Code Switching and Code Mixing

3. Code Switching and Code Mixing

Code switching and code mixing are well known traits in the speech pattern of the average bilingual in any human society the world over. Code switching is a very important aspect of bilingualism, and only of late has it received the unbiased attention of research. McLaughlin distinguishes code switching and code mixing. He says that code switching as language changes occurring across phrase or sentence boundaries and code mixing takes place within sentence and usually involves single lexical items. 14 The code can be a variety that related to the element of language like sentence, clause, phrase and word which have the limitation because the code is choosen by the speaker based on his or her neccessity in communicating. So, language can be identified as a code. According to Chaer and Leonie Agustina quoted Appel‟s perception about code switching definition. Apple 1976 mendefinisikan alih kode sebagai gejala peralihan pemakaian bahasa karena berubahnya situasi. 15 Apple defined code switching as the phenomenon of language use changing because of the change of the situation. 14 Charlotte Hoffman, An Introduction to Bilingualism, London and New York, Longman Group Limited, 1991, p.110. 15 Abdul Chaer dan Leonie Agustina, Sosiolinguistik Perkenalan Awal Jakarta: Rineka Cipta, 2004, p. 107. According to Abdul Chaer, code switching is going to happen because of the differences of language between an individual or community of speech where is happening around. Alih kode yaitu beralihnya penggunaan suatu kode entah bahasa ataupun ragam bahasa tertentu kedalam kode yang lain bahasa atau ragam bahasa yang lain karena alasan tertentu. 16 Code switching is the change of code using even language or variety of language to the other code language or variety of language because of spesific reason. Bilinguals often switch between their two languages in the middle of a conversation. These code-switches can take the palce between or even within sentences, involving phrases or words or even parts of words. Transitional phenomenon of code switching is due to the use of language change in the situation but may also occur between a wide-variety and styles contained in a language. 17 The switching of words is the beginning of borrowing, which occurs when the new word becomes more or less integrated into the second language. One bilingual of individual using a word from language A in languages B is a case of switching, but when many people do, even speakers of B who do not know A are likely to pick it up. Especially if the pronounciation and morphology have been adapted, we can say the word has been borrowed. 16 Abdul Chaer, Linguistik Umum Jakarta: Rineka Cipta 1994, p. 67. 17 Abdul Chaer Leonie Agustina, SosiolinguistikPerkenalan AwalEdisiRevisi Jakarta, PT Rineka Cipta 2004, p. 108. There are various kinds of code switching. Immigrants often use many words from their new language in their old language, because many of the people they speak to know both languages. In this situation bilingual often develop a mixed code. In such a case, we might want to distinguish between code switching of the two languages in the mixed variety. For a bilingual, shifting for convenience choosing the avaliable word or phrase on the basis of easy ability is commonly related to topic. Showing the effect of domain differences, a speaker‟s vocabulary will develop differentially for different topics in the two languages. Thus, speakers of a language who have received advanced education in a professional field in a second language will usually not have the terms in their native language. The selection of a language by a bilingual, especially when speaking to another bilingual, carries a wealth of social meaning. Each language becomes a virtual guise for the bilingual speaker, who can change identity as easily as changing a hat, and can use language choice as a way of negotiating social relations with an interculator. The bilingual individual thus provides a rich field for sociolinguistic study. A full understanding of bilingualism, however, depends on a deeper understanding of the nature of the speech communities in which they operate.

4. Types od Code Switching and Code Mixing