Writing Project #3 — Code-Switching Influenced by Upbringing
Code-switching is commonly referred to as alternating between two or more languages or vernaculars when speaking to others. An example of code-switching is an individual switching from speaking African American Vernacular English (AAVE) to formal English (Cooks-Campbell). However, code-switching goes beyond changing linguistic style; it encompasses a range of behaviors that one may alter, such as communication styles, mannerisms, and social norms — a social phenomenon called, ‘behavioral code-switching”. This social adaptability helps people navigate different social spaces, building relationships, and establishing a sense of belonging.
In Writing Project #2, I interviewed four students of different backgrounds and observed that their upbringing impacts how they engage with others in different spaces, influencing their choice to code-switch. This observation debunked my misconception that people of color code-switch solely due to the factor of their race. However, codeswitching is not solely determined by race but by other factors, specifically in their upbringing, such as family dynamics and peer influence. I will explore these factors through the experiences of two interviewees in Writing Project #2: Rayah and Kelly.
Kelly is a biracial woman, who was adopted in an all-white family, and she has never experienced the pressure of code-switching. In contrast, Rayah, who grew up in a predominantly black area, South Central, feels the need to code-switch every day. The comparison between Rayah and Kelly will show how, despite both being African Americans, their experiences and choices regarding code-switching differ.
The family dynamic an individual grows up in can impact their behavior due to exposure to the cultural norms, expectations, and values in the particular environment and household. Kelly speaks in monotone standard English and rarely utilizes curse words or colloquial words in her speech. This is a result of being raised in a predominantly white educational environment, a boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut. From a young age, she was exposed to Western cultural norms and customs regarding how one should act or speak. As she explains in her interview, her family taught her to take pride in speaking grammatically correct English and never be exposed to African-American vernacular (WP2). During her upbringing being surrounded by predominantly white people, her behavior is more white-influenced, which aids her in the spaces she is currently in at USC, which are predominantly white. This explains why Kelly never feels the need to code-switch.
Rayah, having grown up in South Central, grew up with the black cultural norms such as AAVE being spoken, loud tone to get a point across, and curse words used regularly. While this behavior may be acceptable in the South Central environment, it is not particularly welcome in predominantly white social spaces like USC. Thus, Rayah feels the pressure to change the way she communicates to feel accepted in that particular space. Her upbringing in South Central, surrounded by cultural customs that are not universally accepted, has influenced her to choose to code-switch from the way she grew up acting to what is expected of her by her peers. This choice comes with social and psychological consequences like overthinking and anxiety, which can lead to limitations in the self-expression of one authentic self which can ultimately result in burnout (Jackson). Rayah’s upbringing in a predominantly black space explains her need to code-switch.
The impact of peer influence during one upbringing is due to the observation and imitation of how peers behave, adopting the socially accepted ideas of how to act in social spaces. Exposure to different cultures’ ideals and mindsets within peer circles can aid in navigating various spaces better. However, growing up in peer circles with only one type of culture can lead to discomfort and anxiety later in life when forced to navigate different cultural circles. For Rayah, growing up in South Central, most of her social circles were African Americans and Latinx peers, conversely, Kelly’s peer group was mostly white. Rayah and Kelly’s experiences of growing up in monocultural space effects can be seen when Rayah immerses herself in a predominantly white setting and Kelly immerses herself in a predominantly black setting. The stark difference between Rayah and Kelly’s peer groups before entering college is evident in how they currently navigate spaces that are either similar or different from the monocultural spaces they were in before college.
Rayah is accustomed to social circles where individuals conform to stereotypical behaviors associated with the black community, such as being loud and using slang. However, she recognizes that in certain spaces, she cannot act that way to “avoid the label of the ‘stereotypical’ Black student woman” (WP2). At a young age, behaving loudly and using colloquial language was her norm but now to fit in these new spaces changes her mannerism to fit in. In a Havard Business Review article, they talk about code-switching in the workspace and mention, “Research suggests that code-switching often occurs in spaces where negative stereotypes of black people run counter to what is considered “appropriate” behaviors and norms for a specific environment” (Wingfield). Similar to the workspace, in the social and academic spaces Rayah is involved in, her upbringing does not align with the social expectations in those spaces, necessitating her to code-switch.
In contrast in Kelly’s interview, she expresses, “To be honest, as bad as it sounds, I feel more comfortable in more white settings than black ones. I find myself getting more quiet and reserved in black spaces compared to white spaces” (WP2). Kelly was never taught or exposed to black culture and customs, so her white-influenced behavior in white space is socially accepted, eliminating the need for her to code-switch. This honest opinion by Kelly solidifies the argument that growing up learning the more socially accepted way of acting, as viewed by the majority, alleviates the feeling of needing to code-switch. I infer that the way she acts aligns with the socially accepted norms of the majority because when she is in a room filled with the minority, she suddenly feels a similar discomfort to what Rayah felt in predominantly white spaces.
In black spaces, even though Kelly does not code-switch to feel accepted, she just gets quiet and reserved. Many black individuals who grew up in predominantly white environments, fully aware of black culture and traits, choose to mirror their white friends to feel more welcomed and have a sense of belonging in that white-dominated setting (Flexability). This dilemma of being a black individual who adopts more white-influenced behavior comes with downsides and repercussions, even though it may help navigate through predominantly white spaces. The Harvard Business Review Article explains, “Downplaying one’s racial group can generate hostility from in-group members, increasing the likelihood that those who code-switch will be accused of ‘acting white.’” In-group members refer to individuals who identify as the same race as the individual. In-group members may ridicule the individual for not embracing black cultural customs because they perceive that an individual with white-influenced behavior is ashamed of their culture. Kelly experiences this when a black girl questions her identity as a black person because she is not acting “black” (WP2). Even though Kelly does not allow that comment to affect her, many black individuals experience identity crises or feel bad due to them “acting white” or not being themselves to conform to the social space.
In conclusion, Kelly and Rayah’s choices when deciding to code-switch are rooted in factors of their family dynamic and peer influence during their upbringing. These factors shape their behavior and how they present themselves in social spaces. Kelly’s comfort in predominantly white spaces, despite not code-switching, and Rayah’s mindset of needing to code-switch shows the different paths African Americans navigate in the same spaces based on their backgrounds and experiences.
Work Cited
Ashtonlinnell. (2023, February 16). I’ve been “code-switching” my entire career, but experts say that shouldn’t be a workplace norm-here’s why. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/16/experts-say-code-switching-shouldnt-be-an-expectation-at-work.html
The costs of code-switching. Harvard Business Review. (2021, January 28). https://hbr.org/2019/11/the-costs-of-codeswitching
Pliable vernacular: The art of code-switching. Flexability. (n.d.). https://www.flexability.com/opinion/2020/pliable-vernacular-the-art-of-code-switching
Wingfield, A. H. (2015, October 14). Being black-but not too black-in the workplace. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/10/being-black-work/409990/
Writing Project #2
