Code-switching: the origins, purpose and pitfalls

Vice President Kamala Harris ruffled some feathers when she appeared to adopt a different tone or accent with a crowd than she had previously during her recent campaign trip to Detroit to talk about labor unions. As videos circulated of the speech, her critics accused her of using linguistic pandering and being inauthentic. However, many rushed to her defense, noting there is a name for what Harris was doing: code-switching.

What is code-switching, and why do people do it?

The definition of code-switching has evolved over the years, but initially, it was a term used in linguistics to describe tailoring your language to your present social context. That could mean switching from one language to another when you are at home versus outside of your home environment. In terms of language, code-switching can also refer to switching between dialects or colloquial versions of a language, which is "common among Black Americans who speak AAL (African American Language, a.k.a. African American Vernacular English) in social contexts but may forgo it in formal settings," said Mental Floss. For many contemporary scholars, code-switching "transcends language altogether."

Code-switching has come to be defined as "a way of changing your style, dress or maybe even language or behavior, in order to match what you think would be appropriate or would make someone else feel comfortable," psychologist Kia-Rai Prewitt said to the Cleveland Clinic. Code-switching is usually discussed in terms of race or ethnicity, but because identity is so complex, it can happen in a variety of contexts. Your racial or ethnic background may not put you in the position to need to code-switch, but your "religion, immigration status, socioeconomic class, level of education, gender identity or ability status does," the clinic said. "None of us have just one absolute identity," Prewitt said, "but I do think the salience of our identity — or the identity that we consider most relevant at the moment — depends on the context you're in."

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Sometimes, code-switching is an intentional choice made to fit in; other times, doing so is automatic, and you unknowingly end up slipping into a different accent or language when speaking to certain people. Either way, there are plenty of reasons why people code-switch. People do it to avoid being stereotyped other times, or they are "responding to an institutional culture or expectation," the clinic said. "We may even code-switch because it makes us feel safe."

The downside of code-switching

Code-switching can be problematic, especially when people feel "forced to bury elements of their identity" to "prioritize other people's prejudices over their own comfort and/or avoid getting stereotyped," Mental Floss said. Examples of code-switching under pressure include "cover[ing] up traditional tattoos — like Inuit kakiniit or Maori ta moko — to fit in with others," letting people use a nickname instead of making them pronounce your real name, avoiding wearing a hijab or yarmulke "to avoid attracting unwanted attention" and "adjusting [your] vocal cadence to 'sound straight,'" said the Cleveland Clinic.

For some, code-switching can ignite internal conflict because it feels like you are rejecting your culture and background. And while it is "frequently seen as crucial for professional advancement," code-switching also "often comes at a great psychological cost," said Harvard Business Review. It can also come with "social and psychological repercussions." Downplaying aspects of your identity can "generate hostility from in-group members, increasing the likelihood that those who code-switch will be accused of 'acting white'." Constantly dodging stereotypes can "deplete cognitive resources and hinder performance," Harvard Business Review added. "Feigning commonality with coworkers also reduces authentic self-expression and contributes to burnout."

Code-switching can also "inadvertently reinforce stereotypes," said LaFawn Davis, the senior vice president of Environmental, Social & Governance at Indeed, in Fast Company. "I can't tell you the number of times I have corrected someone for saying that someone's communication was not angry (as the angry Black woman trope goes), but direct," she added. Most of the time, the issue is not with what was being said but with the messenger. "This kind of bias needs constant and vigilant examination," Davis said.