Today we’re going to explore a topic that I notice again and again whenever I work with bilingual people, speak with people who are studying a second language, and actually notice inside my own family: code switching.
You’ve probably done it yourself. You start a sentence in English, suddenly use a word from your native language, then switch back again. This is a form of code switching and is extremely common. Code switching happens all around the world, in every culture, anywhere multilingual people communicate.
So, what exactly is code switching? Why do bilingual and multilingual speakers mix languages like this? Is it a sign that your English is improving? Or could it be something that slows down your progress?
In this episode, we’re going to break it down clearly and practically. We’ll look at what code switching is, why people do it, and most importantly how to manage code switching as a language learner!
Listen Here!
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
YouTubeInteractive Transcript!
You Can Now Read and Listen at the Same Time With an Interactive Transcript!
Vocabulary
- bilingual (adj): able to use two languages fluently.
- She is bilingual in Arabic and English.
- register (n): the level of formality used in speech (formal/informal).
- His register changes when he speaks to his boss.
- accent (n): a particular way of pronouncing a language.
- You can hear a strong French accent when he speaks English.
- dialect (n): a regional or social form of a language with unique words and pronunciation.
- People in that town speak a different dialect from the capital.
- fluency (n): the ability to speak smoothly and naturally.
- She is improving her fluency by speaking English every day.
- interference (n): when one language affects another, causing mistakes.
- His Spanish causes interference when he uses English word order.
- automatic (adj): happening without thinking or conscious control.
- After years of practice, speaking English became automatic.
What is Code Switching?
So what exactly is code switching?
Code switching is when a speaker alternates between two or more languages or even different varieties of the same language within a single conversation, sentence or interaction. It can be a full sentence, a quick phrase, or just a word.
For example, you might be speaking English, but suddenly switch into Spanish to express an emotion or use a phrase that feels easier or more natural in Spanish. Then without thinking, you switch right back to English.
This isn’t unusual. It’s a product, or a part, of being multilingual. Code switching happens naturally in [00:04:00] conversations where people share more than one language, and your brain is simply using all of the tools, all of the knowledge, it has available.
It’s not necessarily a mistake or a sign of poor ability. In fact, some linguists argue that it shows advanced communication skills because your brain is selecting vocabulary and grammar from multiple different language systems at the same time.
Code switching doesn’t only mean changing from one language to another. It can also involve switching accents. For example, speaking differently with family than with your workmates.
It could involve switching dialects. For example, using regional vocabulary or pronunciation depending on who you’re talking to.
Or it could be switching levels of formality. Being more professional at work, and then casual or slangy with your friends.
[00:05:00] Every time you adjust how you speak depending on where you are, who you’re talking to or what you want to express, you are switching between different codes.
Types of Code Switching
Code switching comes in quite a few different forms. I think that understanding these forms will help you notice your own habits and use them more intentionally as a language learner.
I will also demonstrate these types of code switching with Japanese and English. This is because I actually do code switch every day between Japanese and English, as I communicate with my wife in a mix of Japanese and English.
The first type of code switching is inter-sentential switching. This is a type of switching that happens between sentences.
You finish one sentence in one language and the next sentence comes out in a different language. In my case, I often finish one [00:06:00] sentence in Japanese and the next sentence comes out in English.
For example, “Kyō wa metcha isogashikatta. Anyway, I’m glad I’m home.”
This means, “I was so busy today. Anyway, I’m glad I’m home now.”
Because the switch happens at a sentence boundary, this type of code switching is often more deliberate. It commonly occurs when the speaker changes the topic or the tone or maybe responds to a new person.
The next type of code switching is intra-sentential switching. This is when you mix languages inside the same sentence.
It’s extremely common among bilingual speakers because the brain can move smoothly between languages in real time. For example,
“The weather today is ‘metcha’ cold.”
I used a Japanese adverb meaning “very” in the middle of the sentence. These switches can be single [00:07:00] words, short phrases, sometimes longer chunks of language, but often short words. And most bilingual speakers don’t even realize they’re doing it. It’s usually fast and expressive and very efficient.
Another form of code switching is tag switching. Tag switching involves adding small expressions from another language at the end of your sentence to add emotion or emphasis.
It would be like saying a sentence in your native language, but ending with an English word like, “right?” Or “you know.” Or in my case. “It’s really difficult, ‘ne.'” ‘Ne‘ is a very common sentence tag in Japanese that kind of has the meaning of, “isn’t it” in English.
These short tags help express humor or identity, and they usually slip into speech naturally and rarely disrupt the grammar of the main [00:08:00] sentence.
Finally, not all code switching requires two languages. Sometimes we switch between different styles of the same language.
Depending on where we are, who we’re speaking to, or how we want to sound, we can switch our register. This is why it’s often called register switching or style switching.
For example, when you’re at work: “Good afternoon everyone.”
When you’re with your friends: “Hey, what’s up?”
Even though you are still speaking English, you’ve switched between formal and informal styles. You are adjusting your “code” to match the situation.
Reasons Behind Code Switching
So why do bilingual and multilingual speakers switch languages so naturally?
In most cases, it’s not a conscious decision. There are several reasons behind it, and many of them happen automatically. We don’t think about it.
Language isn’t just a tool for communication. It’s also [00:09:00] connected to the community we belong to or the relationships we have. Code switching can strengthen your sense of belonging.
In many cases, certain emotions feel more authentic or real in a specific language. You might communicate day to day in English, but argue or express love in your native language. This is because your native language is more powerful or emotional for you. Switching languages allows people to communicate feelings more accurately and naturally.
