Code-switching is the process of shifting between different linguistic codes depending on the conversational setting or social context. It is an excellent example of intercultural conflict today. Today’s world is highly globalized; people from different backgrounds interact more than ever. For example, in the United States, one of the most culturally diversified societies offers various opportunities for code-switching. One of these opportunities is Thanksgiving – an annual national holiday where Americans celebrate harvests and blessings of the year. The event brings people from different ethnicities, including Hispanics, Latinos, Native Americans, and African Americans, among others. Code Switch, an NPR podcast, breaks down the role of Thanksgiving in code-switching.
Essentially, Thanksgiving is about people coming together to celebrate what they are thankful for. That being so, the podcast introduces something that most families and myself can relate regarding the celebration – foods. In particular, the idea of different cultures being associated with certain food types is common. An excellent example is when Demby says, “I’m team potato pie,” and Meraji responds, “growing up, we didn’t have sweet potato. We had cherry pie because my dad is Persian,” and when Miranda is asked which of the two, he prefers he responds, “that is the code-switchiest question of all time (“A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast”, 2017). In that sense, code-switching is more than using multiple languages.
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Another element presented in the highly relatable podcast is the idea of refraining from attending Thanksgiving because of differences in certain views. Thanksgiving brings different cultures together, and this can be both a good and a bad thing. It is a bad thing because of the notion of stereotypes and bias towards certain cultures. Often, different groups are associated with certain unpleasant behaviors and beliefs. For example, African Americans being violent and inconsiderably verbally abusive or Hispanics being overly racists (Kareem, 2016). Like Carvell Wallace says, Thanksgiving comes with possibilities of violence, which may put children in danger. I remember my mother opting out of Thanksgiving with my extended family because of potential undesirable outcomes emanating from cultural differences.
On the bright side, Thanksgiving is perfect for code-switching. The idea of different ethnicities coming together to celebrate fortunes of life presents multiple opportunities for multilingual people to switch between different languages and dialects. What the podcasts say is that thanksgiving and similar holidays are about building the community and celebrating the fact that we are part of a community. It is all about togetherness. Something I have learned, which is also consistent with the views of Wini Rustiyani (2020), is that we code-switch because we want to fit in. Many times, my brothers, sisters, and I have interchangeably used both English and Spanish, consciously and unconsciously, to blend in with Latino cousins during such holidays. It helped a lot in creating an environment of understanding and friendliness, which often makes thanksgiving a success.
Code-switching is a complex concept in the study of languages. It has grown immensely over recent decades because of increased mingling between cultures and languages. Code-switching is not restricted to shifting between languages, and it also involves the use of multiple local dialects at the same time. Various historical annual events such as Thanksgiving in the country bring people together. It is, in large part, responsible for bringing together all Americans regardless of whether they speak Spanish, English, Hindu, Chinese, Italian, or other languages. Through this, the national holiday offers an excellent opportunity for the practice of code-switching. The podcast provides an in-depth illustration of how the holiday plays a special role in code-switching.
References
A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast. (2020). Retrieved 11 August 2020, from https://www.npr.org/transcripts/565777176
Kareem, N. N. (2016). Code-Switching in Language.
Rustiyani, W. (2020, April). Focusing on Code Switching: Educators’ Perceptions in Assessing Learners’ Foreign Language Proficiency. In the Twelfth Conference on Applied Linguistics (CONAPLIN 2019) (pp. 223-228). Atlantis Press.
