Conducted by Warren, Samson, Charlotte and Connor
Summary
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Introduction
“I am what I am, no matter what language I speak,” the words were told by a hip-hop artist named Aleksandar, a student of a Serbian university, whose multilingual posts on Facebook and translingual attitude drew Schreiber’s attention. Schreiber (2015) investigated how Aleksandar used multiple linguistic codes and semiotic resources on Facebook. The lens adopted in her paper was the theoretical concept of translingualism. Schreiber’s main purpose was to re-evaluate the second language-mediated identity and to expand the focus of EFL writing pedagogy.
Image credit: Simon Steinberger Pixabay License
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Methodology
Schreiber’s research relied on a qualitative data and semi-structured interviews. Aleksandar was first asked about his English and technological literacy history, composing processes and perceptions of the rhetorical situation with the use of different codes (languages of specific communities) on Facebook. Then, 10 examples were selected from Aleksandar’s Facebook posts, which had employed multiple linguistic codes, were shown to him and required his reflection on the process of writing.
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Result
During the interview, Aleksandar considered Facebook an effective promotion tool which made a contribution to construct his public, hip-hop identity and to connect with the hip-hop community. In his past posts, he preferred to use English together with Serbian local codes as textual message to accomplish his communicative goal because his use of rhetorical devices required him to borrow lexical items from English vocabulary. Besides textual message, he also posted music video links as one of the multimodal interactions to achieve his communicative purpose that brought the music to his hip-hop community and received uptakes. Even for monolingual speakers, his posts still made sense regardless of his choice of codes through the use of multiple semiotic modes like links to music videos. Aleksandar also stated that he did not consider a new identity was created by using code-mixed words and, in fact, he used code-mixed words unconsciously.
In conclusion, Schreiber suggested two options to incorporate online communication in EFL writing pedagogy. One is bringing social networking sites into academic settings, and the other is incorporating opportunities for code-meshing in academic writing text.
Critique
We benefited from Schreiber for the pedagogical insight that curricula that focus on language correctness aren’t motivating for students. Schreiber has given us a new way to look at language learning. Instead of seeing language as the final product, it is a tool that teachers equip students with in order that students could explore the world and make meaning. Teachers should then inspire students, for example, by encouraging them to cultivate interests in music, movies, foods, travelling, etc.
There is one question that we wish to point out, however, regarding Schreiber’s main thesis—her thesis stating that English learners do not display different aspects of their identity when they speak English or when they speak their L1. Schreiber proposed that all the different languages that a person speaks are an integrated whole. The speaker uses all the languages he/she knows to accomplish a goal that is meaningful for him/her (e.g. Aleksandar in the article used Serbian dialect, standard Serbian, and English to post on Facebook links he thought was important about the hip-hop community).
Image credit: Gerd Altmann Pixabay License
But there is evidence to show that different languages would constitute different modes of thinking, which in turn would be likely to develop into separate aspects of identity. Let us explain this by referring to the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. The stronger version of this hypothesis is commonly known as linguistic determinism because it proposes that the languages people speak dictate their thinking. While this stronger version is probably not true even from anecdotal experience, the weaker version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, linguistic relativism, has ample empirical research to back it up. Advocates of linguistic relativism believe that the language that people speak affects their cognitive thinking.
Image credit: John Hain Pixabay License
An article in the New York Times Magazine titled “Does Your Language Shape How You Think?” explored this hypothesis in depth. The author concluded with these words:
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- For many years, our mother tongue was claimed to be a “prison house” that constrained our capacity to reason. Once it turned out that there was no evidence for such claims, this was taken as proof that people of all cultures think in fundamentally the same way… The habits of mind… may also have a marked impact on our beliefs, values and ideologies. We may not know as yet how to measure these consequences directly or how to assess their contribution to cultural or political misunderstandings. But as a first step toward understanding one another, we can do better than pretending we all think the same.
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Another article published by Psychology Today elucidated the role of language in shaping people’s thoughts. The author, Antonio Benítez-Burraco Ph.D., explained that the way to interpret the currently available scientific evidence is that “Different languages focus our attention on different aspects of the environment—either physical or cultural.” (emphasis ours)
If languages could shape people’s thinking by guiding their attention to the environment around them, wouldn’t it be likely that they perform different aspects of their identity as they use different languages to think and to communicate, contrary to the thesis of Schreiber?
Discussion Questions
- Do you think your personality is different when speaking a foreign language?
- Do you think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese school contexts?
- Is code-meshing a successful means to transmit a person’s culture and values or to construct an identity?
Yes, I believe that my personality or identity is different when I speak a foreign language. For example, when I speak English, I often consider the norms and conventions to which an English speaker should conform. Also, the way I think is also somehow different when I speak English as I tend to be more straightforward.
I think this blended mode of instruction may work well in Hong Kong but may not in Mainland China. Hong Kong tends to be more open and international compared with Mainland China due to some historical or cultural reasons. Therefore, adopting such an open and innovative way of teaching writing may receive less constrains in Hong Kong than in Mainland China.
I think code-meshing is both a successful way to transmit a person’s culture and values and a way to construct an identity. For one thing, when code-meshing, people tend to code-switch between different languages and since culture and values are embedded in languages, they are inevitably transmitted. For another, identity is constructed through frequent language and cultural interaction. When people code-switch, they frequently interact with others from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and as a result, their new identity may form gradually in this process.
