CODE SWITCHING & CODE MIXING

It is thus the norm for the speakers in multilingual societies to mix and switch codes according to certain
personal and social conditions of the communication they are involved in. These two processes of codes
alternation are called code-mixing and code-swiching. Generally, code-switching describes any switch
among languages in the course of a conversation, whether at the level of words, sentences or block of
speech, such as what often occurs among bilinguals who speak the same languages, whereas code-mixing
describes the mixing of two languages at the word level(i.e., one word in the sentence is in a different
language)(Baker& jones,1998).

Code-Switching
Hudson(1980) defines code-switching as the speaker's meaning of different varieties of the same language
at different times and in different situation, which seems to refer more to diglosic situation.
People are usually required to select a particular code whenever they choose to speak, and they may also
decide to switch from one code to another or to mix codes even within sometimes very short utterances
and thereby create a new code in a process known as code-switching. Code-switching (also called code-
mixing) can occur in conversation between speakers’ turns or within a single speaker’s turn. (Wardhough
2010).

We can describe two kinds of code-switching: situational and metaphorical:

1. Situational code-switching occurs when the languages used change according to the situations in which
the conversants find themselves: they speak one language in one situation and another in a different one.
No topic change is involved.

2. When a change of topic requires a change in the language used we have metaphorical code-switching.

Difference between diglossia and code-switching

The term code-switching is used when examining how people speak in different situations. Code is
thought of as a more neutral way of expressing dialect and there are generally thought to be two codes, a
prestige code and an everyday code. The term diglossia is also used to describe a person’s ability to
switch from one dialect or code to another. The subtle difference between code-switching and diglossia is
that diglossia is thought to be a more intentional changing of dialect due to situation and code-switching
is perceived as a more subconscious change.

Code-Mixing:

It is possible to refer to a language or a variety as a code. A code is a language, a variety or style of

language.The term is useful because it is neutral, can be used to refer to any kind of system that two or
more people employ for communication.

According to wardhaugh(2010:98), code is defined as the particular dialect or language one chooses to
use on any given occasion and the communication system used between two or more parties.He asserts,
"Most speakers command several variation of any language thay speak, and bilingualism, even
multilingualism, is the norm for many people throughout the world rather than unilingualism."
Multiligual is a term used in sociolinguistics to refer (as an adjective) to a speech community which
makes use of two or more languages, and then (as an adjective or noun) to the individual speakers who
have this ability; it contrasts with monolingual(Crystal,2008).

People who are bilingual or multilingual do not necessarily have exactly the same abilities in the
languages (or varieties); in fact, that kind of parity may be exceptional. As Sridhar (1996, p. 50) says,
‘multilingualism involving balanced, nativelike command of all the languages in the repertoire is rather
uncommon.

Spolsky (1998:45) says, "it is very common that people develop some knowledge and ability in a sec
given and language and so become bilingual. The simplest definition of a bilingual is a person who has
some functional ability in a second language. This may vary from a limited ability in one or more
domains, to very strong command of both languages."

It is the norm for the speakers in multiligual societies to mix and switch codes according to cetain
personal and social conditions of the communication they are involved in. Code-mixing(or conversational
code-switching) can be defined as "the transmition from using linguistic units(words, phrases, clauses,
etc.) of one language to using those of another within a single sentence "(Sridhar and Sridhar 1980).

Hudson (1996:53) defines code-mixing as a case “where a fluent bilingual talking to another fluent
bilingual changes language without any change at all in the situation.” He also says, “To get the right
effect the speakers balance the two languages against each other as a kind of linguistic cocktail.
It is the case where a fluent bilingual talking to another fluent bilingual changes language without any
change at all in the situation as speakers balance the two languages against each other as a kind of
linguistic cocktail-a few words of one language, the a few of the other, then back to the first and so on.

Code mixing is the use of one language in another language, the mixing of two or more languages or
language varieties in a speech. Hamers and Blanc(1989:35) say code mixing is the use of elements of one
language in another language. It is the transition from using linguistic units (words, phrases, clauses,etc.)
of one language to using those of another within a single sentence. Code-mixing refers to the mixing of
various linguistic units (morphemes, words,modifiers, phrases, clauses and sentences) primarily from two
participating grammatical systems within a sentence.

Language users either code mix as a technique to overcome production difficulties or for developing
bilingual competence and some bilinguals mix two languages when they cannot find proper words or
expressions or when there is no translation for the language being used. . According to Haugen
(1953:280), “ The strongest possible motive for language learning is the need of associating with the
speakers of the language”.

Sociolinguistically, the practice of code-mixing or code-swiching is motivated and constrained based on

the situational and\or metaphorical situation, such as social context, affiliation, occupation, or personal
affection. The norms can be observed or taught. In general, the scial domain (e.g., family, workplace,
school, etc.), being an area of activity which is tied to a certain code, plays a major role in motivating and
constraining code-swiching, thus effecting the choice of codes bening used for which topic while talking
to which speaker.

On the other hand, other personal and social factors play significant role of code-swiching, such as
language proficiency, language prestige and power, social, political, and cultural loyality and
cohesiveness(identity), and\or for simple habitual and convenience reasons, such as tellinh jokes or using
certain improper or offensive words in certain language.