STATE BANK OF VIETNAM BANKING ACADEMY Foreign Language Faculty GRADUATION THESIS Topic CODE-SWITCHING BETWEEN VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH AS A COMMUNICATION DEVICE AT WORKPLACES IN HANOI Student Nghiem Phuong Anh Class K19ATCD Course 2016 - 2020 Student ID 19A7510008 Lecturer Nguyen Thi Thuy (M.A) Hanoi, June 2020 DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis represents my own works with the support of the instructor and and has not been previously included in other thesis. The theoretical background used in this thesis is derived and clearly cited. I have read the University’s current research ethics guidelines, and accept responsibility for the conduct of the procedures in accordance with Banking Academy of Vietnam Hanoi, June 2020 Nghiem Phuong Anh i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to extend my sincere and deepest thanks to my research supervisor, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thuy, MA, Lecturer of Faculty of Foreign Language, Banking Academy of Vietnam.
Her clear orientation from the first step helped me to decide on a topic that best suited my ability. In the course of finalizing the thesis, Mrs. Thuy has not only given me clear guidelines but also always listened and believed in my choices. Her sincerity, meticulousness is a great motivation to help me complete the thesis with all my abilities.
Thanks to her, I found joy and inspiration in the most difficult times. For me, it is such a big honor to be work under her guidelines. Next, I would like to thank my families for always encouraging and supporting me in every step of my life. Also, my best friends - Melon group for wholeheartedly supporting me in my thesis and bringing me lots of joy during 4 years.
Without them, my graduation thesis would not be finished. Finally, I would like to express my respect to all the lecturers of Faculty of Foreign Language, Banking Academy of Vietnam. I have learned not only knowledge but also valuable experiences in 4 years. Although I am not able to say thanks to each, but my heart is still full of gratitude and favors received from every person.
ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION. ii LIST OF TABLES. iii LIST OF FIGURES. iv LIST OF APPENDICES.
Objectives of the study. Significance of the study. Scope and limitations of the study. Definition of terms.
4 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .1 Definitions of code-switching .2 Classifications of code-switching .3 Code-switching is a natural phenomenon .5 The difference between code-switching and borrowing .6 Difference attitudes toward code-switching. Effects of code-switching. 12 CHAPTER 3 – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .Locale of the study .Data gathering procedure .Population, Sample and Sampling technique. 19 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .Characteristics of participants.
The frequency of using code-switching between English and Vietnamese at the workplace .Reasons for using code-switching and not using code-switching .Reasons for not using code-switching .Reasons for using code-switching. The relationship between related factors and attitudes towards code- switching. Different attitudes towards code-switching. The relationship between age and attitude towards code-switching.
The relationship between English proficiency and attitude towards code-switching. The relationship between working environment and attitude towards code-switching` .The impacts of code-switching at workplaces .Positive impacts of using code-switching at workplaces .Negative impacts of using code-switching at workplaces .The relationship between context and impact of code-switching at workplaces.Using code-switching with only appropriate people .Using code-switching in the suitable context. 38 CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION. 41 REFERENCES APPENDICES v LIST OF TABLES Table Page 11 Table 2.1: Example of borrowing words 29 Table 4.1: The relationship between age and attitude towards code- switching 31 Table 4.2: The relationship between English proficiency and attitude towards code-switching 33 Table 4.3: The relationship between working environment and attitude towards code-switching iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 4.1: Distribution of respondents by age group 20 Figure 4.2: Distribution of respondents by occupations 21 Figure 4.3: Frequency of using code-switching in different 22 communication situations at workplaces Figure 4.4: Reasons for not using code-switching 24 Figure 4.5: Reasons for using code-switching 25 Figure 4.6: The extent of using specialized terms among different 26 types of professions Figure 4.7: Different attitudes towards code-switching 27 Figure 4.8: Reasons for feeling uncomfortable towards code- 28 switching Figure 4.9: Positive impacts of using code-switching at workplaces 34 Figure 4.10: Negative impacts of using code-switching at 35 workplaces Figure 4.11: The relationship between context and the impact 37 of code-switching at workplaces LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Page Appendix 1: Questionnaire survey: A survey of code-switching i between Vietnamese and English at workplaces Appendix 2: Interview transcript Vii iv ABSTRACTS Code‐switching is a very important aspect of bilingualism and serves a significant social function.
Since it has been a hot issue in Vietnamese language in general and Vietnamese workplace in particular, the topic "Code-switching between Vietnamese and English as a communication device at workplaces in Hanoi” was conducted. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the frequency of using code- switching in communication at workplaces also the relationship between related factors and attitudes towards code-switching. Moreover, it points out the impacts of code-switching at workplaces and analyze how to use code-switching effectively. For those purposes of this paper, the questionnaire method will be used.
In the survey, 95% of total respondents have used code-switching at least one time. This research has shown that: Young people (in the range of 18 to 25), English proficiency and people working in the bilingual environment have a positive attitude towards to the use of code-switching. Code-switching has both positive and negative impacts, however, it also depends on contexts. It can be concluded that using code-switching when writing has more negative impacts than speaking.
