Code-Switching: Language, Cultural Identity, and Community Membership
Dr. Sarah Terry, English
The term “code-switching” is a term that derives from the field of linguistics, and refers to the practice of
mixing languages or patterns of speech in conversation. In this seminar we will explore the multiple and
complex relationships between language, cultural identity, and community membership by looking closely at
two essays and a blog: Gloria Anzaldúa’s “How to Tame a Wild Tongue,” Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue,” and
NPR’s “Code Switch” blog. As we discuss these essays we will look at the ways in which the authors make
arguments about the connection between linguistic identity and ethnic or cultural identity, and the role that
code-switching and multilingualism play in both personal and group identity formation. Both Anzaldúa and
Tan also create alternative academic arguments that combine personal narrative, history, linguistics, poetry,
and politics, so we will spend some time discussing the place of experiential evidence alongside more
traditional forms of academic scholarship. We will also discuss how code-switching is covered in
contemporary media, such as NPR’s blog on this topic.
Assignment:
1) Read the texts included in this PDF packet: “How to Tame a Wild Tongue” by Gloria Anzaldúa, and
“Mother Tongue” by Amy Tan.
2) Visit the NPR blog “Code Switch” and get a sense of its content and themes.
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/