Code-switching (as a cultural method for inscribing alterity)

I have chosen two short clips from the movie “Puss in Boots” and “Puss in Boots and The Three Diablos” as an example of how CS is used to mixed two or more cultures,and how people could take advantage of this instead of creating a division between cultures, countries, thoughts or religion beliefs.  In the movie we will see that it does not matter who you are or where you come from, we will learn that  union means strength.

Puss in Boots and The Three Diablos: The short tells a story of Puss in Boots on a mission to recover a princess' stolen ruby from the notorious French thief the Whisperer. Reluctantly accompanied by three cute little kittens called the Three Diablos, Puss must tame them before they endanger the mission.

Puss in boots: your tears are payment enough.

The Queen: grazie!! grazie!!(they speak in English and Spanish but also in Italian because this piece of literature has an Italian origin)

Puss in boots: Gracias, my little friends, for you have shown me there is glory, and sometimes gold, in doing the right thing.

link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woKHBCLZYgg&t=120s

 Puss in Boots: Accompanied by his friends, Humpty Dumpty and Kitty Softpaws, Puss is pitted against Jack and Jill, two murderous outlaws in ownership of legendary magical beans which lead to great fortune.Puss' efforts to save San Ricardo make him a hero among the townspeople and Imelda. In the epilogue, Jack and Jill are recovering from their injuries, Humpty is shown once again in his regular egg form, wearing a golden egg suit, as he rides the Great Terror into the clouds, and Puss and Kitty kiss.

Puss in Boots example of multiple identities: Through the years I have been known by many names. Diablo Gato, The Furry Lover, Chupa Cabra, Frisky Two Times and then The Gingerhead man. But to most I am Puss in Boots, outlaw!

Puss in Boots: Those magic beans were my score. You just caused me a chance of getting the golden eggs, mi amigo. Put up your paws up.

link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOVC4NY8Q-A&t=118s

Example: Wideload: Your feet have got to be free, so dat your knees are free so dat your hips are free so dat you can move your culo wif impunity. (Fronteras Americanas, Verdecchia, 1993)

Analysis: I believe that the use of “culo” in this sentence serves as an example for code-switching as a cultural method for inscribing alterity. In my opinion, the word doesn’t need a translation since it is believed that the audience will understand its meaning taking into account the context, since this part of the play is making reference to a specific ethnic group: latinos. Latin Americans all known all over the world for their feisty music and dance moves, and latino women are specially known for their voluptuous and curvy bodies, making especial emphasis on their backsides. This is why I believe this word (“culo”) becomes part of the latino culture and therefore, differentiates this ethnic group (the latinos) from The Others (the gringos).

Example: in the TV show “American Crime”,  centers on race, social class and gender stigma during a trial for murder, one of the main characters Alonso Gutierrez (interpreted by Benito Martinez, who was born in New Mexico) is talking to his son who is being accused of murder and says: “We only have one chance, mijo”. The word “mijo” is a regionalism in Mexico, is like saying my son or my daughter. This shows that, although they are in another country and communicating in another language, they both share the same origin and that differentiate them from the rest.

Link to the video:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Rvp7jY9oU2iaKpGLwSI21SedR9TXhTqo

I chose a Philippine movie which is named `The babe love´, where the matrix language is Tagalog and the embedded one is English. By general the actors speak Tagalog, and they use English when they need to be more expressive or emphatics. The background of the scene refers to the girl´s father and boy´s aunt have started a relationship, but the girl doesn´t agree that at all.

The scene says like this:   

Boy: So, is it fine with you that your dad and…

Girl: Of course not. Nothing personal ha pero excuse me an ganda ganda ng mommy ko. (pero mi mamá era muy bonita)
     - Here we can see how English sentences are inserted into Tagalog language), the girl change to English to highlight certain aspects which are important for her. She doesn't agree with the situation and the usage of English reflects that she is expressing emotions and she cannot do it in her foreign language.-

Boy: So what do you mean by that?

Girl: Wala. Sinasabi ko ang magandangmommy ko.

         (Nothing. I'm just saying that my mom was beautiful)

Boy: So, my aunt isn´?

Girl: Well, mas maganda ang mommy ko.

         (Well, my mother was more beautiful)

- In this case the girl interjected the the word `Well´ which is in English, but she continued the idea by using Tagalog, it makes us think that she used it to denote her annoyance, at the same time to correct what him was saying.

Boy: Well, my aunt is nice.

Girl: Still, mas maganda ang mommy ko.

         (Pero mi mamá era más bonita.)

Boy: Fine

Girl: And besides, ayo ko rin namman Aunty mo para sa Daddy ko.

         (And besides, I don't like your aunt for my dad)

If that is what you wanted to hear.

Boy: Edi good. At least we agreed on something.

        (Good then,..)

