Apart from the rhetorical strategies that you learned in WRD 110, including ethos, pathos and logos, we make many other decisions to make a rhetorical impact. Some of these decisions are even compulsive and we don’t make them quite consciously.
One of these other rhetorical strategies is code-switching. Wikipedia defines code-switching as:
“In linguistics, code-switching or language alternation occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages, or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation. Multilinguals, speakers of more than one language, sometimes use elements of multiple languages when conversing with each other.”
We all use code-switching in our interactions with friends, family, or even strangers. One person might code-switch interacting with their African-American friend and use elements of the African-American language variety (vernacular). An African-American person might do the same and code-switch to other language varieties. At the same time, it is essential to be aware and sensitive about the racial implications and appropriateness of this switching. This also happens a lot by bilinguals switching back and forth between the languages they speak.
- For this assignment, I want you to reflect on the use and examples of code-switching in our daily lives and also your personal life experiences with a rhetorical lense. Think about why we do code-switching? What rhetorical goals do we want to accomplish? What motives are behind our use of code-switching? Think of at least three reasons for the use of code switching. You can draw on personal experiences to think about these questions.
- Also, I want you to go through a film and find examples of code-switching in that film. Find at least three scenes where code-switching is used. Describe the situation and why you think the actors involved in the scenes code-switched. Below, you will find a list of films you can choose from to watch. There are characters and situations in these films that happen in bilingual settings:
“Big Night”, “merikaner Shadkhn” (‘American Matchmaker’), “Braveheart” , “Company Limited”, “Crossover dreams”, “El Efecto Mariposa” (‘The Butterfly Effect’), “Four Weddings and A Funeral”, “I Like it Like That “, “Lorenzo’s Oil” , “Mahanagar”, “Ping Pong”, “Selena”, “Sophie’s Choice”, “The 13th warrior”, “The Visitor”, “Thunderheart”, “Twin Town”, “Bhaji on the Beach”, “Heartbreak Kid”, “Head On”
You will then write an essay with at least 500 words for a maximum of 100 points. The points will be granted for:
- Your reflection on the rhetorical reasons for code-switching (45 pts) with at least three reasons (3×15 pts)
- The examples of code-switching that you find in the film you choose (45 pts) with at least three examples (3×15 pts)
- You will also earn 10 pts for meeting the word-count requirement.
