Code Switching

 

If you’re the type of person to say something like “the quantitative analysis on the usage of pie in a substantially long math problem…” I hope I don't offend you.

I don’t know what it is. Seriously. If I ever have to give up code switching I’d die. Language is supposed to be fun. Yes, there are rules to follow, but allowing code switching – at the appropriate times- would make it easier to get our points across. Personally, if someone were to use a million big words, it’d take me five hours to understand wth they were talking about. I’d feel offended and pretty stupid, like my intelligence has been insulted. And I most likely wouldn’t talk to them EVER again. In reality, most hi-falutin and French/Latin words are probably only used amongst us because Ivy League college’s set the norm or helped emphasize that Standard English is one of the best “dialects” people should use. As if.  Everyone wants to sound smart, “high – techy.” If they didn’t use any form of code switching they’d might as well be robots.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to bash on Standard English. I just want to say spicing up your language a little bit won’t kill you. I’m sure if I didn’t code switch once in a while, my mom would keep me in some kind of problematic language asylum. When I’m with my friends, I don’t have worry about what I’m saying. I’d end every sentence with “tho,” try to get away with saying “Nah b” and, say something stupid, and not be judged. Just the other day my friend and I were talking about wanting to grub on some fatty foods. She was like: “If someone were to hit me up right now and say hey, do you want some Mc Donalds I’d be like f* yes!” I’d probably say “Those diabetes tho,” or “Hell no. I can’t even with those nasty fries. Are you trying to kill me?” In the car, the code switched version of me would say: Mom, can we get fast food? Not McDonalds, I’m not really in the mood.” It’s different, especially when talking about teachers. Everyone has done this at SOME point in their lives. There’s one in particular that will just drive you crazy. Instead of saying “he needs to calm his mctits, he’s so mad,” I’d say, “he just needs to cool down. Or he needs a vacation,” to a teacher or parent. It all depends on your audience.

Overall, code switching can be extremely effective for a certain idea or viewpoint. The only problem is, it can’t be used all day – every day. It sucks. Specific or unknown audiences have to be targeted. It’s like, something you say to a friend, can’t be said to a teacher; something said to a native English speaker, would be hard to explain (with code switching) to a foreigner. It could get difficult. I realized that with this blog. I still feel like I have watch what I say. It’s a pain in the butt too. When I speak verbally, I can easily code switch and say something funny, irrelevant, and stupid that could explain how I feel in seconds. I wouldn’t have to break down with adjectives, and fancy phrases. I’d communicate freely and not feel pressured. But, when I write, it’s like the structure of Standard English is still in my head. I still think about clear sentences, or the clarity of what I’m writing. Even while typing the code switching. It’s redic.

Overall, I think using code switching at times can still make your statements meaningful and insightful – unless you’re releasing the F BOMB ten million times, or cursing way too much. In fact, there’d be no meaning at all.  Just sticking to Standard English is so dry. We DO need it, but making code switching apart of it would be cool. Like Anzaldua, Jordan, & Williams, basically showed in their texts, gaining control over what you say and how you say it gives you a sense of identity, allowing you set your own norms; I’d no longer be stressful, confined, or degrading (social class wise) to speak what you want.