Hi Daniel, Thanks for your comments.(ง •̀_•́)ง
I agree with your thoughts that when we switch to English, because of the different norms and conventions, we tend to change our normal speaking habits which may behave like we have changed our personality. And you mentioned that you tended to be more straightforward when speaking English, which I had also noticed from some of my college classmates. And I guess maybe it is because the speaking contexts or listeners are different. So we switch to their path of talking naturally and easily. But when it comes back to Chinese, there are also concerns about the other conventions of talking, so we may constrain our willingness to talk and reducing the embarrassment.
And it is realistic that you suggested that blended mode of instructions may be more easily applied in Hong Kong, considering the historical factors and the learning environment. I agree that too. But I am still positive with the idea that this kind of pedagogical method will be applied in mainland China in the predictable future. And for code-meshing, you mentioned it would inevitably transmit culture and personal values. That is right in most cases, but have you noticed that some hosts on the TV shows when they can’t think about a word in their L1, they might also use the L2 vocabulary to convey their speeches as a supplementary. And some may just use it as a form of showing off. So for me, I think that may depend on the level of their code- meshing.
I do notice that there is something different in my personality, it’s like that I have a “spilt” self. We all know that the thinking patterns of Chinese and English are different, with Chinese more spiral, English liner. When I speak Chinese and want to express my wants and likes, I always beating around the bush, but when speaking English, I just speech them out directly. Also, when speaking English, I find myself shy and unable to choose the exact words quickly, and all the words expressions I use are very polite, such as “Excuse me” “Would you” “Mind I” “Please”. While speaking Chinese, I am very outgoing, and I always speak very fast. Maybe speaking a language equals creating a new self? hhhhh
I don’t think blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy cam work in mainland Chinese school contexts. Because the Ministry of Education regulates what teachers can teach must be something formal and serious, vernacular, colloquial semiotic resources are out of the question. Maybe it can function well in Hong Kong since HK is more dynamic.
Thank you Flora for your great response, which you mentioned the difference of thinking patterns in Chinese and English. I really support your words that in Chinese we will not ask for something directly which may be quite rude. And in English, it is okay to say what you want. And you shared your interesting discoveries on speaking a different language which I thought also will appear upon me. I think it’s probably that by learning a new language, you can create a new self. Because when we are learning a new language, we are not simply memorizing the vocabulary and grammar, we are immersed in the cultures and values behind the language through the movies, music and talking with variety of people holding a different values.
So it is true I think. ( ´◔ ‸◔`)
I agree with you that the implementations of the new pedagogical methods may be easier to be accepted in an open society like Hong Kong. Public schools and educational institutions nowadays in mainland China are mainly exam-driven that no one is willing to waste their time on something new and not so professional. But I think we need to be positive with the future of English teaching in mainland China as I have noticed that in some private schools or some educational institutions are trying this as well. Things are changing fast.
1. Do you think your personality is different when speaking a foreign language?
Yes, I do think my personality switches when I speak a different language. For instance, when I am speaking Chinese, I am pretty shy and not willing to express my ideas. But When I am speaking English, I become pretty outgoing, willing to communicate and exchange ideas with others.
2. Do you think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese school contexts?
I don’t think the mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in the public schools in Hong Kong and Mainland, as the schools are controlled under the education system which means they are DSE and Gaokao driven. However, I do think it is applicable in private or international schools in these two districts.
3. Is code-meshing a successful means to transmit a person’s culture and values or to construct an identity?
Yes, I do think it is a successful way to transmit a person’s culture and values as well as to construct an identity. The values and identities are all conveyed by the language, during the process of code-meshing, the exchange of culture and meanings will be achieved.
Hi, Tiffany, Thank your response!
It is a great sharing that you mentioned your personality was more outgoing when you speak English. And I found it was quite interesting when I compared your descriptions with Flora who was shy when speaking in English. So I think it may vary from person to person. Anyway thanks for it, so we get more cases on that. If you still have some time, could you please explain a little bit about why you are more outgoing when speaking English? ( •̀ .̫ •́ )✧
Yes, I agree that it’s not quite acceptable in public schools both in Hong Kong and China as they are all exam-driven. You suggested that it can be applied in private or international schools. I think it is also reasonable as they have more freedom to modify their syllabus. And many of the students in those schools are holding the aim of studying in a foreign university so the English learning also accounts for a larger proportion which made these strategies easier to apply.
Interesting to hear from you. We just want to encourage to be braver in using the English Language. Regarding the mode of teaching, do you think it can be implemented in the junior English curriculum, which is less exam-oriented?
Yes, I do think the personality is different. Different personalities stem from different minds, which come from various cognitions. With English as my second language, I may say I am more considerate and can have a more comprehensive consideration about things because I have at least two cognitive channels both Chinese and English. And as English is the most widely used language in the world, many information such as scientific research results are published in English, no matter where are those people from, English could be the ideal choice to make the information more widely known. So in this way, learning English is not just make a bilingual person of Chinese and English, more importantly, the information channels are multiple.
I don’t think the blended mode can be developed well at present in mainland China because most people in most cities are still big fans of native like language competency. But in Hong Kong which is with a more international environment, this mode might be more acceptable.
Hello, Lyla, thanks for your comments. (ง •̀_•́)ง
It’s great you mentioned the different minds and cognitions on the influence of personalities through the languages. With different language, we are exposed to a different field of views and ideas even on the same topic, so it is inevitable for us who can command more than one language to be influenced by that. I think it is the bilingualism or multilingualism that cultivate our own view of understanding this world which in turn will influence our personality. So I agree we are not simply a bilingual person of Chinese and English, which the cultures and values behind them also formulated our personality.
