Describe what you read about code switching and the ways it may be used by students.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: Answers to this question will vary but should include elements of the following: Code switching (moving from one language to another) is popular in many U.S. cultures. Many African American students use Black English or Ebonics, a popular dialect that is often mimicked by White students attempting to sound “hip.” The roots of Black English come from African heritages. “Excellent” becomes phat. “Glittery, expensive jewelry” is bling. “That” becomes dat, as in “Dat’s a cool car, yo,” yo meaning “a good friend” in this sentence. Latinos may use Spanglish, a combination of both English and Spanish in which English words are inserted in Spanish sentences and vice versa. English words can also be adapted to Spanish versions. What is a mercado in Spanish and market in English becomes marqueta. Almuerzo or lunch becomes lonche (Smitherman, 2009). Descendants of French and Spanish settlers in Louisiana often speak a Creole dialect. Such practices have roots in trying to preserve and honor the native language, but such adaptations also raise criticism and concern over the loss of a culture. Language, though, is a living concept.