The controversy of "code-switching"

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Code-switching can involve a number of things:

1. Elocution: adopting a different accent, manner-of-speech, etc.
2. Adoption of "God Terms" and "Devil Terms" to sway an audience which has certain attitudes and prejudices.
3. Tapping into slogans, political and/or ideological phrases
4. Arguing from circumstance rather than principle. (It is wrong to murder, but in this case we must make an exception because ...)

This is a perfect example--imagine of Hitler were alive today? What would he say to a crowd to win them over? A master speaker would do this

I don't feel like what you're describing is really code-switching. That just sounds like persuasive oration techniques. Maybe it is in an academic sense, but code-switching "in the wild" is a lot more subtle and somewhat unconscious. And just about everyone does it to some degree when interacting with (usually) culturally different friend groups.

 

[Merrill]

I don't feel like what you're describing is really code-switching. That just sounds like persuasive oration techniques. Maybe it is in an academic sense, but code-switching "in the wild" is a lot more subtle and somewhat unconscious. And just about everyone does it to some degree when interacting with (usually) culturally different friend groups.code-switching

code-switching is rhetorical

there is very little that is "subtle" about it. And certainly nothing unconscious (I don't tend to use that term, as it is Freudian nonsense)

and yes, people do it frequently.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I don't know if I've EVER heard a politician create a message or argument that WAS suitable for all people; certainly not persausive to everyone". In fact, I'm not convinced I've heard many of that type of argument....from anyone.

I would concur.

The fact that we have more than one political party (each with their own varying messaging) is evidence there's not a "one size fits all" message on a number of issues.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

This also has a “we can’t speak to his message but we can talk about his delivery” vibe.

I think the problem is, if he's not being sincere about the persona he's putting forward, can anyone really know what his position or actual message is?

And for what it's worth, his "persona" seems to be amplifying by the day.

There were the original two videos from my OP showing the contrast

Then the 3rd one I linked from a few days later where he "turned it up a notch" from the 2nd one.

Here's one that CNN reported on that occurred after that where he's turned it up another notch...

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2023/04/12/justin-pearson-reinstated-tennessee-house-speech-nr-vpx.cnn

So, he went from prep-school moderate to 60's civil rights leader over a period of a couple years.

But if you look at the last 3 days, he's gone from that, to this one in the CNN link where it sounds like someone trying to cosplay the Reverend from the movie Coming to America.



Furthermore, I don't think his message (on school safety, which is what started this whole thing) is all that sincere

Tennessee just passed a school safety bill in response to the event.

The Senate voted 33-0, the House 95-4 (meaning it was a highly bipartisan bill with near universal support from both sides)

For the 4 people in all of the TN legislature who voted against it, you want to take a random guess at who 3 of those 4 were? That tells me that preserving their "going against the grain to keep themselves in the limelight" seems to be of somewhat importance to them.

 

[Nithavela]

Are you all really always the same person to everyone? At your work? In the bar? With your loved ones in bed? To your children? Always the same speech patterns, body language and behaviour?

We're all playing characters all the time. Each of us presents several different facets of their personas to their surroundings, depending on the circumstances. This is normal human behaviour. I can see why normal human behaviour becomes a problem when it is exhibited by your political opponent, though. In todays divise climate, political opponents can't even breath without inviting criticism, it seems.

 

[FireDragon76]

"Code Switching" isn't just confined to a particular race. My dad was raised in a lower-middle-class home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but went on to a successful career as an Air Force officer, and he used to code switch all the time, I remember that growing up. It's not really about deception, it's more about fitting in to expectations, and it's often completely unconscious.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Are you all really always the same person to everyone? At your work? In the bar? With your loved ones in bed? To your children? Always the same speech patterns, body language and behaviour?

We're all playing characters all the time.

I pointed out the distinction between tailoring one's speech to use vernacular that's local to the region, and completely "getting into character" and trying to have that be one's main persona.

The way this guy's talking in the videos, not only is he playing a character that's not his own, it's not even from the same generation.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

"Code Switching" isn't just confined to a particular race. My dad was raised in a lower-middle-class home in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but went on to a successful career as an Air Force officer, and he used to code switch all the time, I remember that growing up. It's not really about deception, it's more about fitting in to expectations, and it's often completely unconscious.

In Justin Pearson's case, was there ever expectation that he had to (or was expected to) talk like a guy from the 1960's or wear a Dashiki?

In his case, I think it'd be a stretch to say it was unconscious. The fact that it's the speech, the clothing, the mannerisms...this appears to be a persona that he cultivated.

 

[Nithavela]

We all play characters all the time. For example, I don't tell everyone I meet in real life that I think mankind should go extinct as soon as possible.