Acculturation and attitudes toward code-switching: A bidimensional framework

Abstract

Aims and objectives: Code-switching, the spontaneous switching from one language to another within a single speech event, is often performed by bilinguals who have mastered a communicative competence in two languages. It is also a social strategy – using linguistic cues as a means to index social categories and group solidarity. Code-switching is, therefore, linked to attitudes, seen as a reflection of the speaker and their values and identities. Traditionally perceived negatively, attitudes toward code-switching have been shown to be acceptable in certain cases, such as in multilingual contexts. However, it has yet to be determined empirically whether attitudes toward code-switching are associated with individual social characteristics, including cultural identity and identity negotiation. Adopting the bidimensional model of acculturation, the goal of the study was to investigate the relationships among cultural identity and code-switching attitudes. Specifically, we sought to examine whether the bidimensional framework can be used to characterize and distinguish biculturals and whether such distinctions result in differences in code-switching attitudes and other related factors. Data and analysis: Cantonese-English bilinguals ( n = 67) reported their language background and completed questionnaires relating to identity and code-switching. Findings: The findings suggest the bidimensional model was successful in classifying biculturals versus non-biculturals and, additionally, that biculturals could be differentiated according to their strength of cultural identification, which we designated as strong biculturals, Canadian-oriented biculturals, Chinese-oriented biculturals, and weak biculturals. Findings also revealed significant group differences in code-switching attitudes and other factors, such as code-switching comfort and preference, among the bicultural subgroups. Implications: The study supports the hypothesis that code-switching is linked to bicultural identity. The results conclude that a more nuanced classification of biculturals is meaningful, as individual differences in cultural identification among biculturals are linked to significant differences in code-switching comfort, code-switching preference, code-switching attitudes, and multicultural attitudes.

A systems approach to multilingual language attitudes: A case study of Montréal, Québec, Canada

“…This finding also builds on existing evidence of social identity theory ( Tajfel & Turner, 1986 ), where higher identification with an in-group leads to higher attribution of solidarity toward the language spoken by that in-group. While recent work demonstrated that the in-group or reference group may relate to broader elements of linguistic identity or community-level subgroups (e.g., frequent code-switchers, other bilingual biculturals) in Cantonese-English bilinguals ( Yim & Clément, 2019 , 2021 ), our findings suggest that the in-group with which participants identified can also relate to others who share their first language. In addition, we did not find any evidence of internalized in-group stigma ( Hughes et al, 2015 ), such that the relative minority status of English within the French-dominant province of Québec could be offset by the role of English as a global lingua franca , and vice versa.…”

Code-Switching in EFL Classrooms: Typology and Communicative Roles

“…Teachers can improve their students' language learning experiences, deepen their comprehension of linguistic structures, and increase their level of language proficiency and identity by carefully using code-switching for metalinguistic reasons. (Yim & Clément, (2021).…”

Assessment of attitudes toward patient rights of people live from a Turkey town and migrating to Belgium

“…Having a communicative proficiency in two languages is a social strategy that also provides integration between two cultures. In a study investigating the attitudes of spontaneous switching from one language to another during a single conversation with cultural identity, it was found that this transition is associated with bicultural identity (Yim and Cle ´ment, 2021). There are studies showing that cultural identity is shaped by a sense of privilege and belonging that is never fully abandoned.…”