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I used to be pretty harsh on myself if I couldn’t finish a sentence without going back and forth between English and Spanish when speaking with other bilinguals, an action commonly known as code-switching among linguists. Like many bilinguals and monolinguals alike, I simply believed this was wrong. I thought it meant I wasn’t really proficient in either language—even when I knew this not to be the case—or that I was simply forgetting my Spanish. I was wrong!
In the last couple of years, I have read countless of definitions of code-switching (alternating between two languages), but none had really explained it as clearly as the one I recently read in the book, Bilingual: Life and Reality. Written by Professor Emeritus François Grosjean, a bilingualism expert of international stature and a bilingual (English/French) himself, the book has been a real treat to read. For the first time, I’ve gotten explanations to some particular behavior associated with bilingualism about which I’ve always wondered.
Reading the chapter dedicated to code-switching was an eye-opener. I found particularly interesting what Prof. Grosjean had to say in terms of debunking the beliefs that bilinguals who code-switch do so out of laziness or because they don’t know either language well enough to just stick to one language. According to the author, code-switching is actually not easy to do. He goes on to quote linguist Shana Poplack who’s done extensive research on code-switching and presents an entirely new (to me) definition of this behavior:
“Code-switching is a verbal skill requiring a large degree of linguistic competence in more than one language, rather than a defect arising from insufficient knowledge of one or the other… [R]ather than presenting deviant behavior, [it] is actually a suggestive indicator of degree of bilingual competence.”
I had never really thought about this as an option, but the more you think about it, the more it makes complete sense. It’s crazy the bad rap that code-switching has been given—and I am the first one to admit I propagated the myth—when in reality is an intrinsic part of being bilingual. I would like to point out; however, that code-switching is not the same as another type of behavior common among many bilinguals: borrowing. According to Prof. Grosjean, this has more to do with using a word of short phrase from the minority language and adapting it in form and sound into the majority language. Something similar to what I described my daughter doing in this post.
Another excellent part of Prof. Grosjean’s chapter on code-switching is his exploration of why bilingual do it.
Reasons Why We Code-Switch
1) Sometimes the other language has a better word or phrase to express a particular idea.
I talk about this reason in particular in the post I mentioned above. I do this a lot with adjectives, for example, and it really has nothing to do with not knowing the equivalent in either language. It’s rather a matter of using the better word to describe what I am trying to say.
2) Sometimes the words we code-switch are the only ones we have or they are more readily available in the other language.
This is not to say that we don’t necessarily know the correct word in the language we’re using. This has more to do with something extremely interesting Prof. Grosjean calls the “complementary principle” which basically has to do with the notion that for bilinguals different aspects of life, such as work, family, school, sports, hobbies, etc., require different languages. For example, I spent a large part of my career as a television producer and although I worked for Univision for many years surrounded with bilinguals (with different levels of proficiency), we would always switch to English whenever we were talking about technical terminology related to, say, editing video. It just made more sense to do so since in the case of editing video, for instance, the software was in English.
3) Sometimes we code-switch as a communicative tool, including to exclude someone or to show expertise.
If you’re bilingual, you’ve surely done this: switched to the minority language so that those around you can’t understand. Sometimes it might be to say something specifically about those you’re excluding; sometimes you just don’t want others to listen to what you’re saying. If you’re bilingual, you’ve surely been embarrassed when you found out the person you were trying to exclude actually spoke the minority language, too!
Note:
While I was extremely happy to find another way of looking at code-switching, it’s important to remember that in terms of raising bilingual children, the experts agree that while they’re learning both languages it’s better if they’re exposed to each of them in a monolingual setting. In other words, children learn by example, so the less mixing you do, the less mixing they’ll do—at least until they become proficient in both languages.
Prof. Grosjean’s book, Bilingual: Life and Reality, has tons of extremely interesting information regarding what it is like to be bilingual. I plan on sharing a series of posts regarding some of these aspects later on, not to mention an interview with the Professor in the near future.
