Mixing Languages

APR 05 -

Mixing two languages in speech is an impediment to language learning

Recently, at a workshop organised for English teachers from colleges in and around Itahari, Dr Kedar Prasad Poudel, a linguist and English teacher, presented a paper titled “Issues on Medium of Teaching English in Nepal”, in which he identified “code-switching” as an “impediment to language learning”. Code-switching is a speaker's practice of mixing two languages in speech. As its disadvantages outweigh its advantages, Dr Poudel emphasised the need to decrease its use in English classes as far as possible.
In most of the colleges in Nepal, public or private, code-switching has been a common practice. Students from government schools tend to appreciate those English teachers who mix Nepali or other local languages in their classes. Also, some of the college principals who want to lure more students with Nepali-plus-English medium classes force English language teachers into code-switching. The teachers, especially part-timers, easily give in to the college management's pressure. In many cases, students who want to be taught English in their mother tongue even boycott the teacher for showing unwillingness towards code-switching. In such a condition, how can an English teacher practise the “English-only” concept in his or her class? Moreover, how can he compete with other English teachers who frankly use more Nepali than English in their English language classes and earn the goodwill of students who just want to pass the subject? And these students are usually in the majority in English language classes.
The phenomenon of code-switching occurs when bilinguals substitute a word or phrase from one language with a phrase or word from another language. According to Dr. Poudel, a PhD in Tamang language, the code-switching that is currently in practice is mainly of two types: i) intra-sentential, e.g., Aja asadhye headache bhayeko chha ii) inter-sentential, e.g., You look quite happy today. Kina ho ?
Dr Poudel says that code-switching hinders students from effectively learning the language skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading) making them unable to use English even in simple situations. He observes that the present rate of failure in English among students is not because of the lack of textual knowledge but because of poor language competence, a result of frequent practice of code-switching. Code-switching does not increase language competence.

Alternatives to code-switching
Code-switching has some alternatives, too. Ramji Timalsina, a teacher at Koshi Saint James College, Itahari, has observed that code-switching is in use mainly because teachers' lack of self-confidence, college management's pressure and the students' misguided principles on the subject. Some teachers practice code-switching to hide their lack of competence in the language and to influence students who take up English only to pass it anyhow. So the problem is rampant all over Nepal.
Timalsina emphasises that the teachers themselves should be proactive to find out a solution. Tej Raj Poudel, another teacher at Koshi Saint James College, offers some useful alternatives to code-switching: change long and complex sentences into short and simple ones; replace difficult words with simple ones; use movements and facial expressions; and draw examples from the areas of common interests to the students (e.g., films, music, sports, etc.). He believes code-switching is only useful for incapable teachers. Yubaraj Sitaula, an English teacher at Janata Multiple Campus, also firmly believes that code-switching is an injustice to language.

Mutual effort
Realising the need to eliminate code-switching from English classes, forty five English teachers from around Itahari have begun their joint effort. They have founded Itahari Circle of English Teachers (ICET). The ICET members have begun conducting workshops and talk programmes among students, college principals, guardians and even English teachers in an effort to explain the disadvantages of code-switching, says ICET co-ordinator Dr. Poudel. The teachers get together at a place on the last Saturday of every month and share their knowledge and experiences. So the ICET leaders are excited. Ramji Timalsina, the secretary of ICET, read his plan aloud: “We are going to establish Itahari as a model town for teaching and learning English.” 

Published in The Kathmandu Post on