Besides, code-switching has the most positive effect when used in small groups. Using code-switching in large groups need to carefully consider the situations and objects. Code-switching will only be considered an effective communication device if it is used with appropriate people, in suitable contexts and avoid abusing. Key words: Code-switching, communication at workplaces, communication device v CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.
Introduction Language is the most significant device of human communication. Along with the change of social culture and era, the language is constantly changing to be able to carry out its mission. The process of integration and development inevitably entails contact and mutual influence among cultures, including Code-switching. While people who speak more than one language (bilinguals, multilingual) switches from one to another instinctively, it called code-switching.
The following are some examples of Vietnamese English code-switching: - Con ơi chuyển kênh cho mẹ xem The Voice đi (informal) - Chị ơi em gửi mail kế hoạch marketing tháng này rồi ạ. Chị check rồi comment giúp em nhé! Code-switching is “a natural phenomenon” that it cannot be an exception in Vietnam. It occurs in both formal and informal contexts of communication. There are many mixed opinions about this code-switching phenomenon.
On the one hand it is said to enrich the vocabulary of ethnic languages, especially new terms in the fields of science and technology and it has also made the forms of communication more diverse. As a result code-switching helps people to have quick access to more developed cultures and civilizations. On the other hand, some people believed that using code-switching distort the purity of the Vietnamese language. However, no matter how different the opinions are, the role of code-switching is undeniable in today’s communication.
In Vietnam, code-switching between Vietnamese and English is the most common. Studying English is no longer isolated in schools, but it has burst into a foreign language fever and spread throughout society. Vietnamese people choose to study English to make money, acquire and exchange scientific knowledge. It is also considered as an important communication strategy to transfer messages correctly and effectively, especially at the workplace.
Since code-switching has been a hot issue in Vietnamese language, there are few research appeared. Tran Van Dung investigated code-switching of Vietnamese teenagers, Nguyen Ha Quyen attempted to show how teenagers used 1 code-switching in their conversations. Beside the positive contributions, there are several unavoidable limitations: Not only in Vietnam but in the world there is very little research on code-switching at the workplaces. Also, those studies not yet mentioned impacts and solutions for using code-switching at the workplace.
For this reasons, the topic "Code-switching between Vietnamese and English as an effective communication device at the workplaces in Hanoi" aims to study how code-switching has been used as a device to achieve the communicative intent and serves certain functions in conversations. Moreover, the results of the study are about to clarify the impacts of code-switching and solutions for using effectively. Background Since the second half of the twentieth century, linguistics was born to systematically study and explain the changes of language under the impact of social factors, to compensate for the shortage of traditional linguistics. Linguistics takes the language of communication in everyday life as the object of research to deal with a variety of problems of life, contributing to the orientation of using language.
There are some theoretical foundations of social linguistics such as The Sociolinguistics of Society, Fasold's Sociolinguistics of Sociology, first published in 1984, “examining the close relation between social research - linguistics and linguistic research and linguistic theory, fully introduced in a clear and well- written way”. Edward Sapir's The Status of Linguistics as a Science, first published in 1929, outlines general issues such as commentary on Social Linguistics. “Code-switching must become increasingly concerned with many anthropological, sociological, and said problems which invade the field of language” (Edward Sapir, 1929) Vietnam is one of the countries with a long and dramatic tradition of learning English as a foreign language, with many evidences of English has been found from the French colonial period, although the degree is insignificant. 1954 was the period when English was influenced by the Russian in the North and American in the South.
After 1975, the study of English slowed down due to Russian influence 2 until it broke out into a fever in the late 1980s and early 1990s of the previous century, thanks to Vietnam's renovation and integration policy. In the post-WTO period, English in Vietnam took a new turn, playing the role of a language that actually owns global communication and communication channels. It officially becomes a foreign language not only compulsory in elementary, secondary and tertiary schools but also as a 'ticket for a successful one', especially for professionals and researcher. From that time, Vietnamese have access to English resources from many native English-speaking countries with the rush of foreign companies, trade organizations, cooperation programs, educational and training grants.
At the same time, Vietnamese also have the opportunity to access other non-native English sources from many countries around the world, firstly in Southeast Asia, followed by Asia Pacific and Europe, where using English as a tool of communication. The integration in the context of globalization has gradually transformed English into a global language of communication. As a result, code-switching between Vietnamese and English appeared and has become a hot issue in Vietnamese language policy in the current global language context. Objectives of the study The research aims to investigate the current linguistic phenomenon of code- switching between Vietnamese and English in conversations at the workplaces.
In terms of theory, the thesis contributes to researching and supplementing the theory of code-switching in Vietnam in the context of globalization. In practical terms, it examines the frequency of using code-switching in communication at the workplaces and the relationship between related factors and attitudes towards code-switching. It also points out the impacts of code-switching at the workplaces and analyzes how to use code-switching effectively. Research questions This study aims to answer the following questions: - How often do people use code-switching at the workplace? - What are the reasons for using code-switching? 3 - What are the respondents’ attitudes towards Vietnamese English code- switching at the workplace? - What are the positive and negative impacts of code-switching at the workplace?