CODE SWITCHING USED BY THE LECTURER IN THE CLASSROOM

Individual Paper
Guy Anna Dwi Anugrah
213 112 158

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA TORAJA
2015

A. Introduction
Language is the most important aspect in the life of all beings. We use language to
express inner thoughts and emotions, make sense of complex and abstract thought, to learn to
communicate with others, to fulfill our wants and needs, as well as to establish rules and
maintain our culture.
Language can be defined as verbal, physical, biologically innate, and a basic form of
communication. Behavioursist often define language as a learned behavior involving a stimulus
and a response. (Ormrod,1995). Often time they will refer to language as verbal behavior, which
is language that includes gestures and body movements as well as spoken word. (Eplin, 1999).
Speakers of more than one language (e.g., bilinguals) are known for their ability to codeswitch or mix their languages during communication. This phenomenon occurs when bilinguals
substitute a word or phrase from one language with a phrase or word from another language. The
term "code-switching" is also used outside the field of linguistics. Some scholars of literature use
the term to describe literary styles which include elements from more than one language, as in
novels

by

Chinese-American,

Indonesian-American,

or

Torajan-Indonesia. In

popular

usage, code-switching is sometimes used to refer to relatively stable informal mixtures of two
languages,

such

as Spanglish, Franponais or Portuol. Both

in

popular

usage

and

in

sociolinguistic study, the name code-switching is sometimes used to refer to switching

among dialects, styles or registers, as practiced by speakers of African American Vernacular
English as they move from less formal to more formal settings.
In this article I will discuss about code switching used by the lecturer in the classroom so
the student will be know about code switching, reason of code switching, and types of code
switching.
B. Concept and Theory
1. Definition of Code Switching
Code switching is defined as the practice of selecting or altering linguistic elements so as
to contextualize talk in interaction. This contextualization may relate to local discourse practices,
such as turn selection or various forms of bracketing, or it may make relevant information

beyond the current exchange, including knowledge of society and diverse identities. (Chad,
2006)
Code switching can be defined as the use of more than one language, variety, or style by
a speaker within an utterance or discourse, or between different interlocutors or situation
(Romaine , 1992: 110)
Code-switching relates to, and sometimes indexes social-group membership in bilingual
and multilingual communities. Some sociolinguists describe the relationships between codeswitching behavior and class, ethnicity, and other social positions. In addition, scholars
in interactional linguistics and conversation analysis have studied code-switching as a means of
structuring speech in interaction. Some discourse analysts, including conversation analyst Peter
Auer, suggest that code-switching does not simply reflect social situations, but that it is a means
to create social situations.
Code-switching

is

distinct

from

other language

contact phenomena,

such

as borrowing, pidgins and creoles, loan translation (calques), and language transfer (language
interference). Borrowing affects the lexicon, the words that make up a language, while codeswitching takes place in individual utterances. Speakers form and establish a pidgin language
when two or more speakers who do not speak a common language form an intermediate, third
language. On the other hand, speakers practice code-switching when they are each fluent in both
languages. (Wikipedia, 2015)
2. Reasons For Code Switching
There are a number of possible reasons for the switching from one language to another
and these will now be considered, as presented by Crystal (1987). The first of these is the notion
that a speaker may not be able to express him/herself in one language so switches to the other to
compensate for the deficiency. As a result, the speaker may be triggered into speaking in the
other language for a while. This type of code switching tends to occur when the speaker is upset,
tired or distracted in some manner. Secondly, switching commonly occurs when an individual
wishes to express solidarity with a particular social group. Rapport is established between the
speaker and the listener when the listener responds with a similar switch. This type of switching
may also be used to exclude others from a conversation who do not speak the second language.

An example of such a situation may be two people in an elevator in a language other than
English. Others in the elevator who do not speak the same language would be excluded from the
conversation and a degree of comfort would exist amongst the speakers in the knowledge that
not all those present in the elevator are listening to their conversation.
As Skiba(1997) comments that on Crystals discussion that, code switching is not a
language interference on the basis that it supplements speech. Where it is used due to an inability
of expression, code switching provides continuity in speech rather than presenting an
interference in language. The socio-linguistic benefits have also been identified as a means of
communicating solidarity, or affiliation to a particular social group, whereby code switching
should be viewed from the perspective of providing a linguistic advantage rather than an
obstruction to communication. Further, code switching allows a speaker to convey attitude and
other emotives using a method available to those who are bilingual and again serves to advantage
the speaker, much like bolding or underlining in a text document to emphasize points. Utilizing
the second language, then, allows speakers to increase the impact of their speech and use it in an
effective manner.
In some situations, code switching is done deliberately to exclude a person from a
conversation. It is seen as a sign of solidarity within a group, and it is also assumed that all
speakers in a conversation must be bilingual in order for code switching to occur. Bilinguals do
not usually translate from the weaker language to the stronger one, and is used most often when a
word doesn't "come". Code switching is not language interference based on the fact that it
supplements speech. It provides continuity in speech rather than presenting interference when
used because of an inability of expression. Code switching can be used in a variety of degrees,
whether it is used at home with family and friends, or used with superiors at the workplace.
3. Types of Code Switching.
Code Switching can be classified as follows:
a. Inter-sentential Code Switching.
In inter-sentential code switching, the language switch is done at sentence
boundaries. This seen most often between fluent bilingual speakers. For example :
if you are late for the job interview, ise alinmazsin.
b. Intra-sentential Code Switching.