Code switching can also be purely efficient. Instead of searching for the correct word in one language, many bilinguals just pick the quickest or clearest option from whichever language fits their idea.
There’s also the influence of topic shifts. Different aspects of life often feel tied to specific [00:10:00] languages.
Many English learners, you guys listening, use English for work, maybe study, but you switch to your native language when you’re discussing personal things. One language might dominate your professional life while another belongs to your home life.
Another reason for code switching is who we’re talking to. We change how we speak based on who we’re talking to. I talk in English with my wife most of the time, but as soon as a member of her family enters the room, we switch to Japanese.
Then there’s the simplest explanation… habit and convenience. When you live between two languages, both systems are active in your mind.
Words pop up from whichever language comes fastest, and switching happens automatically. It’s just how multilingual brains work.
Why Do English Learners Need to Understand Code Switching?
So why does code switching matter for people learning [00:11:00] English?
I think understanding this can help you use your native language as a tool to learn more effectively without letting it slow you down. Learning to manage code switching consciously is a part of becoming a better English speaker.
In some cases, your first language can help you think through what you say. It can help you maybe plan ideas before speaking, translate difficult grammar, and check the meaning of a new word. It’s kind of like having a dictionary in your head if you are bilingual.
But it can become a problem. It becomes a problem when code switching turns into an unconscious habit. When you switch languages every time something feels difficult. If your brain constantly returns to your native language for comfort, you will lose valuable practice time in English.
I see this at my conversation clubs occasionally. For example, if I make [00:12:00] a conversation room with multiple speakers of the same language, maybe multiple Spanish speakers, when these people don’t know an English word, maybe they switch to Spanish without thinking. This is one of the reasons I try my best to mix languages at the conversation clubs.
The habit of code switching when things get difficult slows down the development of your automatic fluency. It slows down your ability to think and speak quickly without translating. It can also hide gaps in your vocabulary or your grammar. It can hide your weaknesses, because switching helps you avoid challenging areas instead of learning them.
There are also always communication issues to consider.
In mixed language groups, code switching into a language that not everyone understands can leave people out even if you don’t mean to be rude. In professional or international contexts, code switching [00:13:00] languages in the middle of a sentence or a discussion can seem unprofessional or secretive, especially if people don’t know what you’re saying.
Beyond communication, code switching can lead to interference between languages. When your brain jumps quickly between language systems, things like grammar and word order can accidentally carry over incorrectly from one language to another.
And of course, this can result in mistakes.
As English learners, you also need to understand that code switching doesn’t only happen between languages. It also occurs inside English when switching between formal and informal styles. Speaking too casually in a professional situation or using too formal language with friends can give the wrong impression.
So knowing when to switch your register is just as important as knowing when to switch languages.
How To Manage Code Switching as an English Learner
[00:14:00] Let’s end this episode with some advice on how to manage code switching effectively.
Before switching languages, you should try and ask yourself, Are you switching because it really helps you? Or are you switching just because you are avoiding English?
Conscious switching, thinking about it, can be useful, but automatic switching can stop you from practicing your English properly.
Force yourself to just use English. Maybe incorporate English only sessions into your daily life. Set aside five or 10 minutes where you speak or think only in English, and don’t allow yourself to speak any words from your native language. It could be talking to yourself or writing a journal or having a conversation. Maybe join one of my conversation clubs.
Many code switches happen because you simply just don’t know the right word in that situation. So if [00:15:00] possible, and this won’t always be possible, but if possible, before you have a meeting or a class or a conversation, prepare a list of vocabulary that are specific to that topic. Having the words ready will reduce your temptation to switch to your first language.
So if you know you have a meeting coming up about the sales for a product, make a list of sales vocabulary specific to that product so that you don’t have to worry about getting it wrong.
You could also try to speak English for longer stretches. For example, listen to something like a podcast or a short dialogue in English, and then repeat it out loud without switching. This kind of helps to train your brain maintain English even when the conversation is challenging.
If you are speaking in a group where not everyone understands your native language, be very careful about code switching. If you do, [00:16:00] make sure everyone understands what you said, so no one feels excluded.
And finally, remember that code switching doesn’t only happen between languages, it also happens between formal and informal English, and regional and standard English. Practice different registers consciously.
For example, understand the difference in your language at a professional meeting versus chatting with friends. This can help reduce any accidental mistakes and improve your confidence in any setting.
By managing code switching intentionally, I think you can use it as a tool instead of letting it become a barrier to your learning.
Final Thought
Code switching is a natural part of living with more than one language. It’s not something to be ashamed of, and it’s not automatically [00:17:00] a sign of weak English skills. It shows that you have more than one way to think, feel, and communicate.
Becoming fluent in English does not mean eliminating your native language. It means choosing when and how to use it.
When you stay in English long enough to struggle, your brain will grow stronger. When you switch to your native language to avoid challenges, you will delay that growth.
Don’t try to stop code switching. Instead, learn to control it. Let your first language support your English, but don’t let it protect you from the hard work that leads to fluency.
But what do you think? Let me know your opinion about code switching. Do you notice yourself code switching while speaking English or speaking to your friends or in different situations?
Extended Vocabulary List
Become a Patreon Subscriber to Access the Extended Vocabulary List!
Vocabulary Games and Activities!
Learn and practice vocabulary from this Thinking in English episode.
Practice using 5 different study games and activities – including writing, listening, and memorisation techniques!
Flashcards
Matching Game
Learning Game
Test Yourself
Listening and Spelling
Do you want to Think in English?
I’m so excited that you found my blog and podcast!! If you don’t want to miss an article or an episode, you can subscribe to my page!
