3 Reasons Why I Code-switch

July 27, 2023

By: Nicki Faircloth

Every July, tens of thousands gather in my home region of southeastern North Carolina for Lumbee Homecoming — a special, week-long celebration when those who have moved away “come home” for a celebration of togetherness and cultural sharing. 
 
It’s also when I can fully embrace my natural dialect and let loose without fear.
 
At homecoming we enjoy local food such as collard wraps and grape ice cream, engage in cultural activities such as corn husk doll making and powwows, watch fireworks, and line the streets for the annual parade. 
 
Homecoming is a place not just for Lumbee people, but other Native American nations in the area such as the Tuscarora and Waccamaw Siouan, and the public. It’s a time focused on bonding and learning from others. 
 
When I’m down home I relax my shoulders, and I can breathe deeper knowing that I can speak MUCH deeper and slower than I do in the city. My accent transitions back to what I grew up on and I ditch the code-switching. I’m finally among my own people who talk just like I do.
 
Code-switching is a term that many communicators hear regularly. But many people do not fully understand what it means — nor do all of us recognize its impact on the people we work with every day and how it influences the way our communications and stories are heard.
 
By understanding code-switching, we can create better conditions within our organizations so everyone can be their authentic selves — and we can improve our storytelling to connect more deeply with a broader range of audiences.
 
So what is code-switching? 
 
It’s when a person switches up their vernacular to better blend in with a more prevalent culture. Many people do it, especially those that are now working in areas outside their hometowns and where the dialect is very different. 
 
Here are 3 reasons why I code-switch.

1. It allows me to better blend into the more prevalent culture: Like many others from my community and across the south, I use code-switching to be taken more seriously in cities and professional settings. In those environments, the focus doesn’t need to be about how I talk or where I’m from, but about my skills and what I bring to the table. 

2. I don’t have to explain myself as much: The way my community speaks confuses many outsiders because they expect Native Americans in the South to speak like the Unknown Warrior from Reservation Dogs, instead of recognizing that we have a unique dialect. Even though we’re the “original southerners”, and a unique southern dialect shouldn’t be far-fetched — Americans have a tough time grasping that we’re not a monolith and have vastly different cultures, languages, beliefs and even dialects!
 
Questions about my dialect are usually followed by a slew of other questions about my community and culture, which can at times be offensive or overwhelming. I’m in professional settings to showcase my skills, not respond to every misconception, generalization or disinformation surrounding my ethnic group.  

3. I’ve been conditioned to believe it opens more doors to opportunities: Yes, I said conditioned. From a young age, when I ran into professionals outside my community, they were very confused when I opened my mouth. 
 
This experience isn’t unique to me. Many from where I’m from have the same experience. They let me know quickly that I’d never be taken seriously as a professional with that accent.
 
Because of fear of not making it outside of my community, I learned how to code-switch when I was very young by mimicking speech I learned from television shows. When I heard a new word, I looked up its meaning and started using it in conversation. When I heard a new pronunciation, I practiced saying it until it felt second nature to me. 
 
While I’m not sure code-switching has actually opened any doors for me, it is nice to not have to be the center of attention just based on one aspect about myself. I’m also grateful I’m aware at this time in my life how unique and valuable my community is, and that no matter where I am, I shouldn’t have to blend in unless I want to.
 
Those who have grown up in the more prevalent culture are less likely to have had this experience. But understanding code-switching and how it impacts those of us who have been conditioned to practice it, we can all become better communicators and more aware co-workers. We’re all trying to survive and thrive in the nonprofit industrial complex — so the more we understand one another and our unique experiences, the more effective we can become as a unit.