What does our language say about us and our culture?

Language as a means of communication is ever-changing, constantly adapting to fit the needs of both people and cultures as they inevitably evolve over time. As the world changes and different people and cultures mix nuances and variety within languages grows and expands. With these new varieties in language comes a multitude of new opportunities to interact and connect with various peoples from differing cultures, each with their own unique response and outcome.

Code-switching is an immensely useful tool in enhancing the interactions and communication between people of different cultures, social classes, levels of education, and many more differences. More often than not, code-switching creates a connection between two people of different backgrounds, strengthening their bond by creating familiarity with the language they use. The act of code-switching can go a long way in making good first impressions in short-term relationships or improve longer lasting relationships.

Regardless of what language a person speaks, they will code-switch and adjust their language to fit the needs of the circumstances. How one code-switches in certain situations can say a lot about themselves as a person. A person who purposely speaks in a more formal register with superiors and in a less formal register with friends might be seen as more educated than a person who speaks in an informal register all the time and does not code-switch. Similarly, a person who always speaks in a formal register and does not code-switch to speak informally with friends may indicate that the language is not their mother-tongue, as they have had to “properly” learn the language and have not had real exposure to the language.

How a person speaks can reveal a lot about them and their language background. Depending on when and how a person code-switches will give an insight into their cultural background and relationship with the person they are talking to. The closeness between two individuals can be seen in how they speak to each other, usually, the more informal the language the closer the individuals as few proper words are needed to convey their meaning. A person’s code-switching in a cultural context will show their familiarity with the culture and perhaps reveal a little bit about their cultural background.

Language and code-switching serve as a gateway into the personal and cultural background of a person. Many things can be deduced by the way they use language and the nuances within their language use. Relationships between people are complemented and strengthened by language itself.