Trends in Code Switching within Spanish communities in London, UK

Marta Ryba

Outline
1. CS -> definitions, categories of CS. How and why do people code-switch? 2. Statistics & Numbers 3. Does Spanish community use CS and to what extent are they aware of its existence? 4. Spanish speakers in London on CS 5. Spanglish - definition 5. Examples of CS - > real life examples 6. Examples in literature 7. Spanish/English CS in media 8. Consequences & Conclusions

Outline
1. CS -> definitions, categories of CS. How and why do people code-switch? 2. Statistics & Numbers 3. Does Spanish community use CS and to what extent are they aware of its existence? 4. Spanish speakers in London on CS 5. Spanglish - definition 5. Examples of CS - > real life examples 6. Examples in literature 7. Spanish/English CS in media 8. Consequences & Conclusions

Code Switching

Code switching - > 'the use of words and structures from more than one language or linguistic variety by the same speaker within the same speech situation, conversation or utterance' L. Callahan (13:2004)

Code switching - > 'Combination of two or more linguistic varieties occur in countless bilingual societies and communities (...) It refers to the use of several languages or dialects in the same conversation or sentence by bilingual people. It affects practically everyone who is in contact with more than one language or dialect to a greater or lesser extent. Numerous local names designate such mixed talk: Tex Mex, Franglais, BBC Grenglish, Chinglish, Spanglish, Tuti Futi etc' P. GardenerChloros (4: 2009)

Categories of CS by Bloom & Gumperz

- Conversational -> the speaker uses two languages in the speech event - Situational - > referring to language alternation by the same speaker in different speech situations, monolingual utterances - Metaphorical -> classifies CS on the basis of its social and pragmatic motivation

How and why do people use CS?

Factors that determine CS: - the language use and word frequency (how often the 1st language is used and how often certain words are used) - strategy for diminished language proficiency -> 'semilingualism' - some concepts may be expressed better in another language; - filling the linguistic need - people use CS to be better understood - to enhance listeners' comprehension

Spanish community in the UK Numbers & facts

The 2001 UK Census - > 54,482 Spanish people in the UK London -> 22,479 2011 - 24,370 Spanish immigrants entered the UK labour Regions with significant population - West London

Does Spanish community in London use CS ?

To what extent are they aware of CS?

Spanish speakers in London on CS...

'It happens really often. I am talking in English and I use Spanish words in a mixed language Spanglish. For example, yesterday I was talking about the demonstrations in Spain and I said "manifestations" instead of "demonstrations". Another example is the worldwide known "library". Even though I know library means "biblioteca" and not "librera" I change it every now and then. I tend to speak Spanglish with my Spanish friends and code switch from English to Spanish around my English friends.' Jose (Roehampton Spanish student) 'I have never heard of a term 'Code Switching' although I do understand what it means now after listening to your explanation. I often use Spanish while talking in English as I am not fluent in English and find it hard to communicate with people in London purely in English. I came to London in search of trabajo and find here a lot of gente like me' Carlos (Spanish speaker who came to London)

What is Spanglish ?

Spanglish |spa ng gli sh |

'A hybrid language combining words and idioms from both Spanish and English, esp. Spanish speech that uses many English words and expressions'. ( Oxford English Dictionary)

Examples of CS within Spanish speakers

A: Have you decided lo que vas a hacer for New Years Eve? B: S, if I can't buy a ticket para el partido Masquarade I will go with mi familia to watch the fireworks. A: Que guay. Have fun my dear amigo! B: Thanks!

(English/Spanish CS between two students)

Spanish student and an English student whose L1 is English and L2 is Spanish.

Examples in literature
'Spanish/English Code switching in a written Corpus' -> research on code switching English/Spanish and vice verca > 30 texts with a about 3000 pages (9 novels and 10 short stories) included in a written corpus illustrating CS in English/Spanish - published in the US between 1970-2000 1. SEGS Gary Soto. 1990. 'Two dreamers' 10p. SEGS referring to short example story 2. NEGS Gary Soto, 1991, 'Taking sides' 135p. 3. NEAR, Abraham Rodriguez, Jr. 1993, 'Spidertown' 323p.

Spanish/English CS in Advertisement, Music, Film...

Spanglish is the new ADLINGO

Consequences & Conclusions

- >CS widespread -> criticism -> 'pure laziness, a grammarless mixture of two languages'. -> Many names of CS: Spanglish, Tex-Mex, Franglais etc. -> affects speaker's language knowledge, may contribute to their development of language skills -> makes communications easier between bilingual interlocutors

-> London - over 24.000 Spanish speakers -> Real life examples prove that unpredictable number of Spanish speakers use CS on a daily basis although might not be aware of CS phenomenon. -> CS from Spanish to English and vice verca not only exists in daily life speech; but also in literature, prose as well as in media: advertisements, film and music. -> The use of CS can be affected by various factors including language use, word frequency and so forth.

Bibliography

Callahan, L. 'Spanish/English codeswitching in a written corpus', 2004, Philad J. Benjamins

Gardener-Chloros, P. 'Code-switching', 2009, Cambridge University Press, New

Modern Language Association (MLA): "spanglish." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 06 <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spanglish>

McKean, E. (2005). Oxford American Dictionary, The second edition, electronic Appl edition

Heredia R, R. & Brown M, J. 'Code-switching' Texas A & M International University Retrieved 06 Dec.2011 from: http://www.tamiu.edu/~rheredia/switch.htm

Grosjean, F. 'Life as a Bilingual' I ntermingling Languages: From Conversation to Literature' Retrieved 06 Dec. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-bilingual/201101/intermingling-languages-c literature

'Speaking Spanglish' Retrieved 06 Dec.2011 from: http://www.dianadudgeon.com/spea spanglish/