In linguistics, code switching refers to people altering their “code” in certain contexts, depending on who they are speaking to. In this sense, a code typically refers to a different language. Much of the research in this area focuses on bilingual people and how they might switch between languages, sometimes in the same interaction.
However, the concept of code-switching has branched outside linguistics and is now used in many areas of society, especially in business. The term code-switching is increasingly being used to refer to something that could be better labelled as style shifting: altering many different aspects of how you communicate and even your identity more broadly.
This could mean altering your dialect or accent, how you interact with others (if you interrupt during conversation or not, for example), how you dress, the body language you use, or even what you eat and drink. Here, though, I’ll focus on the spoken language aspects of code-switching.
To understand why people may shift in the ways described above, we first must understand the variability in language and the pressures to conform to a standard or a norm.
For young people growing up in England, there is institutional pressure to speak “proper” English that they learn at school. This ingrains a sense that there is a right and wrong way to speak, particularly in formal or professional settings.
The British English accent that is commonly associated with “proper” English is Received Pronunciation (RP). This accent is commonly heard in the speech of upper- and upper-middle class speakers from the south of England. However, the concept of code-switching has branched outside linguistics and is now used in many areas of society, especially in business. The term code-switching is increasingly being used to refer to something that could be better labelled as style shifting: altering many different aspects of how you communicate and even your identity more broadly.
This could mean altering your dialect or accent, how you interact with others (if you interrupt during conversation or not, for example), how you dress, the body language you use, or even what you eat and drink. Here, though, I’ll focus on the spoken language aspects of code-switching.
To understand why people may shift in the ways described above, we first must understand the variability in language and the pressures to conform to a standard or a norm.
For young people growing up in England, there is institutional pressure to speak “proper” English that they learn at school. This ingrains a sense that there is a right and wrong way to speak, particularly in formal or professional settings.
The British English accent that is commonly associated with “proper” English is Received Pronunciation (RP). This accent is commonly heard in the speech of upper- and upper-middle class speakers from the south of England. The effort of code-switching may affect how someone does their job. If they are spending their time thinking about how they need to present themselves, this takes cognitive resources away from the task at hand or the content that they are trying to communicate.
A pressure to code switch can also eliminate diversity in the workplace. Instead of hearing many different accents and dialects, we just hear the same way of speaking. This could further enforce the idea that others need to adapt and maintain this status quo in an unending cycle.
There is good news when it comes to accent diversity, however. With the increased attention paid to code-switching, there are more and more people pushing back at this pressure to fit a single, standard way of communicating.
There has been an increase in diverse accents being used in broadcasting. The more diversity we hear, the less pressure people may feel to adapt to one specific prestigious accent to be perceived as professional and competent.
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