Code Switching

Shoh   Sun Mar 09, 2008 6:16 am GMT
Guest, I still beg to differ. Any bilingual person would know that certain ideas/concepts are simply better expressed in a particular language. A bilingual conversation makes it possible to communicate in a more expressive way.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:08 am GMT
Code-switching will make you illiterate in your own tongue more or less.
It's inevitable due to the fact that you're using English more often then Japanese. As you have mentioned you're a U.S. citizen. Let's say work-wise you speak English, at home it's Japanese *sometimes some English and with your friends this code-switching. Your brain shall lose some essential vocabulary in Japanese and replace those with English words. For example: instead of saying "kanuchiwa" in Japanese you'll say hi. Then a domino effect will occur with other words slowly, not in its entirety but basic words. Do you see my reasoning?

Code-switching is okay and understandable with language learners, foreigners, or kids.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:12 am GMT
Wasn't it konichiwa?
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:14 am GMT
">It can help someone learn to speak with confidence. You can't expect people to start speaking a language with complete, perfect fluency. If a language learner has the opportunity to code switch, it can help build confidence. He can eventually work out the areas in which he lacks, especially vocabulary.<"

People (like you) who already know Japanese and English don't need Code-switching to boost your confidence. It's for recreational time - of couse. But often recreational things become obsessive and are done or used ad inifintum, which will eventually make you illiterate in your own Japanese tongue more or less. How? You'll have to think more in Japanese, you may stutter out of the blue, or you may forget some essential words. etc. etc. etc.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:16 am GMT
">Wasn't it konichiwa?<"

I see you still haven't forgotten. :p
Xie   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:21 am GMT
This may not always be the case, though I must admit that switching code for fun or for expressing yourself better is reasonable. In many cases, it's simply not very meaningful and even doesn't make much sense NOT to. AFAIK, there's no popular equivalent for iPod in Chinese, and so are for many brand names/products that have/offer no translations (even though some are forced/encouraged to).

When discussing certain subjects among us, since we use English almost exclusively, we can't just translate names of certain subjects. I can translate economics/geography into Chinese when the one I am speaking to knows it refers to that ECON/GEOG1001 course, but it'd very probably prevent me from putting my ideas clearly if I translate EVERY course just because I THINK I shouldn't switch code - I'd be considered a geek, a purist.

"Introduction to economics I" is already hard to translate without leading to a misunderstanding: "hm, Xie, are you talking about some economics books written by scholars in the mainland? We don't use them here!" If another subject is called "Chinese economy today", shall I put it in Chinese even when I talk to a Chinese student taking it? "What, dude? Our country is doing fine lately. What's the matter?...Oh, I see. But please don't get me confused. Everyone studies this subject in English."
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:27 am GMT
<<certain ideas/concepts are simply better expressed in a particular language<<
This is absolutely true.

<<Your brain shall lose some essential vocabulary in Japanese and replace those with English words<<
I also find this to be true.
So, while I personally, and my family, code switch every day between four languages; I still find it a threat to my first language.
Plz, someone explain some more why is it good, I want to feel better about it.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:28 am GMT
">I am completely fluent in both of the languages I code switch in. I am not ignorant in either.<"

:OK, jya, something random na koto hanasune. It's actually sorta hard when I'm sugoku ishiki shiteru, dakedo, when I'm with my friends, nanka shizen to detekuru.:

You call this fluent? I don't think so. Anybody can say I'm fluent in this language or that one. But are they really? Maybe. Maybe their Japanese learning English, or Japanese learning Japanese. I see no value nor an idea why somebody whom is fluent would want to sort to this transitional regression.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:46 am GMT
Xie - I see you're reasoning. Which I agree. Only linguists would stray this far, but I was refering to Shoh about how this "casual" code-switching eventually leads to a distortion of languages. One doesn't benefit from this, maybe he or she (where this is popular) gets more social benefits or interaction - i.e. friends - but in the long run you'll just dumb yourself more in your own tongue.

">So, while I personally, and my family, code switch every day between four languages; I still find it a threat to my first language.
Plz, someone explain some more why is it good, I want to feel better about it.<"

What is your native tongue? What other languages do you speak in? Well if you're not a linguist it is NOT a good idea. But if you are, it is. Why? Because as an linguist you cherish languages too much upon memorizing them enough to avoid merging another language with it.
If languages (or learning them) isn't your thing, I suggest you stay or speak with the language you know best. Because if you try to speak all four (without any genuine interest) you'll just confuse yourself, think, lose words and stutter ad nauseam.
Guest   Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:51 pm GMT
I do not see how naming the languages I speak would improve the ontopic discussion. So, I'll skip that.
Do you have any scientific (linguistic) arguments to support your disapproving with code switching? Have there been any researches about what you claim? I do not disagree, mind you; I'd just like to see more data, pro or con.
Guest   Mon Mar 10, 2008 2:35 am GMT
Expressing oneself is NOT a good reason to code-switch. What will happen is that it will start out that you will be switching to a different language whenever you come to something you find a burden to say in your other language, and that may not seem a big deal, but eventually over time you will suddenly discover that you have lost the ability to say it in the hard language even if you try. So if you're gonna do that, switch to the language in which you find it HARDER to discuss a certain subject, and it will be good practice.