User:Hessa ab/sandbox

Code-Switching in Saudi Arabia Code-switching is a linguistic behavior where bilingual or multilingual people switch between two or more languages within a conversation. This phenomenon is seen around the world, even in Saudi Arabia. Code-switching in Saudi Arabia happens in many languages depending on the people you’re observing. Some switch between English and Arabic, others between Arabic and French and the list goes on. But the main two languages Saudi people switch between are English and Arabic. Social background: Although Saudi Arabia was never colonized, a large percentage of the Saudi population speaks or knows the basics of the English language. That is because the Saudi government made it mandatory to learn the English language in schools from a young age. That was to educate the Saudi people and give them the basic tools to communicate and learn about and from other cultures. Learning English, and many other languages have gotten a lot easier throughout the years with the fast development of technology and the internet. Now Saudis and people living in Saudi can learn any language in the comfort of their homes. Reasons for code-switching According to a study by Eunhee Kim (2006) titled ‘Reasons and Motivations for Code-Mixing and Code-Switching’, there are many factors and reasons that make people switch from one language to another during a conversation. Here are a few of those reasons: Vocabulary: One of the main reasons for code-switching in Saudi Arabia is the lack of vocabulary in a certain language. For example, when someone does something you’re proud of, you say:

“Honestly, كفو” And sometimes people forget a certain word in a particular language. For example, saying:

“عادي تعطيني ال charger" The Recipient(s): Another reason for Code-switching in Saudi Arabia is the participants in the conversation. For example, when a Saudi whose first language is Arabic talks to an American who only speaks English, the Saudi would have to switch to English to be able to communicate with the American. The Place: Where the conversation is held is an important factor that helps determine when a person switches from one language to another. For example, Saudi students talk in English during their English class. Quoting someone: People also code-switch when quoting someone in another language. For example, a Saudi student quoting Martin Luther King Jr. saying, “I have a dream”

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Kim, E. (2006). Reasons and motivations for code-mixing and code-switching. Issues in EFL, 4(1), 43-61. Code-switching. (2020, March 1). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code-switching#Linguistic_theories