Question #1: Sakamoto uses the metaphors of tennis, volleyball and bowling to describe the different conversational styles of the discourse communities she observed. Using her essay as an example, create a metaphor to describe the interaction style of another discourse community you have experienced (perhaps when speaking with someone from another culture like Spanish or Chinese, or another community like senior citizens, parents, teachers, customers, club members...etc). Describe this interaction and the reasoning for your metaphor.
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Question #2: In order for Sakamoto to converse with her Japanese friends, she needs to "code-switch" from her Western way of speaking to the Japanese way of communication. As we can see from this essay, code-switching involves much more than using the right language, as it involves many other conversational rules such as turn-taking, changes in topic, etc. Name an experience where you or a member of your group has had to code-switch (like from talking to your friends to talking to your teacher) and what kinds of things (greetings, gestures, eye contact, personal space, etc.) you need to consider when code-switching.
[post your answer below this line]
Code switching communication is used in many different situations. It can be in a classroom between teacher and student or at a workplace between a customer and coworker. Sometimes talking to one group of people could be different than talking to another. A personal experience that I’ve had in the workplace is when speaking with a coworker and customer. In the back of the restaurant, in the kitchen, when speaking with a coworker I would speak casually without much eye contact. Other jobs had to be done while talking with this coworker forcing the conversation to be less personal. On the other hand when greeting a customer it is a lot different. To greet a customer I had to make eye contact and speak clearly. I would be very polite and make sure they were happy. The customer is always right.
Alex & Julie
With question 1, a good example is with customers in a retail store. As an employee, you are a trained and have weekly experience with the merchandise in your store which makes you better able to answer questions a customer might have. So when you try to explain something to them (ie: a sale promotion on jeans and how it's only a two out of four styles), it can sometimes be difficult not just because of the communication between customer and employee but also because of other factors such as marketing distractions. But at times, it also is the customer taking the "I'm supposed to be right...I'm the customer" state of mind and blocking out answers from the employee that they don't want to hear.
-Calvin-
Code switching is often used in the workplace for many people, this is very true when it comes to serving at a restaurant. When on the floor, out in the dinning room, there is a particular code of conduct that a server must use to present themselves in front of the “guests” the term customers in not allowed. Regardless of the personal feelings of a server they must be smiling and upbeat at all times. Instead of saying “hi guys” a phrase that I would typically use with my friends or acquaintances I must use “hello folks” because “guys” is considered offensive and unprofessional. Theatrical gestures, hand motions, and utilizing the menu to draw the customers’ attention to the pictures, is all part of the show that a server puts on. If the table were my friend’s verses strangers my decorum at the table would be much less formal. Eye contact is also different when serving, it is taught that eye-contact and friendly conversation should be restricted to the woman at the table instead of the man because if too much attention is shown to the man the woman could get offended or feel threatened. Finally, the closer to eye level the server is it is said the better the tip will be so this would be a physical adjustment for some servers.
Code switching is seen as soon as a server walks into the kitchen or out of view from the guests. Then the conversational rules used with friends come into play. I am able to curse, frown, show my frustration for the mean lady who needs a new water because she hates lemon and there is a lemon wedge on the edge of her cup. Servers in the back of the house are more relaxed in their communication with one another.
Danni Boyd
Kaye Frye
Ashley Sims
Deshon Bradley
Joe Mancuso
Question #1: Metaphors
We came up with a different metaphor to describe a conversation between a Mexican- American and Midwest American. The reason we chose this is because we have experience in communicating in this way. Communicating with a person of this nature is like playing a game of Pictionary with you friends. You draw the picture out very carefully and hope that the person can distinguish what you are trying to draw. This is very similar to talking to a Mexican-American. You must carefully “draw” out the ideas and hope that the person can decode it.
Many of us have experienced code-switching within the academic setting. Students do not talk the same way with other students as they do with professors. When talking with friends, many people abbreviate words, use internet language, and don’t use complete sentences. This is not appropriate to do when talking with professors. When a student communicates with his or her instructor the language needs to be professional and complete. It is not appropriate to use abbreviated terms or incomplete sentences. There are many times that students must make the switch between the language that is appropriate to use with friends and the language that is appropriate to use with professors. The use of code-switching is used so often that it becomes habit to many students. There is not a day that goes by that a student does not have to partake in some form of code-switching.
An example of code-switching within the academic setting is when students send e-mails to professors asking for help. The e-mail usually contains a heading, proper vocabulary, and complete sentences. Students always sign their names when e-mailing an instructor. When e-mailing a friend to ask for help, a student does not necessarily use a greeting, nor sign his or her name. The words are not always proper and the sentences are not always complete. Every member of our group has had this experience with code switching, almost on a daily basis.
Erin Favor, Michelle Chalupa, Cassie Dzienny, Chris Smith, Kevin Gormish
Heather Shoenbleben
Dan Macon
Chris Stewart
Brandon Jones
When you are with your friends you can dress and speak however you want to however if you attend a job interview you have to speak professionally. From the Barbra Mellix’s From Outside, In talks about the difference between “Black English” and “Standard English”. In the story “Black English” was often used for personal communication, and “Standard English” was used for public interaction. Mr. Brandon Jones states that he communicates differently when he is around is friends and talks completely different when he is around his family.
Comments (1)
Anonymous said
at 7:49 pm on Sep 13, 2007
When my cousin was married this summer in St.Louis, he was marrying a preuvian girl and his best man was nigerian, the brides woman was japanese. I felt like I code switched a good bit in Missouri. I had to interact with different cultures which was very interesting but very fun.
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