Update:If you’d like to find out more about Prof. Grosjean, including his answers to specific questions about bilingualism, I invite you to check out MultilingualLiving, an awesome new website I’ve been meaning to share with all of you. MultilingualLiving is the new site by the founder of the Bilingual/Bicultural Family Network and publisher of Multilingual Living Magazine, an amazing digital publication which unfortunately ceased to exist last year.
In the meantime, what is your definition of code-switching? Does (or did) it also have a negative connotation in your view? Why?
Tell us, what are your reasons for teaching your child Spanish?
Thanks for this article it was very interesting. I’m going to get that book. I learned Spanish because I have worked with Mexicans most of my life and am almost fluent. The Code-Switching is something that just happens!~ I don’t think it is something we sit and think about, like hmm which word should I use, it’s automatic. THe word that fits the best just pops out.
I personally have never heard anyone say anything derogatory about doing that. That is new to me. I have always been facinated when talking with other bi-linguals with how the conversations always are a mix of the 2 langauges. I have heard people who are not comment on it but has always been a positve remark like I love hearing you guys do that. Or that is so cool how you guys do that.
I agree that rather than a lack of comprehension of the either language it is moreso a much deeper comprehension. When I could join in conversations and this was going on and I understood it all I knew I was at a deeper level of understanding of Spanish.
Exactamente, Julie! Code-switching just happens!
Unfortunately, there’s all kind of negative connotations associated with code-switching, including the use of what many consider pejorative terms like Spanglish, Portuñol (Spanish and Portuguese), Franglais (French + English), etc. In fact, as Prof. Grosjean points out, the negative views about code-switching has made many bilingual teachers and parents discourage its use.
I actually remember being a bit worried about the name we chose for this blog because of how many people truly believe that code-switching is wrong!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with code-switching
Thank you Roxana for bringing up a topic that I speak about often with fellow educators. It’s refreshing to have another resource to pull from that points out the positives of code-switching. I look forward to seeking out Professor Grosjean’s book.
Code-switching is something I continue to speak about in a positive way during my workshops on how to bring Spanish and English together in the daily routine of a home and/or classroom.
Love what you continue to bring to this community of learners!
.-= Beth Butler´s last blog ..What Will Your Child Learn This Summer =-.
Beth, the more we all educate and share our knowledge about bilingualism, the more myths will be debunked!!!
Thanks for your unending support!!!
My interesante! Gracias por compartir.
.-= Valentina´s last blog ..Introducing bilingual story time! =-.
Roxana,
Another excellent post from you! Thanks for clarifying this myth – which I also had a negative opinion about. What’s interesting is that, as I became more and more fluent in English and had no one to speak in Spanish around (my husband does not speak Spanish), I stopped code-switching even when I’m around bilingual people (e.g., my sister or mother). I wonder why that is the case…
This conversation is really fascinating…would love to hear more from Prof Grosjean’s book.
Angelica
Gracias, Angélica! As I said in the post, I highly recommend Prof. Grosjean’s book. I haven’t finished it yet, but it has been an incredibly eye-opening read.
I LOVE this!! I didn’t even know it was called code switching. But I definitely love it, I used to talk about this with my sister after a couple of years of us moving to the US we usually speak spanish among ourselves but we started adding english words or phrases here and there and we talked about how easy and comfortable it feels and I don’t feel bad about doing it cause I know it’s only when I want and with whoever I want. And “por instinto” I don’t do it with the kids, I know it would just mess things up!!
.-= Dariela´s last blog ..Life is Good! =-.
Roxana…great post!!
Since you were the lucky one who got to review Prof. Grosjean´s book, I just had to order it via Amazon. It will be worth every penny!
I´ve always worn my Spanglish shirt very proudly. I know educators and scholars are very purists about not mixing languages, and I do agree that “borrowing” (ex: troca, marketa, etc..) is hard on the ears, but I’ve always believed that being able to fluently and effortlessly flow from one language to the next requires tremendous brain flexibility.
The beauty is that I know who I can code-switch with and I know when it’s not appropriate. Even if there’s always a “pero” or an “o sea” that escapes me!
