Quick Chat: Language Code-Switching and Accents

Have you ever heard two people conversing in a language you know nothing about, and then all of a sudden, a word or phrase in English (or French or whatever your native language is) pops up?

It can be a little jarring to hear it, but to the person speaking the word, it could be perfectly natural.   It’s called code-switching and it’s more than just using a better word in another language to describe what the individual is trying to say.

In this Quick Chat, Werklund Professor Sylvie Roy discusses the phenomenon, as well as how accents can affect perceptions of a language learner’s abilities. 

Audio:

• Quick Chat (6:51)