Code Switching

[Tywais]

First off will clarify that I don't consider myself "fluent" in Thai. This implies the ability to converse comfortably in any context or subject. Technical subjects such as medical, law or other complex subjects I am not fluent due to lack of sufficient vocabulary in their field. However, I do occasionally give a lecture at the university in Thai in a technical area I am proficient in with some preparation.

Normal everyday conversation is not a problem and speak comfortably, smoothly and without thinking (mentally translating) about it. Years ago I read an article on code switching and find myself in that situation often. There is a friend at the university, a technician, that I talk with regularly and his English is indeed fluent, one of the best I've known outside of the ajarns.

What is interesting is that we constantly switch languages. Sometimes the entire subject will be in Thai, sometimes in English and often changing back and forth between the languages even in mid conversation - sometimes even within the same sentence. This is done automatically without thinking about it or conscious of it.

Looked up a few articles out of curiosity and thought it might be of interest to those that encounter the same situation.

Code-switching is a term in linguistics referring to using more than one language or dialect in conversation. Bilinguals, who can speak at least two languages fluently, have the ability to use elements of both languages when conversing with another bilingual. What is said is syntactically and phonologically appropriate; that means that even if words from another language are included into the sentence, they will be adapted to the grammatical rules of the first language. Code-switching can occur between sentences (inter sentential) or within a single sentence (intrasentential). Code-switching is now considered to be a normal and natural product of interaction between the bilingual (or multilingual) speaker's languages.

Psychology Wiki

There are a number of possible reasons for the switching from one language to another and these will now be considered, as presented by Crystal (1987). The first of these is the notion that a speaker may not be able to express him/herself in one language so switches to the other to compensate for the deficiency. As a result, the speaker may be triggered into speaking in the other language for a while. This type of code switching tends to occur when the speaker is upset, tired or distracted in some manner. Secondly, switching commonly occurs when an individual wishes to express solidarity with a particular social group. Rapport is established between the speaker and the listener when the listener responds with a similar switch. This type of switching may also be used to exclude others from a conversation who do not speak the second language. An example of such a situation may be two people in an elevator in a language other than English. Others in the elevator who do not speak the same language would be excluded from the conversation and a degree of comfort would exist amongst the speakers in the knowledge that not all those present in the elevator are listening to their conversation.

The Internet TESL journal

An interesting one here:

How switching language can change your personality

* 13:17 25 June 2008 by Reuters and New Scientist staff

Bicultural people may unconsciously change their personality when they switch languages, according to a US study on bilingual Hispanic women.

It found that women who were actively involved in both English and Spanish speaking cultures interpreted the same events differently, depending on which language they were using at the time.

It is known that people in general can switch between different ways of interpreting events and feelings - a phenomenon known as frame shifting. But the researchers say their work shows that bilingual people that are active in two different cultures do it more readily, and that language is the trigger.

New Scientist

BTW: I find myself dreaming in Thai more than English. Wonder what that means?