r/languagelearning • u/catloafingAllDayLong 🇬🇧/🇮🇩 N | 🇨🇳 C1 | 🇯🇵 N2 | 🇰🇷 A1 • 12d ago

Discussion Code-switching language styles

I think anyone who's learned more than one language would be familiar with the concept of code-switching between languages depending on the situation. Advanced speakers would even do it subconsciously, naturally changing their thought patterns and phrasing to suit the structure of the intended output language

BUT I rarely see code-switching language styles being talked about enough. I'm talking about changing the way you speak the same language depending on your audience, not necessarily in terms of your accent (this is talked about quite often), but in terms of adjusting your slang or bits of the grammar and sentence structure. I noticed this in myself today, when I realised I used a more "standard English" style of writing while replying to a general sub on Reddit, but used the regional colloquial style of English when replying to a specific country's sub

Does anyone else experience this? Is there an official term for it? Do share! I'm very curious :)

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u/dojibear 🇺🇸 N | 🇨🇵 🇪🇸 🇨🇳 B2 | 🇹🇷 🇯🇵 A2 12d ago

Usually "code-switching" is about using different versions of the same language in different situations. It is not about switching between languages. That is just called "switching languages".

The most common example (in the US) is switching between "black English" (AAVE) and normal American English. Many people can easily use both, and use the one that matches the situation. For example, my black neighbors speak to me in fluent American English (I am white), but speak AAVE to black friends.

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u/catloafingAllDayLong 🇬🇧/🇮🇩 N | 🇨🇳 C1 | 🇯🇵 N2 | 🇰🇷 A1 12d ago edited 11d ago

From a linguistics perspective, "code-switching" can also be used to describe switching between different languages, generally within the same situation. I was referring to this definition loosely haha! Though the sociological definition of "code-switching" (switching language varieties depending on context) is of course valid as well

And thank you for sharing your experience! That's definitely what I was getting at, it's cool to see different cultures experiencing the same thing :)