MALAWI ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY

PROGRAMME: BACHELORS OF ARTS IN EDUCATION (BAE)

SUBJECT: LINGUISTICS

YEAR/ LEVEL OF STUDY: YEAR TWO/ SEMISTER TWO

COURSE TITLE: SOCIOLINGUISTICS

PRESENTED TO: LECTURER MEMORY CHIPETA

PRESENTED BY: LENNSON C. CHIKOMO

STUDENT ID NUMBER: 22012100008

SUBMISSION DATE: 1st JULY, 2022

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 REASONS WHY PEOPLE SWITCH AND MIX CODES DURING CONVERSATION

Al-Qaysi, N. (2019). Defines Code switching as the combining terms or phrases from two
languages together through the duration of speaking or writing. On the other hand Weinreich, U.
(1986) stated that Code switching is the process of alternatively using of two languages in a
conversation. Therefore one can sum up that Code switching is an aspect of using two languages
in the course of conversation. According to Nomura (2003), speakers may not be aware that code
switching has occurred in their communication or be able to report which language they have
used during a particular topic after the conversation. This is so because sometimes the switch just
happens automatically although in other circumstances it is done knowingly or intentionally.
There are a number of reasons that may lead people to switch codes in a discourse. Some of
these reasons are presented in this paper.

The first reason for Code switching is inability to express oneself in the targeted language. This
is common in classroom in a situation where a student has a point to make as a contribution to
the lesson which is being conducted in English. Due to low vocabulary bank a student tends to
switch to mother’s tongue’s language. This is also argued by Skiba, R. (1997) who stated that in
language classrooms code switching contribute to maintaining the continuity in speech and it
does not interfere with the flow of linguistic expression. If the language teacher has some
familiarity with students’ first language, he/she may handle the lessons more effectively. García
et al, (2018) argued that, the students repeated the message to be communicated in the target
language in mother’s tongue language in their attempt to give the meaning by using a repetition
technique. Most of the students declared that they do not know some of the English words
thereby switching to a vernacular language the course of raising a point. This is not only on the
part of students as sometimes even teachers switch code when they want to emphasize a point or
clarify certain concepts so that students may understand well. Therefore, they have to code
switch to their mother tongue language or the first language of the student. All in all inability to
express oneself plays a major role in code switching.

Holmes, J. (1992) stated that a speaker may similarly switch to another language as a signal of
group membership and shared ethnicity with the addressee. For instance when a person is
speaking the second language with friends from different ethnic groups always switches to his or
her mother’s tongue language when a person from same ethnic group joined them. Taking an

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example of people from Tumbuka, Yao or Lhomwe ethnic grouping, a person from these
groupings can be walking in the streets together with people from different ethnic grouping
interacting in a common language like Chichewa. Once he or she meets one from his or her tribe
immediately can switch to their mother’s tongue language and exchange greetings before he or
she switches back to the common language. Not only that sometimes it happens when one is
addressing a gathering in a targeted language then noticed that there are some compatriots from
his or her home then code switching take place. That happens to show his or her allegiance. In
such cases the speaker code switch intentionally only to show his or her attachment with others
who are in the gathering. A speaker may switches code and say something although which is not
part of the script just for the sake of showing connection the members of his or her grouping.

Another reason for code switching is to show solidarity with listeners. This is according to
Wardhaugh (2006). He further highlighted that the switches are often very short and they are
made primarily for solidarity with the addressee. The good example is the case of the politicians.
In 2019, the period towards the General Elections a number of party leaders were busy moving
to all reachable or unreachable places around the country. One popular leader visited one of the
districts in the northern region. Despite being from the central region of Malawi as well as not
being a member of Tumbuka ethnic grouping, he switched cord in his address and started
addressing the gathering in their mother’s tongue. In doing that he showed solidarity with the
northerners despite being a Ngoni from central region of Malawi. Due to that alignment with the
northerners he become popular in the region and amasses more votes from the region. To
conquer with that Jendra, (2010) states that several reasons why bilinguals switch their code are
namely; quoting someone, marking and emphasizing group identity or solidarity, including or
excluding someone from conversation, raising status, and showing language expertise.

In addition to that, in addressing an audience comprising of different ethnic groups or races, code
switching is also used. Malik, L. (1994) states that code switching is also used when the speaker
intends to address people coming from various linguistic backgrounds. For example, in Malawi
the State President often addresses people in English mainly during government gatherings or
national addresses. The presentation is made English for the sake of other people from different
countries working in Malawi either as diplomats, business gurus as well as expatriates. Not only
that but also for the sake of Malawians of different ethnic grouping who are not good in

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decoding utterances in other languages found in Malawi but are able to understand English.
Having in mind that other indigenous Malawians do not speak and hear English, after an address
in English he switches code and repeat part of the address in Chichewa. Such trend is also
common with Malawi Broadcasting Corporations sports presenters. They switch codes as they
use Chichewa and English interchangeably in their football commentary. Malik, L. (1994)
further added that, linguistic reinforcement often takes place even in society and formal places. It
also can be seen in a country where counsels tend to speak to a number of different interlocutors
at the same time. During such occasions obviously they mix codes or switch codes according to
the ethnicity of the addressee. He then suggested that one reason for such use of code switching
is to address simultaneously persons from different linguistic background.

Lastly code switch is sometimes applied for the maintenance of privacy. Sometimes when
people are in a group and want to discuss a private issue in the presence of friends they switch
codes. For example two people whom both are Malawians but are working in a foreign land in an
environment where they are the only Chichewa speakers. In the course of chatting using the
common language they can code switch to Chichewa if they want their discourse to be a private
one. Not only that same applies to parents when they want to discuss something serious and they
want their children not to get it they code switch to the language which their children cannot
understand. Malik, L. (1994) gives an example of school learners, in a multi-racial school, they
switch code in the classroom so that other classmates would not understand the thing he or she is
conveying with friends from the same country. Therefore code switching serves as a recipe for
privacy.

In conclusion, code switching helps when people are unable to express themselves, in the
targeted language, a signal of group membership and shared ethnicity with and addressee and in
addressing a different audience. People have many reasons for using code switching in
multilingual society. It is sometime a habit. The tendency of using code switching affects the
way people speak in the community.

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REFERENCES

Holmes, J. (1992). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics. London. Longman Group UK Limited.

Weinreich, U. (1986). Languages in contact. The Hague: Mouton.

Marasigan, E. (1983). Code-switching and code-mixing in multilingual societies. Singapore:

Singapore University Press.

Nomura, M. (2003). Bilingualism and multilingualism: A study of code switching. The Bulletin
of the International Student Center, Kobe University, 8. Retrieved from http://www.lib.kobe-
u.ac.jp/infolib/meta, on 06/30/2022

Wardhaugh, R. (2006). An Introduction to sociolinguistic.UK: Blacwell Publishing

Al-Qaysi, N. (2019). Students and educators’ attitudes towards code-switching: A longitudinal

study. International Journal of Information Technology and Language Studies.

Skiba, R. (1997). Code switching as a Countenance of Language Interference. Retrieved from

http://iteslj.org › Articles › Skiba on 06/30/2022

García et al (2018). Code-switching in highly proficient Spanish/English bilingual adults:

Impact on masked word recognition. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 61(9),
2353-2363. Retrieved from https://www.doi.org/10.1044/2018_JSLHR-H-17-0399 on
06/30/2022

Jendra, M. (2010). The Study of Societies’ Language. Yogyakarta: Graha Ilmu.

Malik, L. (1994). Sociolinguitics: A Study of Code Switching. New Delhi: Anmol

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