Considering the realistic factors, it’s true we’re still fanatical about chasing the native-like language competency. It becomes the sign of showing your social and educational status, which converted its primitive goal of interaction. Therefore, blended mode may not achieve that goal in mainland China.
Indeed, the context of Hong Kong is more conducive to the blended mode given Hong Kong students have more exposure in online communities. Would you mind to tell us about the situation in Mainland China? Do students have the opportunity to get in touch with authentic online communities using English?
1. Definitely. There is a little difference. When I am speaking my first language which I am very familiar with, I am unconstrained. However, I am prudent and careful when I have to speak English and Cantonese. I am so worried that I will make a mistake and will be laughed at.
2. Of course it works. In my opinion, the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy will be more interesting to students in Hong Kong and the mainland China. Students will be more highly motivated. Besides the multimodal way can provide students more chances to be more creative.
3. Well, I think it really depends. It is hard to judge whether it is successful or not. I think it depends on how well people use it. If someone can take full advantage of it, it may transmit a person’s culture, values and construct his or her identity successful. However, if people can’t employ it well, it is hard to say.
Yes, I have the same feeling as you when I am going to speak English. Besides worrying making mistakes and being laughed at, I also feel unfamiliar to use that in the authentic context as I didn’t use English as frequently as Chinese. Therefore, I feel embarrassed sometimes. And I agree with your ideas that blended mode will increase the students’ motivation and creativity in learning English. But I think at present, this kind of modes is still at its infancy stage which may not be so systematic and hard to manage in a class with a large number of students. Also, we should consider the students in poor families, how will they fit in the class if they have no access to internet?
I agree with you that it really depends on the person’s proficiency level of the language. If they can’t employ it well, maybe it is even hard to understand what they are meaning to convey. And some gaps for translation are also obvious like Chinese poems with its unique rhythms and rhetorical methods. Not everyone can manage that.
Thank you for your response. ( ˘•ω•˘ )
Hi Betty. Thanks for your comments. Just out of curiosity, will you implement this blended in your classroom, and if so, how will you do so?
Yes, I think there is something different in my personality. I have found that I’m more willing to express ideas and thoughts to some extent when speaking English. For example, I would naturally show my love for something by using “Oh, I love it! “and my miss for someone by saying, “I miss you so much!” It seems not strange at all if we say “I love you” in English. But I would always feel so embarrassed to show my love to my parents by saying, “I love you” in Chinese. And from my point of view, I don’t think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy will gain popularity in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese school contexts so far as education focus is still on accuracy and formality of written abilities.
(ง •̀_•́)ง Hi, Manty, Thank you for your comments. Yes, I have the same feeling with you when it comes to the expression of preference and love. As for Chinese, we are unwilling to embarrass others by saying something so directly, as words are more acceptable in some veiled ways. So it is more natural to express in English. Considering the current situation, I think schools in Hong Kong and Mainland prefer something more direct and efficient to teaching which are also easier to monitor the performance of the students. So this kind of mode is hard to gain popularity as you said.
I agree with the idea that people’s personality differs when using different languages. I think that’s because one culture has its own “typical speaker” which is more or less different from others. Say for example, I tend to be more extroverted when speaking in English than in Chinese. I am more likely to initiate a conversation with others in English. I guess that’s because I try to appear to be extroverted and that’s what I think most native speakers are somehow.
I think this blended mode can be used in both the Hong Kong and mainland context as long as students are given explicit instructions by teachers. I think the blended mode can work well because it increases interactivity among students but it also needs teachers to give more detailed instructions like what kind of format and language are acceptable because students are not very familiar with writing on these social sites.
I agree that code-meshing is a successful means to transmit a person’s culture and values to construct an identity. Obviously when people conduct code-meshing, they actually think words and vocabulary of two languages to complete their utterances which embody people’s identities to a great extent.
Yes, I think for every language, there are its own typical speakers. They follow their own tradition, culture and moral values. As English is more direct, it is no wonder that the users of this language will also turn to be more extroverted. And that is more natural to use it in this way. Explicit and detailed instructions are important factors for the implementation of blended mode in schools. So it needs teachers to have a good arrangement of the syllabus or the students may be confused by the new mode of learning. Thank you for your comments! ฅ(• – •)ฅ
Personality plays a role when we are using the language, including our content, our choice of words, to name but a few. However, about your view about initiating topics of discussion makes you feel like a native speaker, would you mind sharing with us why you would in that way?
I do agree that my personality can shift depending on the language I speak.
Sometimes this transition is influenced by different linguistic traits and cultural features of that target language while other times the proficiency can affect others’ impressions on your personality. When I express myself in English, it is of the utmost importance that my own statement is clearly understood, so I tend to be more cautious and blunt than speaking in L1. And it is sometimes hard to get all the British sense of humor and come up with some funny things when communicating with native speakers unless you immerse in the local culture. In this case, you may be seen as a serious and rigid person even though you are good at telling and making up jokes in your native language.
I think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy is not applicable in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Teaching standard and formal English is still the major goal, especially in Mainland China. Under the test-oriented education system, incorporating opportunities for code-meshing in academic writing text would not be practical any time soon.
I do believe that code-meshing is a successful means to construct one’s identity. The choice of language sometimes reflects the speaker’s social identity and status. Code-meshing may also be used to highlight their identity to achieve their communicative purposes.
