Code-meshing, Code-switching & Code-mixing
What is Code-meshing?
Suresh Canagarajah belives
in“code meshing as a strategy for merging local varieties with Standard Written English in a move toward gradually pluralizing academic writing and developing
multilingual competence for transnational relationships”
What is Code-switching?
Well, in 1977
Carol Myers-Scott and William Ury defined code switching as the use of
different varieties of English in the same conversation. But others
define it as the mixing of two or more languages in discourse.
What is
Code-mixing?
Code-mixing occurs when using the grammar
patterns, intonation or vocabulary (bound and unbound morphemes) of one
language when speaking another language.
Almost everyone that
speaks two or more languages code-switches or code-mixes, and this change in
the language style is done to fit the audience in terms of communicative
purposes. My son code-switches all day. When he speaks with his friend or with
an adult you can observe changes in the words he uses and even in intonation.
This code-switching occurs when someone changes from one language to another or
within the same language moving from informal to a more formal language or a standard
variety.
A very important
point embedded in code-switching is the ability to recognize when it is
necessary to do it. I did not know that I was code-switching and teaching my
son how to do it, until I came to this program. At first, it was more like this
is the proper way to speak at home, in public places, with his friends and with
our Cuban relatives.
It is very important
for immigrant children whose parents do not speak English to be properly taught
a standard variety of English and more importantly to know how and when to turn
it on and off.
I would like to
know your views about these questions.
Would I be code-switching if I speak English
using gestures, motion (body language) commonly use in my native language?
If a speaker uses newly borrowed words, is he
code-switching?
