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Leigh Gardner Assignment Final Copy 22 septet 2011 Code Switching: A Daily Habit Code switching is a part of everyone’s daily life. Gloria Unusual expressed how she used code switching in her story “How to Tame a Wild Tongue. ” Unusual grew up in Texas, near the Mexico border, to a Mexican-American family. Her family primarily spoke Spanish, but while at school and In the community, they had to speak English, the accepted language of America (Unusual 530).
Unusual did not want her native language to die, so she wrote “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” to express her feelings, ND to show how code switching affected her everyday life. In the story, Unusual expressed that depending on who she was talking to, she would have to use a different type of Spanish depending on where the person was from, or English if she was speaking with a white American. According to Unusual there were about seven different dialects of Spanish that she knew how to speak (530-532).
She also wrote about her culture, and how they enjoyed different types of movies and music than what would be considered “popular” for the white community (534-535). Once Unusual went to college, she was given a speech class were the point of the class as to get rid of her accent (Unusual 528). This is when she realized that her language is at risk of dying, and she believed it should last as long as there were Mexican-Americans in the United States; everyone has their freedom of speech and they can use any language they wanted too.
No matter if it Is Unusual switching between two different languages or myself acting different around different groups of people; everyone code switches whether it is subtle, or obvious. Many teens talk to their parents differently than how they would talk to their siblings. Primarily, young hillier are taught to respect their elders, and most keep this principle with them throughout their lives. Having acquired this way to act, teens talk to their parents knowing It Is what they must do.
While talking to their parents, kids who may “swear Like a sailor” while around their siblings, will not curse around their parents to show respect, and to prove to their parents that they were raised well. Also, children are afraid of the loss of privileges if they do not use the right “language” while around their parents. They develop different languages, and learn when and how to use hem very well in order to make sure that they are always at an advantage.
Unusual agrees, as she had about three different forms of Spanish that she would use while around her friends and family, compared to the other types of Spanish or English she would use while out in the real world (530). Gloria Unusual learned different types of Spanish, which she would use to speak to different people in her family. Some of these forms of Spanish were slang, and others were more formal and accepted types of Spanish. In order to avoid trouble, kids develop deferent ways to talk at home and SE them to their advantage.
When people develop different hobbles, or play different sports, they learn the members must learn the “language” of that sport in order to understand what the coach is trying to teach or tell him or her. When a new person Joins a new team or club, they do not understand what the people in this group are talking about. These new languages must be learned, and then used only during the right times. If a tennis player uses terms used at tennis at home, where there are no tennis players, that person would not be understood by their family.
Unusual verified that this appended to her, as she would use a form of Spanish in an area where it was not used. She spoke of how nobody could understand her, so she would have to find a different language to use in order to communicate (531). Unusual had to learn how to speak these different languages in order to make sure she could communicate no matter where she was. Many people learn how to code switch from their home lives, to when they are out doing what they enjoy.
From learning to do this, they will save themselves a lot of embarrassment, or from being made fun of by the others that do not understand what they are talking about. Code switching is used in many places, even between hobbies, sports, and one’s home life. Music is a big part of many people’s lives, and many people have to learn how to code switch even with their taste of music. Depending on whom someone is with, or the lack of being with somebody, can determine what somebody taste in music is.
If a certain friend has a strong taste in music, chances are that you will listen to that genre of music while with that person. This may not be the same type of music you listen to while alone. With fear of not fitting in with that person, chances are that you ill go and learn that “language” that is associated with that type of music. Then, you will eventually learn how to “code switch” your music taste depending on which situation is present at the time. Also, today’s youth learn how to switch their taste in music when around their parents.
There are plenty of genres of music today that parents do not find suitable for their children, and they would not want to know their children are listening to such things. Therefore, the children simply learn how to “code switch” their music tastes and the problem is then solved. Unusual preached bout how she would listen to Latino music, which was considered unpopular, and it was the only music that she could connect to (535). Even Unusual had to learn when to listen to her favorite type of music since it was unpopular.
Different genres of music require people to “code switch” in order to talk about the certain groups that fall under that genre. Movies are another big factor in our culture, and movie fanatics must learn how to “code switch” while talking about different genres of movies. Most movie watchers would not use the same terms associated with a comical film compared to the terms hey would use when referring to a horror film. Additionally, there are also different types of movies that parents or society may consider inappropriate.
These movies are very popular with today’s youth, but parent do not want their children viewing such films. So, these kids learn how to “shut off’ the fact that they watched a “banned” movie while around their parents. They learn to not speak about the movies, and when asked if they have ever seen such a film, they act as if they never heard of it. Unusual expressed that it was an unpopular thing for the white society to go see a Spanish speaking film. Therefore, she would go to a Spanish speaking film with her didn’t go and see these “foreign” films with her white friends because it was not the accepted thing to do.
Therefore, she would not speak about the films when around non-Spanish speaking Americans. Today’s society learns how to speak about unaccepted movies at the right time and the right place, or they will suffer the consequences. People “code switch” in order to not be embarrassed, or to not be considered an outsider. Obviously, “code switching” was developed in order to save people from humiliation, or punishment. Many people are Judged on how the way they talk, and if they do not talk “normal” then they are looked at differently.
Since they are looked at differently, they are then treated differently too. Today’s youth usually code switches to avoid any punishment they may receive for using foul language, or talking about unaccepted materials, such as music and movies. Unusual preached of how she would be punished if caught speaking Spanish in the wrong place. “l remember being caught speaking Spanish at recess-?that was good for three licks on the knuckles with a sharp ruler” (528). A reason, Just like Anaconda’s, that people “code witch” is to avoid punishment or humiliation.