Hello, Yvaine. Thanks for your comment. I agree that different linguistic traits, cultural features and the proficiency of the target language do affect one’s transition of languages. Similar situation also happened to me when I speak English to native Engilsh speakers, I used words and phrases more cautiously in case I said somthing offensive because of unknowing their linguistic traits and culture backgrounds. Therefore it can be really interesting to see Alexsandar in the thesis, who could use different language freely in order to achieve his communicative goal, while his integrated repertoire showed the blended identity. Maybe one way to directly break the cultural barriers is to incorporate blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy, but as you said, it is hard to implement because of Mainland China’s educational system.
Yes, I find myself to be more calm and timid when speaking a foreign language. Because I always try not to make grammatical mistakes, I will consider the appropriateness of bring up a topic. For me, it’s just a lot more to think about when speaking a foreign language.
I think it can work in Hong Kong as EMI has been widely used in different levels of schools. But as for Mainland China, it is probably more applicable in university level or international schools. From primary to high school level in mainland China, the teaching content in school is basically driven by examinations, so I think this kind of approach will not be adopted at least for now.
Yes, I think it is a successful means. People’s thinking can be shaped gradually by his or her thinking and language conveys values and culture. The blending of different language can certainly influence one’s identity.
Hi, Shanice, ♪（＾∀＾●）ﾉ. Thank you for your comments! I found quite a few of our classmates had same feeling like you when they were going to speak in a foreign language. Mentally, we all fear make mistakes in communicating with another people. You mentioned about the wild use of EMI in Hong Kong schools, can you offer a more specific example of that? As no other comments had mentioned this before, so we are curious about it. And I agree that nowadays schools in mainland are mainly exams-driven so it’s not possible to implement this at present stage.
Yeah, my personality is a little bit different when I speak English. When speaking Cantonese or Mandarin, I can be aggressive (I can, but not I must). But when I speak English, my temper is softer. So I believe code-meshing is one successful way to construct people’s identity or even transmit a person’s culture behind. As my experience suggests, I may think differently when I use different kinds of language. Therefore, who or what I am presenting to other people can be different depending on the language I speak. As for the feasibility of blending online communication and ELF writing pedagogy in Hong Kong or Mainland China, my opinion is positive under one general prerequisite: there should be topics. Students need to focus on one area for one time to avoid unnecessary distraction.
Phoebechan, ٩(๑´0`๑)۶. Yes, I agree with you that sometimes our personality are judged by the situation and the people we are going to contact. We will not directly present our true feelings or thinking, we just follow the mood to make the conversation natural. And you have also come up with a great feasible suggestion on offering a specific topic for students to explore. It definitely can improve the depth of study and save time for teachers when they prepare the course. So it is more efficient by offering a clear direction for the process of learning and teaching.
Thank you for your sharing!
Yes, I do believe that when I speak a foreign language, I perform a different personality. To be specific, in order to minimize mistakes, I am more prudent when I speak English compared with speaking Chinese. After all, English is not my first language and I do not have the same level of proficiency in English as that in Chinese.
I actually doubt the practicability of using the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy in Mainland Chinese school context because the English class and leaning in mainland China are primarily exam-driven. Students have to do a lot of exercises, so it is difficult for them to spare extra time to do this kind of interactive activity.
Yes, I do hold that code-meshing is a successful means to transmit a person’s culture and values and to construct an identity. When we are doing code-meshing, we have to code-switch between different languages. In order to find the exact counterparts in another language, what we have to consider includes not only the literal meanings of words, but also their implied meanings which usually have something to do with culture. Besides, since this kind of code-switching is also based on one’s own understanding, it inevitably transfers a person’s values and identity.
Hi Sophia, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have the same feeling as you do when I speak English. I think it’s natural that our Chinese out-performs our English, as English is our second language.
Agreed. As long as the high-stakes exams aren’t changed, there could be no big pedagogical overhaul. But exams aside, do you think online activities would make students more interested in learning English?
Thank you very much for your comments. It is good to know you are using English more cautiously. I believe learners like you can actually master the language better by actually paying attention to what they say. The mainland exam culture is also similar to Hong Kong, which makes the blended mode hard to proceed. About the code-meshing, we are thrilled to hear that cultural exchanges are facilitated.
I think my personality is quite different when speaking a foreign language. When I speak English, I usually feel I tend to be straightforward and give short answers. In addition, I think I sometimes speak English imprudently, because I just pick up some easy words that pop out from my mind to answer the questions. However, when I speak Chinese, I usually try to use some euphemistic words to express my thought.
I do not think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy can work in Mainland Chinese school context now. In fact, teachers in mainland have to follow lots of rules, including schools’ principle and requirements of the ministry of education. Thus, it is hard for teachers to apply blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy in their teaching. However, with the development of modernization, I believe it will work in the near future. I have heard that Hong Kong education has more flexibility than Chinese. It might be possible and easier to apply the pedagogy.
I do think it is a successful way to transmit a person’s culture and values or to construct an identity. When people try to pick words from two languages to express their thoughts, they are actually conveying their culture or values to others. By code-meshing, people also construct a new identity of using languages to express ideas.
Hi Eva, it’s great to hear about your ideas. I have the same feeling as you do when I speak English. I think it’s natural that our Chinese out-performs our English, as English is our second language. Though I think American culture is also much more direct than Chinese, so if English learners have an American teacher, it wouldn’t be surprising that the learners find themselves more direct when speaking English. British culture is way more indirect than American, but I think is still a bit more direct than Chinese.
Ah I agree that Hong Kong schools might have a little bit more flexibility than schools in mainland China, but how much more depends on what kind of school in Hong Kong we’re talking about. International and DSS schools are definitely more flexible than government schools and subsidized schools, so much so that students in the former group sit for other international exams and graduate with different high school diplomas.
