26 Mischa: OK. No problem.
In addition, Poplack in Becker, 1997:6 classifies code- switching in the following: full sentence, conjoined sentence,
between major noun phrase and verb phrase, between a verb phrase and object noun phrase, between a verb phrase and a prepositional
phrase, between verb and adverb, between noun and adjective, between determiner and noun, between auxiliary and verb, single
noun, interjection, tag phrase. .
2.2.7 Functions of Code-Switching
When people use code mixing and code-switching, there are many reasons of the speakers as an important consideration of the process.
Zentella 1985 argues that there are several functions of code switching, i.e.
1. People may use code-switching to hide fluency or memory problems in the second language.
2. Code-switching is used to mark switching from informal situations using native languages to formal situations using
second language and vice versa. 3. Code-switching is used to exert control, especially between
parents and children.
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27 4. Code-switching is used to align speakers with others in specific
situations e.g. defining oneself as a member of an ethnic group.
In addition, according to Hoffman 1991:116, there are several reasons for bilingual or multilingual speakers to switch their
languages such as talking about a particular topic, quoting somebody else, showing empathy about something, interjection inserting
sentence fillers or sentence connector, repetition used for clarification, expressing group identity, and intention of clarifying
the speech content for the interlocutor. Here are the explanations: 1. Talking about a particular topic
People in bilingual communities sometimes prefer to talk about a particular topic in a particular language. They feel free and more
comfortable to express their thoughts and emotional feelings when they use a particular language in their communication. This
phenomenon can be found in the classroom. The teachers prefer to use their L2 to make a joke. Teachers will be more comfortable
and feel free when using L2 to make a joke. 2. Quoting somebody else
People often switch code to quote a famous expression, proverb, or saying of some famous figures. The switch like a set of
quotation marks. They use it because they want to express and emphasize on something to look better. In Indonesian those well-
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28 known figures are mostly from some English-speaking countries.
For example: Saya lupa namanya, What is a name? I forget his name. What is a name?
. The sentence „What is a name?’ is a popular quotation from Shakespeare, well-known poet from
England. 3. Showing emphatic about something express solidarity
People often switch their language to express empathy about something. In some case using a second language make them feel
more convenient to show their emphatic rather than using first language or vice versa. Moreover, the appropriate usage is able
to make the meaning stronger. For example: Saya yakin kamu bisa melakukannya, Ganbate
I’m sure you can do it, Ganbate. In this utterance, the speaker uses the word ganbate because he
wants to spirit to his friend in doing something. 4. Inserting sentence fillers interjection
Interjection is the words which are inserted into a sentence as sentence fillers or sentence connector thats frequently used by
people such as, By the way, Anyway, And, etc. Interjection is also a short exclamation like: Darn, Hey, Well, Look, etc. For
example: By the way, gimana kabar orang tuamu? By the way, how are your parents?
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29 5. Clarifying repetition
Repetition used when a bilingual or multilingual speaker wants to clarify his speech in order to give clear explanation and
information, so the hearer will understand what the speaker wants. Frequently, a message in one code is repeated in the other
code literally. A repetition is not only served to clarify what is said, but also to emphasize on a message. For example:
English_Hindi Gumperz, 1982:78 Father calling his small son while walking through a train compartment, Keep straight. Sidha
jao keep straight. Oksaar 1974, Poplack 1980, and Calsamiglia and Tuson
in Hoffman: 1991 propos that code switching also can be used to express group identity. Code switching can be used in many groups
of people, whether minority or mainstream groups. The way of communication of people in their group is obviously different from
the other groups. In other words, the way of communication of one community is different from the people who are out of the
community. Each group has a particular language and it can be understood by people in that group. For example: Anakmu sudah
katam Quran? Have your son katam Quran?. The word katam is commonly used to say someone who has finished reading Quran.
McClure 1977 in Hoffman 1991 points out another reason of code switching, i.e., intention of clarifying the speech content for
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30 interlocutor. People switch their language in order to clarify what
they are talking about. A message in one code is repeated in the other code in somewhat modified form to fulfill the appropriate
meaning in order to make the conversation run smoothly. Moreover, intention of clarifying the speech content for the interlocutor is used
to emphasize on the word order to focus a particular topic. For example: Do you know Gangnam Style? Tarian yang fenomenal itu
lho. Do you know Gangnam Style? The phenomenal dancing. The speaker explains in the Indonesian language to make the hearer
understand about Gangnam Style. Eldridge 1996 in Gulzar 2010 asserted that when messages are not comprehended in one language
target language they are explained in another language mother language.
Savile and Troike 1986 propose three additional functions reasons why people switch their language when they communicate
with bilingual society. Those are: 1. Strengthening ask or command
The switching from language A into language B can for some people also function as a request because language B is not their
native tongue, so it does not sound as direct as language A. However, code switching can also strengthen a command since
the speaker can feel more powerful than the listener. For example:
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31 Kamu jangan pergi ya, Please.
You don’t go, Please. The speaker uses the word “please” to soft his request to other people.
2. Providing real lexical need The most common reason for a bilingual multilingual person to
switch or mix their languages is due to the lack of equal lexicon in the languages. When an English-Indonesian bilingual has a
word that is lacking in English, he will find it easier to say it in Indonesia. When he has a word that is lacking in Indonesian, he
will use the English term. If it puts into Indonesian, the meaning will be vague and sometimes it would not be used. For example:
Kemarin kita belajar tentang larutan buffer. Yesterday, we learned about buffer solution. The word buffer refers to chemistry
term. 3. Excluding other people when a comment is intended for only a
limited audience When people want to communicate only to certain people or
community they belong to, they switch their language to particular languages. They switch to particular languages to avoid
the other community or interference objected to their communication. They may try to exclude those people by using
the language that only the community knows. For example, a foreigner is more convenient to speak in L1 with their community
when there are other people from outside their community.
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32
2.2.8 Bilingualism and Emotion
