NAME
TEACHER
INTRODUCTION
What is it?
The English language has changed considerably over time. However,
analyzing the impact of this can also refer to how English varieties
can be spoken in different ways within the context of a specific time
period. In sociolinguistics, the term often used to define this process
CODE-SWTICHING
is code-switching.
There are many theories about how and why people code-switch,
but the general meaning behind the term relates to how
individuals and groups change their style, register and dialect
within a single conversation. This change could either
demonstrate solidarity or emphasise distance between an
individual and a particular social group. It could be as simple as
changing the level of formality, or as complex as moving between
the phonological and syntactical structures of English and other
languages
The following link will take you to a Youtube video from the
American sketch comedy television series “Key and Peele”, and
its primary purpose is to entertain an American audience.
However, it is a good demonstration of how individuals can
adapt their language to suit a particular context or
demonstrate their identity (whether that be sexuality or race)
within different social groups.
CLICK HERE FOR KEY AND PEELE VIDEO
NAME
TEACHER
INTRODUCTION
What is it?
The English language has changed considerably over time. However,
analyzing the impact of this can also refer to how English varieties
can be spoken in different ways within the context of a specific time
period. In sociolinguistics, the term often used to define this process
CODE-SWTICHING
is code-switching.
There are many theories about how and why people code-switch,
but the general meaning behind the term relates to how
individuals and groups change their style, register and dialect
within a single conversation. This change could either
demonstrate solidarity or emphasise distance between an
individual and a particular social group. It could be as simple as
changing the level of formality, or as complex as moving between
the phonological and syntactical structures of English and other
languages
The following link will take you to a Youtube video from the
American sketch comedy television series “Key and Peele”, and
its primary purpose is to entertain an American audience.
However, it is a good demonstration of how individuals can
adapt their language to suit a particular context or
demonstrate their identity (whether that be sexuality or race)
within different social groups.
CLICK HERE FOR KEY AND PEELE VIDEO
NAME
TEACHER
MAIN EVENT
The link below will take you to a webpage from a food blog,
“Afroculinaria”, where author Michael W. Twitty uses a range of
dialect, style and register features to demonstrate a membership to
CODE-SWTICHING
different aspects of African American and Jewish identities.
While the phonological features of African American vernacular
are utilized in both the Key and Peele sketch and the food blog,
what are the key differences between the nature and context of
code-switching here?
CLICK HERE FOR AFROCULINARIA FOOD BLOG
Using this extract, draw the mind-map below as a starting point to
list these different language varieties and the various features that
characterize each. Remember to not only consider the dialect
features, but also where Twitty demonstrates his personal idiolect
whilst maintaining the stylistic and structural conventions of a
standard food recipe and the personalized, spoken features found in
a blog.
Language varieties
Note: There will also
often be overlaps
between the categories.
For example, the phrase
“y’all” could be
considered as part of his
sociolect, but also his
African/
Idiolect/
Jewish
American
Sociolect
Lexicon
Vernacular
American South regional
dialect.
NAME
TEACHER
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Now, consider your learning objectives from this part of
the course.
In what ways can you link these to your understanding of the extract?
Choose one objective to explain in detail – in both you may consider
the intention of the author and target audience, but you may find that
one focuses on the production of the text whilst the other focuses on
CODE-SWTICHING
how the text is received.
Based on your understanding of code-switching so far, what do
you think social attitudes are towards this phenomenon? Often in
the media, celebrities or public figures who code-switch are
perceived as inauthentic or frauds who intend to manipulate
their audience, instead of preservers of their different identities
or cultures they belong to.
Research examples of these people
below and compare the media reaction to their code-switching.
Are their similarities between their perceived reasons for codeswitching? Are there differences between the reactions towards
male vs. female public figures? Why could this be?
Barrack Obama
David Beckham
Hilary Clinton
Kanye West
Kim Kardashian
Keywords:
Sources:
Code-switching
https://www.dailym
Idiolect
otion.com/video/x4
Sociolect
bn77k
Dialect
https://afroculinari
Regional
a.com/2018/09/12/
Vernacular
high-holidays-
African-American
apple-barbecue-
Phonological
sauce/
Syntax