Reference no: EM133039555

As you have been learning in class, one way that code switching occurs is when a person alternates or combines two or more languages in a single conversation. However, from a sociolinguistic perspective, the term has been expanded to include the use of different dialects, accents, mannerisms, or slang within a social group. We all use code switching as we change our language style depending on who we are talking to, where we are, what we are talking about, and so on. For example, you may speak differently with your friends than you do with your parents or your coworkers. For this assignment, you are going to practice code switching, but in a way that is opposite of what you may normally do.

You will start this assignment by having a conversation with a family member or friend. This conversation can be in person or through a video chat. At some point near the beginning of the conversation you should code switch and begin to talk to your family member or friend in a way that you would not normally talk to them. For example, you can try to talk to them as you would an important business associate by using more complete sentences, proper grammar, and a more formal tone of voice and body language. Or, if you talk to your parents as you would a friend, this also could involve a different communication style. Continue to speak this way until the end of the conversation, or until your family member or friend notices. During the conversation make sure to note the reaction of the person you are speaking with, as well as your own feelings during this exercise. If the person doesn't notice (or doesn't comment on it or react), you can ask them at the end of the conversation if they noticed anything different and what they thought it was.

You will then write an essay on your experience with this conversation.

1. Who you were talking to? What is your relationship to them? For example, you may want to discuss their gender, their age, and if they have any formal or informal authority over you. You can also discuss any other characteristics about the person that may affect how you normally speak with them.

2. How do you normally talk to them? Formally? Informally? Do you use slang? Proper grammar? Consider as many aspects of your communication style as you can identify.

3. How did you change your communication style in this conversation? Why did you choose this way of speaking to this person? Justify your choice using at least one of the course resources or a scholarly source of your choice. Make sure to include some examples from your conversation.

4. If the person you were talking to noticed that you were code switching, how long after you started did it take them to notice? What was their reaction? If they didn't, why do you think they didn't?

5. How did you feel while you were code switching? Since we often do it unconsciously, what was it like making a conscious effort to code switch? Discuss situations in which you normally code switch throughout the day. How were you socialized to know how to speak to people from different groups? Besides language, what else do you code switch (examples include body language, and even clothing, hair styles, etc.)?

6. Finally, what advantage do people gain by code switching?

7. Make sure to include concepts from the learning resources throughout your paper to validate your discussion.