Yeah, I agree. My students love to say “Okay ah” or “Okay la”. Just the simple single-syllable exclamation is enough to tell others that you’re from East Asia.
I do suppose that my personality is quite different when speaking a foreign language. As you know, Chinese is my mother tongue while English is seen as the second language for me. When speaking it, I tend to take the culture, conventions, sentence structure and grammar into consideration. To some extent, the speech can be regarded as prudent and careful.
I don’t think the blended mode of online communication and EFL pedagogy can be implemented within the context of mainland China, especially elementary schools and middle schools. What the school context focuses on is formal and academic writing rather than the frequent use of multiple semiotic modes.
Thrilled to hear from you, Catherine. It is interesting to see you change your personality while using different languages. In particular, the way you incorporate respective culture when using the tongue is a sign you respect of their culture. At Rome do as the Romans do. Regarding blended mode, as suggested by other classmates, it might be challenging to implement. Perhaps we’ll have to wait for the change in curriculum?
I do think my personality changes when I speak different languages. When I speak English I become more polite and use “please”,”Can I” frequently, no matter in what kind of situation. Conversely, slang words will drop out of my mouth constantly and unconsciously when I speak Chinese in casual.
Implementing blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy is difficult in present situation in Mainland China. When we communicating online, we can use varies form of languages including separate words or expressions and emojis. However, formal form of language is more preferred in classroom settings, especially in writing classes.
Yes, code-meshing can definitely transmit a person’s culture and values and reflect his or her identity. It is one of an important functions of language.: )
Thanks, Biyao, for your delightful feedback. Indeed, our choice of the word differs when we are using different languages, probably due to the different numbers of words we know in both languages. For the teaching situation in mainland China, do you believe the Ministry will introduce more e-learning activities in the future?
Yes, I do have the feeling that when I am speaking a foreign language, my personality changes somehow. For instance, when I am speaking Chinese, I am more likely to take the initiative to speak and I am used to putting forward different point of view. But when speaking English, I am always the listener and I become more cautious and easily persuaded. I didn’t even think about this before and I cannot figure out why.
I don’t think the blending mode of online communication and EFL writing is going to work well in Mainland schools. Because here in Mainland schools, we learn standard English, focusing on the accuracy and we don’t have a lot reforms in the mode or pedagogy. In other words, it’s more conservative and less dynamic. But in Hong Kong, the language environment is more tolerant, so maybe it will work.
Code-meshing is helpful to construct and multilingual or multicultural identity. But can it be the successful way to transmit a person’s value? I think it depends on how well you know the language and how efficient you use it to convey certain meanings.
Hi, Mira. I agree that our personalities do change when we switch to a different language, and I think it may caused by the different proficiency of language and unfimiliarity to an alienated cultural community. For language teaching in Mainland China, because of the test-oriented educational system, the blending mode of online communication and EFL writing seems deficient, just as you say that we focus on the accuracy and a systematic langauge aqquisition. In my opinion, I don’t think code-meshing can really transmit one’s value, but it’s a good question to think about. Thanks a lot!
Thanks for sharing this interesting topic.
I feel that my personality is not very different when speaking English maybe it is because I would like to keep my Chinese identity when speaking English. In my opinion, some comments mentioned above cannot be considered as different personalities. The phenomenon would probably just is caused by inadequate language input. But I think I would unconsciously perform like Korean when I speak broken Korean.
Due to the unique historical and cultural back ground of Hong Kong, I think the blended mode of instruction can be implemented in Hong Kong. But there are constraint of teaching contents in Mainland China, so it would be difficult for teachers to experiment the mode in class. However, it would be interesting to try it out in extracurricular class.
The most commonly seen modes of code-meshing is music lyrics, especially the ones in hip-hop music. I think it indeed transmit personal culture and values. The culture and values are embedded in the word choice. When constructing code-meshing contexts, the composers is also building a mixed or integrated identity consciously or unconsciously. Listeners can read the personal stories from the lyrics.
Hi Ariel, thanks for your reply.It’s good to hear a different voice that you think your personality does not change when you speak English. I think personality is relataed to one’s identity. With different identity (like L1 speaker, L2 speaker), one will shows different personalities because of the proficiency of langauge and understanding of target language community. The analysis of code-meshing modes in your comment is also very interesting. I do agree that the lyrics of hip-pop music transmit personal culture and values and embody personal experience. Even in Chinese pop music, English words such as love, heart can often be found in the lyrics. But, just as Alexsandar used code -meshing word in the posts regardless the intelligibility, will a lyricist concern about the intelligibility of his/her lyrics when using code-meshing word, or do they just use them for creating an international style？
Thank you for posting such an interesting article.
I think my personality is quite different when speaking a foreign language. Taking English as an example, I tend to become more prudent and careful and slow down the pace of speech so as to avoid making mistakes in English, which makes me look as if I was too shy and unconfident. But I could talk freely and open up myself when I share opinions in Chinese. Another difference is that some words I would feel embarrassed to say in Chinese could be expressed in English directly, as if it didn’t come out of from my mouth. Therefore, I think another identity is established when I communicate through a foreign language.
As for the second question, I don’t think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese school contexts, especially in state schools. Although there is a trend of combining new technologies and literacies with formal classroom instructions, many factors need to be considered to determine whether this mode is feasible or not, such as education policies, students’ age, language levels, teachers’ supervision, etc. In current cases, most schools may prefer a formal and academic way of teaching.
Thanks for sharing, Carina. It seems that both of your Chinese and English identities have their pros and cons.
