The Linguist - Spring 2021

Code Switching The term: ‘code-switching’ refers to the shift from one linguistic code to another, within the dialogue of a single speaker, in simpler terms: when a person changes language, once or more, during the same conversation. This shift can be either interphrasal (with the first sentence spoken in one language and the second in another) or intraphrasal (where the change between languages happens within one sentence) and occurs on a daily basis, often subconsciously, when a person knows both languages very well. Even if the words: ‘between languages’ are often used when describing the phenomenon of code-switching, it would be better to use the term: ‘linguistic code’, as it can occur both between languages and dialects. This is often seen in Italy, due to the numerous local dialects, which are still frequently used alongside official Italian; but also in the case of immigration, where the immigrant learns a new language, yet continues to speak their mother tongue, either at home or with a small community. The fact that the majority of people around them are bilingual means that, through the frequent use of both linguistic codes, it becomes natural to shift, often for means of more efficient communication, from one code to another, even half way through a sentence. Due to a fluency in both linguistic codes, the result is still a coherent and flowing conversation, which is almost always grammatically correct, even if the two codes have very different structures and syntax. This is because the speakers have such a thorough understanding of the languages, that they subconsciously transition where there is a certain degree of overlap in the grammar of both codes. Code-switching can also help to maintain a sense of identity when integrating into a new community, where the language spoken is different to the speaker’s mother tongue. In certain cases, over time, this mix between linguistic codes has also resulted in the formation of new languages and dialects, or at least the adoption of certain foreign words in various languages, demonstrated, for example, by the term: ‘trendy’: an english word that is now also widely used in Italian. Lara D’Amico 13