In intra-sentential code Switching, the shift is done in the middle of a sentence,

with no interruptions, hesitations or pauses indicating a shift. The speaker usually
unaware of the shift. Different types of switch occur within the clause level
including within the word level. Some researches call it also code mixing. For
example: you are sleepy cou zaman, because you spend a lot saat in you bed.
c. Extra-sentential Code Switching
There is an insertion of a tag from one language into an utterance which is from
another language. For example: Turkish student use some boundaries like
ama(but), yani ( I mean) while speaking English.
C. Data Extract and Analysis
1. Extract I
What do you know about phrase? Apa yang anda tau tentang prase? Phrase itu apa?

Translate: What do you know about phrase? What do you know about phrase? What
is phrase?
Analysis:
The situation when the lecturer use code switching is when the lecturer is
teaching about phrase. She ask to the student about the material with switch EnglishIndonesian. The types that the lecturer used is inter-sentential code switching, the
language switch is done at sentence boundaries.
2. Extract II
Meliana coba satu Noun Phrase? Good girl..oke.. good girl terdiri dari dua kata..
yang good itu kata apa?? Girl?? Noun.
Translate: Meliana give me one example about Noun Phrase? Good girl.. oke..
good girl consist of two words.. good is
Analysis:
The situation when the lecturer use code switching is the lecturer is ask to
one of the student about Noun Phrase, and she explain about the material with

switch English-Indonesian. The types of code switching that the lecturer use is
intra-sentential code Switching or we can all it Code Mixing
3. Extract III
Misalnya hard book, hard pen, hard stone, batu yang keras .
Translate: for example hard book, hard pen, hard stone, hard stone
Analysis:
The situation when the lecturer use code switching is when the lecturer give
the example about verb phrase , she is switch between English-Indonesia to make the
student know what is Verb phrase. The types of code switching that the lecturer use is
intra-sentential code Switching or we can call it Code Mixing.
4. Extract IV
untuk membentuk adjective phrase, adjective di pasangkan dengan adverb..
Translate: to make an adjective phrase, adjective we pair with adverb..
Analysis:
The situation when the lecturer use code switching is when the lecturer
explain about how to make adjective phrase. She is switch English-Indonesia while
she explain about the material to make her easier to explain it. The type that the
lecturer use is intra-sentential code Switching or we can call it Code Mixing.
5. Extract V
kata apa yang bisa ditambah dengan kata beautiful yang merupakan keterangan?
Adverb yang adverb.. oke very beautiful
Translate: give one adverb that we can pair with beautiful? Adverb.. adverb oke..
very beautiful
Analysis:
The situation when the lecturer use code switching is when the lecturer ask to
the student to give one adverb to make adjective phrase. She is switch between

English-Indonesian while she ask to the student. The type that the lecturer use is
intra-sentential code Switching or we can call it Code Mixing.
D. Conclusion
Code switching is a phenomenon that is inevitable in bilingual communities. It
occurs mostly in second/foreign language teaching and it can be used beneficially in
classroom activities. Although it is phenomenon

that may cause in competence in

language, it is natural and can be turned to a purposeful and useful activity in language
classes.
There are 3 types about code switching:
1. Inter-sentential Code Switching.
Example : if you are late for the job interview, ise alinmazsin.
2. Intra-sentential Code Switching.
Example: you are sleepy cou zaman, because you spend a lot saat in you bed.
3. Extra-sentential Code Switching
Example: Turkish student use some boundaries like ama(but), yani ( I mean) while
speaking English.
E. References
Heredia.R.R and Brown.M.Jeffrey.2010. Code-Switching. Texas A & M International
University.2010.
http://seckinesen.hubpages.com/hub/Code-Switching-Definition-Types-and-Examples-ofCode-Switching accessed on May 21, 2015.
Nilep.C.2006. Code Switching in Sociocultural Linguistics. Colorado Research in
Linguistics.2006.19
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code-switching (online) accessed on May 21, 201.