Yes, you listed some important factors there. Significant change can happen only when there’s both top-down and bottom-up initiatives.
Basically I don’t think my personality is different when I speak a foreign language let’s say English. But I do feel that sometimes I feel more comfortable and I can express more freely through English especially when I need to mention sth embarrassing in public.
As for the second question, it might be difficult to carry out. Both in HK and in Mainland China, the instruction is generally either EMI or CMI. If the blended mode is implemented, it is hard to control the proportion of L1 and L2 and students might also be confused.
The language helps to reflect one’s identity. Code-meshing is actually a personal choice I think. When someone chooses to use code-meshing rather than speak a single language, s/he probably attempts to convey some personal identity consciously or unconsciously. But maybe it doesn’t transmit one’s values because I think it’s based on the content instead of the form (language).
Hi, Vanessa. Thanks for your response. I also think the blended mode is hard to inplement under the present educational system, but for higher education like college English learning, things may change. The comment that you think language helps to reflect one’s identity is very interesting. People use language mainly to achieve communicative goal, while during the process, his or her personality, to be specific, the identity can be conveyed through the different uses of linguistic items.
1. Absolutely, I think personality closely attaches to identity and culture. I perceive myself as a multilingual person, when using code-mixing in talking. And when I only speak with Chinese or English, I tend to show the only identity and personality of that language and culture. One of the reasons must be I usually consider the acceptance of my interlocutors. I always pretend myself as a citizen in the target culture and conform to the customs of that culture. For example, when I am speaking Chinese, if I dislike something did by others or want something; I don’t usually say it directly to that person. I am a more euphemistic person and afraid to hurt others’ feeling when speaking Chinese. However, I am a quite straightforward person when speaking English. I like to point out others’ mistakes and tell my tastes directly, because my interlocutors get used to the culture of directness.
2. As mentioned in the text, Schreiber wants to bring these notions into an academic setting. So in terms of applying it to the Chinese context, I think the blended mode of online communication can work very well among students. In this case, Chinese students will be motivated to learn languages and cultures, especially the authentic use of languages online. However, even if we adopt code-meshing in speaking and informal writing on social media, it is still quite weird to see code-meshing in formal academic writing. Additionally, it is not mature, not systematic and demanding for teachers to apply it into EFL writing pedagogy. The structure and grammar of sentence is different between languages, so the teachers first task is to teach them how to form a sentence with code-meshing pattern and control the quantity of code-meshing usage, otherwise, the students will form their sentences randomly and somewhat hinder the academic development of students existing L1 and L2. Also, if there’s coinage rooted in specific culture/language that the teacher is not familiar with, it will be difficult for assessment.
3. Yeah, like what I’ve been said in Q1, code-meshing is a means to show the multilingual identity. Language is constructed and shaped through its people using it. So, language carries the ideology and culture created by its people. The specific word we choose to use both in L1 and L2 reflects our value to a certain topic. With using code-meshing, we reproduce the certain value from the L1 culture and L2 culture to the not only L1 and L2 society but a multilingual society. And through code-meshing reinforcement practices, our multilingual identity is reconstructed every time.
Thanks for your precious reponse Krystal. You are so considerate to concern about your interlocutors and switch your identity and personality of the target langauge. Inplement the blended mode into classroom teaching can be a double-edged sword, just like what you comment, it has many advantages which traditional classroom teaching lacks. Students are motivated to speak English as a necessity rather than an asignment. However, the code-meshing language system definitely can not be admited by academic language learning, so how to contorl the scale of using online communication for English learning is difficult.
Thank you for sharing, it is really enlightening.
I am quite ensure about what personality means, but I actucally think my personality differ slightly when I speak different languages, since what is really different is my cognitive pattern. Maybe I am a little bit more introvert when speaking in English compared with speaking in Chinese, but I suppose it is because English is my second language, and I am not so used to using it, so that I need more time to organize my thinking and avoid mistakes. With regard to other aspects, firstly, being polite, I suppose it would be more or less the same since I use hedges, modifier when speaking in English and use words like “您”，“请” in Chinese; as for being modest, I do believe that I could be uncousciously more modest when speaking in Chinese, and an example of this is the different way that I respond to others compliment. So that it is my view that my personality differ a little when speaking in different languages.
As for whether blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in Mainland Chinese school contexts, I think blended mode is ok, since students’ L1, which is Chinese can be used to promote their English learning, but if it is in the context of online communication rather than classroom teaching, I would be doubtful if it is implementable since without teachers’ close monitor, students may not concentrate on the learning.
Question 3, I do think code-meshing is effective in transmitting a person’s culture and values or to construct an identity.The mastery of foreign language provides us with tools to disseminate culture to people from different nations, and code-meshing is a way to manifest as well as strengthen our identity, for example, the identity as a bilingual.
Thank you for your interesting comparison between the usage of honorifics in Chinese and English. Apparently, there are different polite ways we can use the language, and the fact that you pointed out these similarities means that you are a gracious and courteous person. Regarding the approaches to teaching, we believe what you said make sense, as, after all, we need to consider students’ expectations as well. And for code-meshing, it is unusual for you to see how language use can be a step forward in facilitating cultural exchanges.
In English, my speech is polite with a relaxed tone. When I speak Chinese, I start talking more rapidly. But I don’t think my personality changes when speaking another language. For me, the reason why I behave differently when speaking different languages has more to do with the environment or the interlocutors that cause bilingual people to change attitudes, feelings and behaviors along with the language we speak.
The blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy is more suitable to Hong Kong than Mainland Chinese school education.
Hi Brenda. Thanks for telling us that your personality changes with the associated changes in choices of words. Many of our classmates also share your opinions too. I guess when we are using the English Language, we alter our meanings to suit the context of Englishes. Regarding the teaching mode, can you tell us your implications?
1. ‘Personality’ seems too strong to me, and I would say ‘attitude’. English-speaking culture is more straight-forward compared with Chinese-speaking culture. When I speak English, I tend to be point out issues relatively directedly, but of course, as politely as possible. However, when I speak Japanese which is also my foreign language, I tend to be more modest because Japanese culture promotes euphemism and it permeats Japanese.
2.I believe it cannot achieve nationwide implementation but it will. Practically speaking, students in many parts of China are now stilling leading a poor live and they haven’t gained access to computers or the internet. It can lead to inequity in educational resources. It will work eventually as long as the government provides support to certain areas. For example, in Hong Kong, quite a few students have no access to the Internet in Sham Shui Po for poverty, so the government offer certain financial aid to them or provide a study room in the neighbourhood for them to do their homework online.
3. Yes, it is. A person is complex and he/she might be influenced by different cultures and see things in different ways. The display of the complexity and richness of thinking is probably inhibited when he/she uses only one language, so it’s reasonable for him/her to utilize various symbolic systems. The mixing use of languages also helps him/her to build his/her complicated image as a whole.
Thank you for bringing in your experiences and perspectives, Olivia. Your comparison of English, Chinese, and Japanese is interesting. I agree with you that each language has its limitations. E.g. Chinese has a lot more terms for noodles and cooking techniques than English. English often needs to borrow words from other languages when its culture encounters other cultures.
Honestly speaking, my personality does change when I speak foreign languages. For example, when I speak Chinese, I am outgoing and willing to initiate a conversation. But when I speak English, I feel more inhibited and play a more passive role. I think one of the main reasons is that English and Chinese are in different phylums, so they have different sentence patterns. Thus I should change my normal speaking habit when I speak English to make sure of its accuracy. Meanwhile, I should also pay attention to the fluency. So to some extent, it is a little difficult to find a balance between them, which sometimes makes me feel reluctant to speak English and prefer to be a listener.
I don’t think the blended code of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy will work well in Mainland Chinese school context. That’s because I think test-driven education situation in Mainland of China is not easy to change before a better talent selection policy is carried out. That is to say, so far Ministry of Education is unlikely to use the method that is not so professional and mature to develop students’ writing skills, for they cannot guarantee it is effective to improve their academic performance in examinations.
I think code-meshing may construct an identity in most cases, for the culture and values are embedded in word choice. For example, some people use code-meshing to achieve communicative efficiency. That’s because they cannot think about an accurate word in their first language, so they may choose a word in L2 to convey their points. Thus, to some extent, it may show the speakers’ bilingual identity.
Honestly speaking, I do have a different personality when I speak a foreign language. For example, when I speak Chinese, I am outgoing and willing to initiate a conversation. However, when I speak English, I will more inhibited and play a more passive role. I think one of the main reasons is that Chinese and English are in different phylums, so they have different language conventions and rules such as different sentence patterns. So sometimes when I speak English, I tend to think twice to make sure of its accuracy. Meanwhile, I should also pay attention to its fluency. Thus, sometimes it is a little hard to achieve a balance between them for me, which makes me reluctant to speak in public and prefer to perform a listener.
I don’t think it will work well in Chinese Mainland context. That’s because there is a huge amount of students in Mainland of China, and the test-driven education situation is not easy to change until a better talent selective policy is carried out. That is to say, so far, Ministry of Education is unlikely to use this method that is not so professional and mature, for they cannot guarantee it is an effective approach to improve students academic performance in examinations.
To some extent, code-meshing construct an identity successfully, for the culture and values are embedded in the word choice. For example, if some people cannot think about a word in their first language, they may choose a vocabulary in their L2 to convey their points so as to make sure of the communicative efficiency. As a result, to some extent, it can reveals their bilingual identity.
Thanks for sharing Jiaxin. I agree with you. It’s a struggle to speak English, isn’t it? Though I encourage you to speak more as that’s the only way to practise. And you’ll notice that often you can convey the meaning even though there are mistakes in the sentences you speak. It does take courage!
Yes, you are right. The words we use readily give away our background, e.g. our brought up, what we read/watch, what culture(s) we live in, etc. Or it is very effective at constructing our identity, as you put it.
I think my personality does change when speaking another language. For example, the moment when I speak English, I would tend to be more open-minded and outgoing. in general, language changes the way people think, and the underlying culture is embedded in the language. We’re very sensitive to the hidden meaning when it comes to our first language.
As we may know, motivation is the key to learning. Incorporating online communication to school curriculum may not work well, which should blame the exam-driven school system. However, the easy accessibility of the Internet may possibly change the whole situation. Ideally, students get motived through online self-English learning. To sum, the research should be further carried out to put it into practice.
Yes. Code-meshing is actually a trend, since the number of non-native-English-speakers has already outnumbered that of native speakers. Mode-meshing allows English users to insert their own language features into English sentence, like Singaporean and Hong Kong English, which are gradually acceptable. Besides, we can notice that Hindi-alike, French words and so forth have a place in Oxford Dictionary. Those words transmit the value of their culture. For example, I believe the word “Karma” is originated in Hindi, and “add oil” is used by Hong Kongers. Those words all transmit their unique cultures.
