12
the Racquette
Community
Feb. 12, 2016
Do we Change Codes, or do the Codes Change Us Kevin Akygawa Staff Writer
As students attempt to bridge different aspects of their lives, they may find themselves feeling divided among different parts of themselves and how they represent themselves in different situations in order to fit appropriately with those around them. In fact, what they are engaging in is called “code switching.” According to about.com, code switching is “the practice of moving back and forth between two languages or between two dialects or registers of the same language.” In most cases, code switching is considered to be a way to adapt to a situation or a conversation that is unfamiliar to an individual, such as being involved in a different language barrier or country. But it doesn’t necessarily have to involve speech; it can involve every aspect that makes each person an individual, from the clothes they wear to the things that interest them individually. Unfortunately, as an African male growing up in the inner city of the Bronx, I have learned that this ideal definition of “code switching” isn’t what it really seems. Being an African kid in the United States was tough, especially under the tutelage of my parents, who emigrated from West Africa. I never really knew what code switching was until I entered high school, but looking back, I can personally say that I have been a victim and have been code switching all my life. Even to this day, I still do it and it haunts and affects me, and at times leaves me puzzled. When I started my schooling, I was ridiculed for being African.
My accent was mocked, my very dark skin was made fun of and I got labeled and asked very ignorant questions such as, “You’re an African booty scratcher?” “Does your family live in trees or walk around barefoot or naked?” or lastly, “Do you hunt lions for fun?” It broke me down as a person and it made be begin to question whether my African Ghanaian culture was inferior or not respected enough. As a kid early on, all I wanted was to be accepted. Over time, I began to assimilate into the community around me. I started using more Ebonics — what America calls “slang” — within my vernacular, using terms such as “Yo, what’s good,” “I’m chilling,” and “Man, this food is popping” to name a few. I began wearing clothing worn by the popular rappers and athletes that we as young kids of color extolled, all while attempting to balance out staying true to my Ghanaian roots. Suddenly I felt good — which was what I wanted — until I arrived at high school. As my knowledge of the world around me began to expand, I began to notice something that was depressing but wasn’t a shock to me. This was the time when I found out from my ninth-grade writing teacher, Ms. Castillo, about “code switching,” which was, based on the definition she provided, essentially my experience up to high school put in perspective. It is something I will sadly have to encounter for probably the rest of my life as an African-American male. I needed to learn how to speak in a more sophisticated manner and to become more articulate. To me, it basically meant that I needed to lose my “urban ways” and adapt to a more “corporate
America” style of speaking. This turned me off because of the way I was raised in my community. Yet, as a child of a single parent, my mom had this belief that “anything that will make you successful and allow for you to have a better life, you must do it.” In my mind, part of me was telling me that she was right and that’s why she migrated to this country in the first place. However, part of me was asking myself “why do I have to sacrifice something that I have grown to enjoy and be comfortable with to be subservient to some other colloquial language? Who is to say that that language is that much better than mine?” Unfortunately, in order to get where I wanted to be, I had to “code switch” and adapt to this style of speaking, which teachers say is the norm within our society. Once I began to adapt, I noticed that a lot more teachers were inclined to speak to me and encourage me. They clearly believed that I wanted more out of life because I was “code switching” into a more articulate individual. Because of this, I was able to network to obtain opportunities that
Are you interested in sharing your voice with the Potsdam Community? Do you have a story about who you are and where you came from that you need to tell? Submit to our Community Page The Community Page is dedicated to sharing stories about the various cultures here on campus. We are looking for stories about experiences related to your own culture or other cultures you have encounterd. We are also interested in storeies about the stigmas that have challenged your culture including racism, sexism, homophobia, and more. Send your stories to racquette@potsdam.edu. or to Dr. Jennefir Mitchell of DIAC at mitchejk@potsdam.edu Let’s work together to unit our cultures and our voices!
Students engage in code switching to appeal to those around them.
have benefited me greatly, including being able to attend and hold my own in college. I just wanted to live well and I just wanted to be great as well as accepted. This was depressing because I felt some sort of “survivor guilt.” Why weren’t my fellow peers getting the same treatment? They too have the capabilities of succeeding if someone motivated them, because I indirectly learned to “code switch.” If anything, I think that it is, in a weird way, probably one of the best attributes I have. It has allowed for me to be very versatile. As someone who wants to see and spark change, it allows for me to easily connect with various people. It allows me to be able to be in a position where I can both provide and speak my opinions to break down
Marcus Wolf
or bridge the gaps, where we can have that discussion to help others understand the differences that are out there, and the elements of those differences is huge. It’s one thing to say, “this person is different,” but understanding the elements of what makes them different is key in making ourselves better prepared to understand, help and work alongside that individual. However, sadly, I still have my moments where I question my personal identity and why I have to code switch. As much as I would like to ponder on who am, I know that I must do what will bring me success and I, along with others, will unfortunately live the rest of our lives wondering: Are we switching to the code, or is the code switching us?