PhyreBards

All the talk this week about language, standard english, and grammar got me thinking about what one of our readings called "code switching". I can think of various times in my life when I developed and used my own version of code switching. Of course I learned swear words as a teenager and in NY it was cool to swear, a grown up thing if you will, but I would never dare to swear in front of my parents especially my mom. I learned early on that poor language in my house would result in tobasco sauce on my tongue with no drinks allowed (I still can't eat spicy things toay and I think it is a direct result of this punishment). I simply turned off my bad language and spoke in acceptable ways. Similarly, as I'm sure most of you have experienced, we don't speak the way we do with our friends in a professional enviornment whether it is class or in the schools or at our jobs. We've learned somehow that it is innapropriate and have effectively made the effort to code switch. If we present to our students that they don't speak in a certain way in their homes with their parents, and thus have to speak a certain way in other situations as well wouldn't they be more receptive than just constantly correcting or putting down their own language choices?