Girl: I have to go now. Baka hinahanap na ako ng... Bye. 
        (My dad might be looking for me. Bye)

-  Here the girl uses English to emphasize that she is leaving.

I consider that this is a good example of code switching, because they used their mother tongue when they needed to express a deeply feeling, being that is the powerful tool we have at the moment we want to express ourselves.

Apart from that, at the moment we change from one language to another we call the listeners´ attention, something has changed and he must ask himself `` what has happened?´´

When people want to make someone feel wrong,they don't do that in a foreign language, as well in their mother tongue. Otherwise, it would not be so offensive to any of them. A scientific study says that is easier for people to lie in a foreign language than in our mother tongue.

Example:

Verdecchia: I had spent fifteen years preparing for this. (...) Drinking mate, eating dulce de leche. (...). (Fronteras Americanas, Verdecchia, 1993)

Analysis: In this part of the play the use of the words "mate" and "dulce de leche" is a clear example of code-switching as a cultureme. I believe these words should not be translated since they take into account the context and they belong to as part of the Argentine culture. I think these words express the writer´s necessity to use his mother tongue as a bridge to connect himself with his real roots.

 I chose Shakira's song called Waka Waka, to exemplify this type of code switching. This song was made when the countries played for the soccer World Cup in Africa; the singer represents the culture of that place, being that the phrase "Waka Waka Tsamina zangalewa” was part of the repertoire of soldiers and also of various young groups such as scouts, all over Africa.

Soccer fans from all over the world would sing this song, so Shakira used the universal language, English, most of the time. However, she also used her mother tongue, Spanish, something that denotes the importance that our language represents for us; and obviously, the most distinctive part of the song is the use of that phrase from African origin.

You are a good soldier

Choosing your battles

Pick yourself up and dust yourself off and back in

The saddle

You are on the front line

Everyone is watching

You know it´s serious we´re getting closer, this isn´t over

The pressure is on

You feel it

But you´ve got it all

Believe it

When you fall get up oh oh

And if you fall get up oh oh

Waka Waka eh eh

Tsamina mina zangalewa

´Cause this is Africa

Tsamina-mina-zangalewa                                                                                                       

´Cause this is África

 Listen to your God

This is our motto

Your time to shine don´t wait in line y vamos por todo.

Example: In this series Dexter, Sargent Batista who is from Cuba teaches Dexter,the importance of “La pasion”. Recently divorced, Batista tells Dexter that it doesn't matter if his wife sees him drunk as long as he brings home “La pasion” referring to the sexual desire towards his wife. Use as a cultureme, it describes how warm  people from Latin America are and the vital importance they give to sex to keep the relationships alive, as well as enjoy every moment of life. Dexter, his America friend,who is a serial killer,  represents the typical American citizen, serious, shy and cold.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi5TnqjfbG8

I’ve chosen a scene from the movie Me, Myselfand Irene. In a part of the movie Jim Carrey was driving and showing herself as a “Galán” with Irene, so he bring the Tango related to the seduction saying: “I am a Tango man myself”

This is a clear example of how spanish vocabulary has been adapted in other languages over their own perspectives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEemh4iKr4w

In his song, “Livin´ la vida loca”, Ricky Martin mixes English and Spanish. The use of Spanish in this song is a strategy to show the to show the characteristics of Latin American culture, known for its sensual dances and its music. Ricky Martin invites the English speakers to immerse themselves in that culture with this song.

“Upside inside out
She's livin' la vida loca
She'll push and pull you down
Livin' la vida loca”.

Example: in the film “A Haunted House 2” when the protagonist is talking with a Mexican, in a part there is a clear example of code-switching as a cultural method for inscribing alterity. The Mexican, talking in English, makes evident references about his culture saying words such as “Chihuahuas” and “burritos”. Traditionally used in that country. In a funny way the Mexican says that contrary to popular belief not all Mexicans are mechanics and not all have six kids, have chihuahuas and eat burritos.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5IYsLnFA7I  (minute 1:30)

I chose a poem called I Am Joaquin by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales. This is associated with the Chicano movement of the 1960s in the United States. In I am Joaquin speaks of the struggles that the Chicano people have faced in trying to achieve economic justice and equal rights in the U.S, as well as to find an identity of being part of a hybrid mestizo society.

In the poem we can find the word "GACHUPIN" that means : Spanish settler in America who immigrated from Spain.

I chose this piece of a Casados con hijos’ episode in which the father of the main family expresses himself in anger by saying “Are you talking to me?” quoting Robert De Niro ‘s famous phrase in Taxidriver (1976) as an example of how using phrases from other languages can interfere in our daily communicative instinct. What is more, maybe in the show it wasn’t use  with that purpose, but we do use it in our life as a way of mixing languages while breaking borders between two languages or more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ObXkUeZiw