Hi Alex, thanks for your response. I do agree with you that language changes the way people because of the culture behind the language. When people switch the way he or she think, the personality will also change.
Yes, code-meshing now acutually becomes a trend, for the increasing number of non-native English speakers. To them, English may be a second or third language, and can be used as lingua franca to cpmmunicate with others. However, because of the cultural loss which exists in interpreting with different language systems, multilingual speakers tend to create new words or phrases, or borrow words from their first language in order to achieve communicative goal, just as your examples.
Thanks for your sharing and the critique section is really thought-provoking!
I agree that my personality will be a bit different when using a foreign language and I do believe the process of mastering a foreign language will shape our thinking pattern. Indeed, many people find themselves become more “introverted” or to say “timid” when speaking a foreign language. I would say that it’s because of the lower language proficiency compared to L1, and we tend to be more careful about the tone, grammar, word choice etc. Though my personality would not change a lot when speaking English, the way I speak would be different, which is a bit more structured and logical compared to L1 speaking(Cantonese/Chinese). Maybe my thinking pattern shifts from one to another when speaking English and it ends up influencing my personality as well.
Regarding to this blended mode of instruction, I believe it has a promising future both in Hong Kong and mainland China since online teaching is an inevitable trend, but for teachers, it’s still a challenge for them to put it into practise without a clear guiding methodology. It could be an effective supplement in teaching, but it takes time to see whether it is applicable to students with various backgrounds in different teaching context.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, Stefanie. I have the similiar experiense as yours when I speak English because of the different proficiency of language competence. When one’ s way of thinking changes, the personality changes as well.
I do agree with you that the blended mode is not so practical in mainland China, and it may work differently on students with different backgrounds in different teaching context. It needs teacher’s detailed instructions, and time for preparation. If the teaching result doesn’t meet the expectation, the practice can be inefficient and time-consuming.
In fact, I tend to be more nervous when speaking a foreign language, while I can be more relaxed when speaking my mother tongue. It seems to me that when I try to express my opinion in a foreign language, I need a little time to think of accurate words and sentences. Although there are many ideas coming to my mind, I still have to hesitate for a moment. This may be mainly due to the interference of L1 thinking, and in the end, the personalities I present to people seem to be different.
The combination of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy may work better in Hong Kong schools at present, but it may also be applicable to mainland schools in the future. Nowadays, traditional teaching mode seems to be used everywere in mainland China. I think the blended mode is very beneficial to the development of English learning, because it could provide learners with more opportunities for communication, and communication itself may promote the development of language.
I fully agree that code-meshing can convey culture and values. It allows people to present their ideas in more diverse forms, which may fill cultural gaps to a certain extent. Also, it can make people’s expressions more complete and attractive.
I indeed tend to present different personalities when speaking different languages. When I speak English, I am more bold and direct. It is more or less because I try to act like a westerner when I speak their language.
Applying this mode in mainland China might encounter some difficulties, since teaching academic writing is a rather serious and formal practice, and using internet language is normally not encouraged in a classroom setting.
I think code-meshing is, by all means, a way that transmits a person’s culture and values. When using a language, the speaker inevitably embraces the value and culture behind it. I agree with Sapir’s hypothesis that languages dictate people’s thinking.
Yes, I can easily tell my different personality when speaking a foreign language. When communicating in mother tongue, I am much more fluent and logical in trasmiting my thinking. I can easily integrate different kinds of knowledge that I have to back up my speech. But when using English and French, I have to spare some time to think of the proper vocabulary and gramatical things. Therefore, I will be easily distracted from my speech and pop out chunks of words, which decrease my desire to share and make me less talkable.
From my experience I think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy would work better in HK than in Mainland. In mainland, online communication can be a supplimentary tool for EFL speaking pedagogy, but not that much in writing.
Code-meshing can absolutely contribute to the constrction of identity. Because it helps to transmit our unique culture when communicating with people from other culture and language backgrounds.
I don’t think that my personality is changed when I speak a foreign language. May be because I cannot speak like the natives, which reminds me of who I am. My accent from time to time reveals that I am a Chinese. I used to be a little bit ashamed of my pronunciation, but after I learned about World English, I don’t insist on speaking like the natives.
The blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy probably wouldn’t work well in Mainland Chinese school as almost every class is assigned with specific teaching tasks. But this method could be used as a supplement to the classroom teaching so as to increase students’ interest in English learning.
Actually I have a negative attitude toward any new teching method could adopted in mainlnd Chine since its teaching system is quite fixed hhh. And I also notice that teaching styles in educational institution is not as creative as I thought before. Both of them are exam-driven and parents and teachers pay much attention on students’ grades so I do not think the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy can works well in mainland China. Teachers and parents may regard it as a watse of time.
And regard to code-meshing, I think there are people who regard it as a way to build their identity. For example, if you are a senior consultant in English educational institution, parents may think you are reliable and professional if you communicate with them with code-meshing. So to some extent, code-meshing can help people to build their identity.
I do believe my personality alters when speaking a foreign language, I’m more talkative and extrovert speaking English, but I don’t know why lol.
I do agree that the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy works in Hong Kong as well as well-developed regions in Mainland, since they can afford necessary devices and their education quality is probably higher.
For the first question, my answer is yes. When I speak English, I usually feel a little bit nervous and I’m afraid of making mistakes on vocabulary or grammar. I’m not so confident as I speak Chinese because English is my second language. As for the blended mode of online communication and EFL writing pedagogy, I think it may be hard to apply in Mainland China because of the current education system. However, as many Hong Kong schools adopt EMI in English education, it may works well in Hong Kong.