Comments on: More on code switching http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/ language-related musings - one language is never enough / dydy un iaith byth yn ddigon Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:43:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Ahwei http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-92997 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:34:24 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-92997 Greetings, Simon I'm a long-time lurker and first-time poster. I am Taiwanese. Because they're both When speaking with (older) relatives, I speak Mandarin with Taiwanese expressions thrown in, sometimes changing mid-sentence (for example 彼個囝仔真的讓我生氣啦!). I have heard that the older generation twenty years ago who had experienced contact with the Japanese were able to code-switch between Taiwanese and Japanese quite easily. I often pretend not to speak English here in Taipei to confuse tourists, however this is another story in itself. And as others have noted, pretending not to understand English is effective for warding off panhandlers. Greetings, Simon

I’m a long-time lurker and first-time poster.

I am Taiwanese. Because they’re both When speaking with (older) relatives, I speak Mandarin with Taiwanese expressions thrown in, sometimes changing mid-sentence (for example 彼個囝仔真的讓我生氣啦!). I have heard that the older generation twenty years ago who had experienced contact with the Japanese were able to code-switch between Taiwanese and Japanese quite easily.

I often pretend not to speak English here in Taipei to confuse tourists, however this is another story in itself. And as others have noted, pretending not to understand English is effective for warding off panhandlers.

]]> by: James http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87505 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:50:10 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87505 I tend to think that we as foreigners have so many linguistic resources taken away from us, especially in the area of register, that it´s not too evil to make the most of what we do have: the ability to speak badly or not at all. I have perfected the "rabbit caught in headlights" look, and probably use it too much, though after 18 months here I still find many people totally incomprehensible, as do many other foreigners (including Mexicans, Bolivians, Peruvians and Spaniards.. and that´s just people I´ve talked to about it here). I very rarely "forget" to speak Spanish... it´s an effort for me to speak English to a Spanish speaker. I´m used to speaking Spanish with my anglo collegues in mixed contexts. I find them hard to understand though (it´s the australian approximation of how Chileans speak which kinda pushes me over the edge ;) They have to put up with my approximation of Highland Spanish though, and I know that two of them really struggle with it (though pleasingly the Chileans don´t have any problems and a Bolivian student told me that I had traces of La Paz in my Spanish) I tend to think that we as foreigners have so many linguistic resources taken away from us, especially in the area of register, that it´s not too evil to make the most of what we do have: the ability to speak badly or not at all. I have perfected the “rabbit caught in headlights” look, and probably use it too much, though after 18 months here I still find many people totally incomprehensible, as do many other foreigners (including Mexicans, Bolivians, Peruvians and Spaniards.. and that´s just people I´ve talked to about it here). I very rarely “forget” to speak Spanish… it´s an effort for me to speak English to a Spanish speaker.

I´m used to speaking Spanish with my anglo collegues in mixed contexts. I find them hard to understand though (it´s the australian approximation of how Chileans speak which kinda pushes me over the edge ;) They have to put up with my approximation of Highland Spanish though, and I know that two of them really struggle with it (though pleasingly the Chileans don´t have any problems and a Bolivian student told me that I had traces of La Paz in my Spanish)

]]> by: GeoffB http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87459 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:55:40 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87459 When I lived in France, I also reverted to English when the panhandlers approached. Between bus stops on my way home, there was one old bum who had approached me for a couple weeks before giving up. Then, one day, I was with a colleague going through the neighborhood. We were chatting in French, and I didn't give it a thought, but the next day I got an earful when, without realizing, I offered my usual "pas parler francis" (errors deliberate). I also went to English quickly when purchasing train tickets or if I needed directions from a gendarme. On the other hand, I hand a friend from Scotland with whom I only chatted in French because neither of us could understand the other's English. When I lived in France, I also reverted to English when the panhandlers approached. Between bus stops on my way home, there was one old bum who had approached me for a couple weeks before giving up. Then, one day, I was with a colleague going through the neighborhood. We were chatting in French, and I didn’t give it a thought, but the next day I got an earful when, without realizing, I offered my usual “pas parler francis” (errors deliberate).

I also went to English quickly when purchasing train tickets or if I needed directions from a gendarme.

On the other hand, I hand a friend from Scotland with whom I only chatted in French because neither of us could understand the other’s English.

]]> by: Dreaminjosh http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87446 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 03:31:34 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87446 I pretend not to understand English sometimes when I go out with my friends to the bars downtown and vagrants start begging for change. I'll just ramble something in French and shrug my shoulders. I know this is evil and bad karma... but beggars can be such a buzzkill sometimes... I pretend not to understand English sometimes when I go out with my friends to the bars downtown and vagrants start begging for change. I’ll just ramble something in French and shrug my shoulders.

I know this is evil and bad karma… but beggars can be such a buzzkill sometimes…

]]> by: Ben http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87413 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:17:53 +0000 http://www.omniglot.com/blog/2008/04/29/code-switching2/#comment-87413 While traveling through India, I occasionally pretended not to speak English, as I found that to be a great strategy for ridding oneself of touts and beggars. However, don't let them catch you reading your travel guide later! -Ben While traveling through India, I occasionally pretended not to speak English, as I found that to be a great strategy for ridding oneself of touts and beggars. However, don’t let them catch you reading your travel guide later!

-Ben

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