1. Language Choice and Code Switching Mansoor Al Surmi Mahishi Ranaweera Nataliya Rihs

2. Objectives
know the basic terminology related to the topic of code-switching;
be familiar with the techniques used in this sub-field of sociolinguistics;
be able to distinguish between the various theoretical explanations.

3. Outline of Presentation
Terminology/definitions
Methodology (Matched-guise technique)
Examples of Variationist Studies
Theoretical Explanations for Variation (determinist vs. accommodation)
Questions
Activity

4. Language Choice Marked and Unmarked
It’s when speakers choose what language to use in diverse social situations in bi or multilingual communities.
“Who speaks what language to whom and when?” Fishman (1965)
- Marked- the language used would not be normally expected in a certain context.
- Unmarked- Language used is one that would be expected in that context.

5. Language Shift
Happens in bi/multi lingual communities when the functions carried out by one language are taken over by another; one language is replaced by another.
People start using one language over the other and this shift threatens the viability and may even eventually result in language death.

6. Code Switching
Refers to “the use of words and structures from more than one language or linguistic variety by the same speaker within the same speech situation, conversation or utterance. Conversational code switching refers to the use of two languages by the same speaker within the same speech event.”
Laura Callahan (2001)
This presentation will concentrate on code-switching in bi or multi lingual societies.

7. Style Shifting
“By style…we mean to include any consistent…(set of) linguistic forms used by speaker… that can be associated with a set of topics, participants, channel, or the broader social context.”
Labov (1994)
Mono lingual speakers need to choose which style to use according to the context and thus they switch between styles.
Speakers may style-shift within a single conversation.

8. Accommodation Speech Accommodation
-Speakers change the way they spoke according to the person they were speaking to. We accommodate to others by adjusting our communicational behavior.
Convergence
- Speakers tend to adopt similar styles to reduce the social distance. It is positively evaluated by speakers.
Originally used to study the variation in the speech of monolingual speakers.

9. Accommodation (cont’d.)
b) Divergence
-Speakers adopt different styles to emphasize their distinctiveness or increase their social distance. It is negatively evaluated by speakers.

10. Methodology Matched guise -A measurement of language attitudes.
-Technique used in social psychological studies to investigate people’s constant evaluation of personal qualities of others based on the use of linguistic varieties.
The use of certain language varieties carries certain social associations that affects the process of language maintenance and change.
Ex: Lambert et al asked listeners to rate the same speaker reading out a passage in English and in French. They found that both French Canadian and English Canadian listeners rated the English guises more favorably than the French guises.

11. Variationist Studies
Language use is determined by factors such as social class, ethnic group, age and interlocutors’ relationship.
Language choice and code-switching is ‘habitual’: in practice certain languages tend to be associated with certain contexts.
1.Fishman(1972): In cases of stable bilingualism, certain language or variety will be used by particular classes of speakers on particular occasions and topics.
Domains of language use: institutional contexts and their congruent behavioral co-occurrences. Ex: family, employment, friendship, and government administration.
(One language will be chosen by particular classes of interlocutors on particular kinds of occasions to discuss particular kinds of topics.)

12. Variationist Studies (cont’d.)
Carol Myers-Scotton
The use of mother tongue as a means of maintaining ethnic identity and in securing certain material advantages.
Language choice of English is linked to education, authority, and official use.
Swahili is used with other ethnic groups.
Languages convey certain meanings about the speakers and also index certain rights and obligations that speakers wish to obtain between themselves and others.
CMS did studies in Africa and in Kenya-Nairobi post office-withdrawing money.

13. Variationist Studies (cont’d.)
Susan Gal
Hungarian is associated with traditional peasant life & German is the language of waged work and associated with modernity and economic success.
Standard variety of Hungarian is appropriate for conveying personal involvement and emotion or with elder people.
German enjoys a position of prestige compared to Hungarian and may cause death to Hungarian Language. ( Language Shift)
Studied hugarian/german village study.

14. Theoretical Explanations
Determinist Studies
Speakers in part respond to the overt and covert prestige of different language varieties. (Labov & Trudgill)
-Overt and covert prestige.
Overt and covert prestige/covert preference for negative prestige.

15. Theoretical Explanations
Accommodation theorists
Creativity involved in language behavior focusing on speakers’ use of different language varieties to express solidarity with or social distance from their interlocutors. (Howard Giles et al.)
Speakers’ language use is viewed as a series of ‘acts of identity’, in which speakers seek to align themselves with, or distance themselves from, certain social groups.( Tabouret-Keller)

16. Conclusion
All studies tend to see that speakers use different language varieties strategically as a means of negotiating, maintaining or changing relationships with others.
Context and social factors such as gender, socio-economic status, age, ethnic group play a role in language choice and code switching.

17. Questions?

18. Activity (handout) Why did the speakers code switch?
What factors do you think determined the code switching choices?

19. (Wish you) (a good) (day!)
Thank you
Bohoma Sthuthi
Spasiba
Shukran
Zhelaim honda yaum!
(Russian) (Sinhala) (Arabic)
(Wish you) (a good) (day!)