HOW DOES YOUR BRAIN WORK?

In linguistics, code-switching is defined as the concurrent use of more than one language, or language variety, in conversation. According to this description, I am a code- switcher. When I found out that I had a good potential for code- switching, I analyzed in which conditions I code switch. As a result, I found out these facts about myself:

1. When I switch to Turkish, following to the prolonged and intensive exposure to foreign language, I code switch unconsciously. This is a real example of my code- switching taken from a break after a course.

“Teacher, bu article blogging in learner ların language development ını nasıl support ettiğini değil, writing development ını nasıl support ettiğini gösteriyor değil mi?”

2. I have a considerable difficulty in passing from L2 to L1 especially after presentations in English. The example is after a presentation.

“Presentation, sorry, sunum biraz long oldu yani uzun oldu.”

3. The next condition I code switch a lot is the time when I am convinced that my listener/partner knows what I am citing for. I do never feel a necessity to use Turkish equivalent of the word. This is again a model taken from real life.

“…ELT ile ilgili kısa textler yayınlamayı düşünüyorum”

“… makale de tanıtıp discuss edebilirim.”

4. I apply to code- switching on the condition that I cannot find the Turkish equivalent of any word while talking.

“Para exchance edemedikleri için adamın biri para vermiş.”

Note 1: Exchange, text, expose, input, support, development, paragraph, learning, teaching, context, meaning, criticize etmek, discuss etmek etc. is a list I mostly code switch. I even sometimes think that my brain does not accept Turkish equivalents of these words. It may stem from that I am exposed to these words in English more than I do in Turkish.

Note 2: I found out that I code switch after presentations and courses (1, 2) more than I do in casual life (3,4). I will explain its reason below together with why I code switch.

I am very curious about how my brain works so I sometimes consider in this way: “Regarding for linguistic abilities, my brain has possibly just one part for both English and Turkish, not distinct areas for each language. There is a line dividing this part into two for both languages and letting transition of words between them, which is the reason of my code- switching. While using (speak, listen, write, and read) Turkish in casual life, this line is fairly normal and lets transition of words from English to Turkish in some cases (3, 4). Whenever I use (listen, speak, write, and read) English the most, this line gets tense and separates the spaces for English and Turkish from each other strictly. The moment I pass to Turkish, the line confuses, perhaps gets worn-out, and the flow of words from English to Turkish increases. This scenario may explain why I code switch after courses and presentations (1, 2) more than I do in casual life.  After some time, everything gets back to normal.”

You may question why the line does not get tense while speaking in Turkish. Speaking in Turkish is what my brain is accustomed to more than in English. This is a just prediction I made on how my brain works. What about you? How does your brain work?