THOUGHTS

The Allure and Fatigue Behind Code-Switching

It looks epic, but it’s incredibly draining.

When you grow up in one culture and are constantly immersed in another culture, you might find yourself speaking in two different ways. For example, for many people in the world, you might speak informally with your siblings and much more professionally with your supervisors and managers.

At home, in Canada, my parents and I pretty much speak in Canadian English — but it’s more of a scientific brand of English that would be more appropriate for a laboratory. I’m aware that this is very unusual, but I don’t really speak this way around peers.

Ok, fine, the scientific vernacular occasionally pops up in my writing — but that’s it.

Childhood Ramblings

My folks only talk this way because they read so much literature while growing up in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, in real life, I talk in a much more subdued way, ever since I was a kid. I learned pretty early on that other people don’t understand scientific English.

If we take it a step further, there are some people who do code-switching across other socio-cultural parameters. For example, while we speak in English at home, my parents will randomly code-switch into Tamil, but I’ll still find myself still speaking in English.

You see, I was born and raised in Canada and my parents refused to teach me any Tamil. I didn’t live near Tamil-Canadian communities, so there were no opportunities for me to socialize with others in that language. They also refused my little kid pleas to have a tutor teach me either.

Anyway, my parents grew up learning English in school, back in Sri Lanka, all those decades ago. The English language has been seared into their heads as children. That being said, I can technically hold the fort down with occasional utterances of random words in Tamil — which might trigger a smile or two from people in that language group.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that a lot of us do this code-switching all the time (without realizing it).

Even Obama Technically Does It

Back in 2012, there was a viral video that showed Obama doing a non-verbal and subtle version of code-switching. Obama went into the locker room of the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team (at the time) and the way he conveyed himself between two different people was slightly different.

With the assistant coach, he did a simple handshake. With NBA player Kevin Durant, there was a firmer handshake and they brought each other into a brief hug. These interactions were only a few seconds long, but some people may have picked up on it.

Surviving the Corporate World

This kind of behavioural adjustment could be argued to be a part of code-switching too. In the corporate landscape, people do it all the time. This may be hard to do consciously, but across cultural parameters, people may feel pressured to maintain appearances for certain people.

Sure, it looks really fantastical, especially if you pretended to be the main character of an upcoming spy thriller, but it’s a lot more exhausting in real life. For starters, you are downplaying your original behaviour to appeal to a wider range of people.

Once you’re around someone similar to yourself (in terms of tastes, values, or even culture), you might find yourself feeling a little better about your own identity.

Fears and Benefits Surrounding Code-Switching

What is worrying about code-switching is the psychological stress and burden when you do exhibit conscious bouts of code-switching (especially across the long term). For example, studies show that you might deplete cognitive resources while doing so — and it might impact your workplace performance.

You’re also more likely to end up with burnout and feel less authentic too.

However, some of us may have to resort to code-switching because we have no choice. For someone like myself, when I am seeing mental health clients (as the therapist-in-training), clients will have varying levels of life experience. For example, I cannot speak the same to a 12-year-old as I would a middle-aged client.

It Helps With Providing Therapy

There are instances where I have to really dial this skill further, especially if the client struggles with social context, or when a client speaks other languages or comes from other cultures.

Sure, I cannot always speak their language (I can speak some French and can understand Tamil), but I can meet others halfway, do some proactive research, and bring up miscellaneous concepts that could possibly align with their worldview.

You’d be surprised at how much clients appreciate you going the extra mile to reach them.

In my case, it’s an inclusive practice (to help bridge gaps), but for others, code-switching may be a situation that fundamentally influences their finances and social prospects.

That’s just my two cents on this topic. I am by no means an expert.

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Disclaimer: This article is solely for informational purposes and represents the writer’s personal opinion. Please seek professional advice if required.