ESL Learning

Code switching is the creative and conscious switch and expression of a bilingual's language where the switch is performed by a proficient speaker of both languages. The switch itself is quick and unexpected and may happen several times within a single period of interaction. It is also found within single sentences.

Within a sentence, code switching appears on the word and phrase level where it represents a "single unified notiuon" (Dulay, Burt and Krashen, p. 115). For example, a native speaker of English proficient in Hebrew may say: "Davkah, {דווקא} I wanted to prove I could also get a 100 on the exam." Code switching may also manifest itself on the level of entire phrases or clauses which possess an intricate internal grammatical structure. (Dulay, 115) In the case of Hebrew, a native English speaker may say: "I really wanted to do well on the exam - אבל אני לא אצליח" - But, I won't succeed. (English translation)

One of the characteristics of code switching is the maintenance of grammatical structure. The second Hebrew example illustrates the conformity to the grammatical forms of the previous English clause. This conformity includes word order, morphology and syntactic process.

In addition, the switch itself occurs only at specific and concrete syntactic moments. The switch may occur in terms of parts of noun phrases, (e.g. He dressed so handsomely ... ואיזה חליפה - and what a suit! (English translation) verb complements, noun qualifiers, predicate-portion of an equational sentence as well as at relative clause boundaries, before adverbial clauses and at beginning of verb phrases. (Dulay, 116)

An important function of code switching is ethnic identification. Here, a speaker identifies with the target language community. Code switching is meaningful when speaking with other members of the group or to indicate 9symbolic) acceptance of a non-member into the group. (Dualy, 116). In some interaction, words and phrases interspersed during the conversation creative an intraethnic textuality that signifies certain values of the culture.

There are also words inherently special to a language that are difficult to translate into English like the previous example of "דווקא"

Dulay points out that code switching is not language "interference or an abnormality in the speech of a person" (Dualy, 118) but rather code switching is an artistic form of expression of two language by a bilingual speaker that aids in communication.

Works Cited

Dulay, H., Burt, M., & Krashen, S. (1982). "Language two." New York: Oxford University Press.