YDS / YÖKDİL Test 6

Passage

The phenomenon of linguistic code-switching — the practice of alternating between two or more languages or language varieties within a single conversation or even a single sentence — has undergone a significant reappraisal in sociolinguistic scholarship. For much of the twentieth century, code-switching was stigmatised as a sign of linguistic deficiency, interpreted as evidence that bilingual speakers lacked full command of either language. This deficit perspective has been comprehensively challenged by research demonstrating that code-switching is, in fact, a sophisticated communicative strategy that requires advanced competence in multiple linguistic systems. Studies of bilingual communities reveal that code-switching serves a range of pragmatic functions. Speakers may switch languages to signal shifts in topic, audience, or social register; to express solidarity or distance; to convey nuances that one language captures more precisely than another; or to index particular social identities. Far from being random or chaotic, code-switching follows identifiable grammatical constraints. Linguists have observed that switches typically occur at syntactic boundaries where the grammars of both languages are compatible, suggesting that speakers are simultaneously activating and managing two linguistic systems with remarkable precision. The educational implications of this research are substantial. In many school systems, bilingual students are still discouraged from using their home language in the classroom, a practice rooted in the outdated deficit model. Emerging pedagogical approaches, by contrast, advocate for 'translanguaging' — the strategic and purposeful use of multiple languages as a resource for learning. Proponents argue that allowing students to draw on their full linguistic repertoire enhances comprehension, deepens engagement, and strengthens overall language proficiency. As educational institutions grapple with increasingly diverse student populations, the recognition of code-switching as a legitimate and valuable linguistic practice — rather than a deficiency to be corrected — represents a paradigm shift with far-reaching consequences.