help convey concepts and thoughts that

might be easier to explain in a specific language. The case in which I am focusing on is how African

American Vernacular English (AAVE) has impacted everyday use of language on the internet, and how

this “slang” differs and is misinterpreted between different cultures, in particular, Korea.

To collect research, my primary method will involve listening to various podcasts and watching

YouTube videos both in Korean and English. While listening to these, I will make note of the use of

“slang” and compare the meanings of each term to the opposing language. For example, the term “화이

팅”, translated to “fighting”, is an expression used in Korea as a form of encouragement whereas in

English, it has a more intense meaning. I will also listen to different interviews between English speaking
people and Korean speaking people (and vice versa) to grasp a sense of the language barrier between

the two when it comes to translations.

Citations

“Linguistic Code-Switching: What It Is and Why It Happens.”

https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/blog/linguistic-code-switching.

“The Coast of Code-Swtiching" The Cost of Code Switching | Chandra Arthur | TEDxOrlando

“English aint just a tool” http://www.theargus.org/news/articleView.html?idxno=1566

“The Construction of White, Black, and Korean American Identities through African American Vernacular
English” https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1525/jlin.2001.11.1.52