The following are 5 dimensions regarding Hong Kong people's view on code-switching in the video
1. Self-presentation
Some people say that sometimes it is difficult for them to think of suitable Chinese words to express meanings, but what comes across their mind are English words, so they just say out some English words while engaging in a Cantonese conversation. Students do not deliberately say English words to show off. It is the fact that some of them receive education in a school that the teaching language is English. Even teachers, they sometimes say "做 project". As a result, students tend to use more English words to express meanings. It is faster for them to use English to present their ideas. In the video, students are asked to translate "present" and "project" into Chinese words. They need time to think of the suitable counterparts. Some students think that code-switching is not a problem. The main concern in the conversation is that speakers covey their meanings easily and listeners understand the intended meanings. However, I do not deny the fact that some students consciously use English words in a Cantonese-dominated conversation in order to demonstrate their English proficiency.
2. Face & Politeness Strategy
Some people think that using English while talking to Chinese is a kind of face threatening to the Chinese's positive face. To the one who wants to join a group that the conversation contains code-switching, it implies that he cannot join that group unless he has a certain English standard. Finally, he will not join that group if he believes that his English is not good enough. His positive face of desiring to be a member of that group is threatened.
3. Contextualization Cues & Frames
Some students think that the code-switching signals the change of topics. In a group of Chinese students, the spoken language switches from Cantonese to English, it may be because the topic (frame) changes from joking to academic issues. Besides, code-switching also appears when students are talking to their parents or grandparents. It is because English is commonly used in school, it is impossible for students to talk to parents or grandparents in Cantonese at all without any English terms. However, their family members may not understand those English terms such as "project", "semester", "gpa", "tutorial class", etc. Therefore, students will explain those terms in Cantonese. When code-switching appears in conversation with family members, it implies that there is a switch of frames from talking about school life to explaining English terms which are related to school life to family members.
4. Positioning & Cultural Storylines
Students think that code-switching people position themselves at a higher social status in the society. By switching codes, those people demonstrate that they have a higher education standard as they speak in English which is an international language. However, someone thinks that those code-switching users are not good at English and not good at Chinese. Therefore, they cannot express their ideas in English only or in Chinese only. As a result, two languages are needed in expressing ideas. Somebody believes that code-switching is found on people who study in an international school or have lived in western countries for a long time.
5. Conversational Style
Some students think that people switch languages in a conversation just because it is their own conversational style. To some people, code-switching in conversation becomes a habit. It is impossible to change their habit and ask them to speak in either Cantonese only or English only. We should not make the assumption that code-switching people want to show off. Besides, we should not assume that they study in an international school or they come back from western countries. We should not ignore the fact that code-switching is a conversational style. Why does this kind of conversational style exist? The reasons can be peer influence, parents influence or media influence. Some TV advertisements use code-switching to covey ideas. It is a way to impress audiences, so they will remember what the advertisements promote.
