Code Switching
Poem
Preface to the Poem:
Today at work we got to talking about the movie, Sorry to Bother You. (If you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it NOW! lol. A wonderfully chaotic satire.) Ever since then code-switching has been on my mind. What society deems as acceptable linguistics. I myself, have code-switched for damn near all of my life. I was living in Portland for a large chunk of my adulthood. This is where a majority of my code-switching has taken place. In jobs, friendships, and relationships. I learned how to turn it on and off (mostly on.) I catch vibes easily, depending on the location or the vibe I was feeling; I adjusted my language (verbal and non-verbal.) Over the years my mind became a storage of “acceptable” phrases in social and work settings. I recycled them often. I suppose one could say, I used code switching as a form of acceptance. Trading the lingo I grew up with in exchange for what I felt others would react positively to.
I also used code switching to obtain positions in management. On more than one occasion I had been told that they were surprised at how well spoken I was.(Why? because I was a young brown woman in a predominantly white area?) My diction had been labeled as polished and clear. A compliment if you take out the underlying context. In levels of management, when our company had obtained a newly appointed manager: on their first interaction with me- a look of shock often gave them away first before offering a limp hand shake. Interesting. Yet, I still felt the compulsion to show my worth. Not anymore, I say! LOL. This is just my experience. There are SO many others out there with their own as well. I am happy to share mine. 🫶🏽✨
I learned what people wanted to hear At a very young age I practiced the demeanor, The vocab, The cadence, The underlying meaning Code switching Attuned to what garnered positive reactions Landing positions that seemed above me Studying the language A light switch I turn off and on day after day A brown woman in survival mode At work and at play The locale and company dictates the light switch On or Off for today? I project clearly, over enunciating Putting my love of words to use; Even thesaurus.com would feel ashamed Abandoning authenticity The vernacular I grew up with Becoming accustomed to the light switch consistently "ON" Gone were the ayyye's, cuddy's and fa sho's Replaced with Webster's Dictionary; digestible idioms For societal acceptance; Places I did not even want to be Code switching So what's it all for? To muddy the waters of community culture? To become bran flakes without sugar Language & demeanor; sans seasoning? I nearly became what I pretended to be A daily drainage of culture and authenticity So this is what we do; I detect it every day; The head nods, the step backs, the adapting Fa sho I'm def not the one I suppose code switching makes it easier; The price, too expensive to pay I call bullshit, tom foolery, this ain't my way Honestly, who cares? Who gives a fuck what they'd say? Not I, anymore I'm not Sorry to Bother You That light switch is "OFF" In my element now; code switching? No way! Lingering lingustics resurfaced, embraced, Ayyyye! And now, I only flip that switch up to get my way ;) ~Sisa del Valle