Wonderful post! Code-switching is such an interesting topic. I appreciate how you weave in Prof. Grojean’s expert wisdom with your own personal experiences! I remember talking with Prof. Fred Genesee about this after a talk he gave in Seattle (based on some research that he presented). It is amazing how we are now realizing that code-switching is often a sign of language mastery (as you mention in your quote from Grosjean)! Who would have known based on that older research!
Thanks for the link to Multilingual Living’s presentation of Prof. Grosjean’s Q&A!
Corey
I think Spanglish suffers from a bad reputation. I have to admit our neighborhood is full of kids and unfortunately even many adults who don’t seem to be able to write or speak very well, neither in pure English nor in pure Spanish. But I really think it’s a question of where people are on the economic ladder. The kids face so many challenges to getting a good education, period. It’s not being bilingual that is to blame. If you look at similar income levels anywhere, you see the kids struggling with reading and writing.
Thanks for this great article, Roxana. It is important to debunk some of the myths around using different language in different contexts. And as you explain, a constant mixing is the not the same as occasional borrowing or consistently using one language in a certain context (like for tech terms). I also found Naomi Steiner’s book, “7 Easy Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child” had a good section on this phenomenon, and made a distinction between kids expressive and receptive skills. She also said mixing is totally normal and usually stops by age 5 or so. Merci pour ce posting! ; ) Julia
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Thank you very much for discussing this topic and these resources.
Our son, stepkids, nieces & nephews are all bilingual. Most of them are doing what I now know is called code-switching. I have been looking at it with fresh eyes since reading this post and have come to realize they CAN function completely in only one language. They prefer if possible to constantly mix them and create spanglish words when speaking with others who are also bilingual. I think they are claiming their membership in a special sort of club or identity. There are a lot of bilingual people where we live but it is mostly younger people (immigrant parents).
Now I feel reassured this is ok and I just need to really focus on the two kids that don’t seem to be able to un-mix. One of them is 9 and often doesn’t keep the languages straight when speaking but if someone doesn’t understand her she will pause and usually she can remember what the word in the other language is & try again. So I think she just needs a lot more exposure to the minority language and she’ll figure it out with time. The other one worries me. He is 7 and understands everything in both languages but the right word just will not come to his tongue. He’ll think and think but it’s very rare that he can ever come up with it. Not only that, he does realize why he’s not being understood, but usually he can’t even identify which word he just said was in the “wrong” language. When forced to speak with someone who only understands one language or the other, he frequently gives up & goes to get his sister to translate. I worry about him. He needs a little more drastic intervention and I don’t know quite what to do.
It doesn’t seem to be related to their ages. I think it is their mom primarily speaks to them in (terribly incorrect) English. The 7-year-old also stutters and his speech therapy as well as all his classes at school are happening all in English the majority language here.
They are only with us a couple days a week so that is oiur real challenge.
Very interesting to hear this positive approach to code-switching! I personally used to have a quite strict attitude towards it and, holding a blog over bilingualism myself (in Italian), I will inform my readers of this good news.
Nevertheless, in my personal life, raising my children bilingual, I fear it will take me time to fight against this bad feeling I have every time one of them cannot find the correct word in Italian. It’s probably an irrational reaction, basically founded on the fear that they will not have an equal competence in both language (going to school in my husband’s language).
I’d like to stress the peculiarity of the place where we live, which should be object of more studies, according to me: Luxembourg. Here we live in a really international environment, where everybody has a good competence in at least (and I say AT LEAST) 2 languages, but most of the peaple do speak 3-4 languages and have the opportunity to use some of them on a weekly (if not daily) base.
Our real problem raising children here is how to limit the number of languages…!
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please, answer me urgently
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We spoke to our son in English and Spanish. Sometimes he would be slow to answer and we wondered whether we were confusing him. We were at the mall one afternoon and he decided to throw a tantrum, so I told him we were going to the car. He then doubled his tantrum and switched to Spanish. I then realized that he was crying and yelling in Spanish because his grandmother was with us. His grandmother only spoke Spanish. Since he was her consentido, he was playing to her. Code switching is also used to see what language gets us what we need or want.
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