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CHAPTER 4 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The example above shows how a lack of code-switch, that is a monolingual candidate as surface realization, complies more optimally than a codeswitched instance with the principle of Solidarity. The lack of switch in line 1 (in bold) is a clear indication of how Solidarity is created at the expense of losing ‘face’ and the position of authority. As both participants are native speakers of Hungarians, Hungarian is perceived as the default language of their communication. However, as the graduate student is also working together with the professor, there is an official work relationship between the student and the professor. Hungarian, the native language, acts as a means of creating an unofficial relationship between the professor and her student based on the common cultural, historical heritage, as well as a sense of belonging in a foreign, American setting. English, though, is the language of work, indicating an official relationship, in which the student is definitely in a subordinate position to the professor. The professor’s email is a request to the student. By not switching to English, the professor indicates that her request is from an equal partner, from another Hungarian living in the US, and not from a professor, who could simply command the student to carry out this task. By relying on the language of solidarity, the professor also hints that the request she makes is not supposed to be part of the official cooperation between her and the student. Therefore, the lack of code-switching shows that instead of commanding the student, who is, in an academic hierarchy, much lower positioned than the professor, the professor uses the language of solidarity to express a polite request. A polite request, which can be rejected, while a professor’s command cannot, means that the professor loses part of her superior face and position of authority. However, to save complete face-losing and to gain some authority, the professor in line 1 switches to English to clarify the request in English. In Bhatt and Bolonyai’s framework, the lack of codeswitch, the monolingual candidate complies more optimally with the principle of Solidarity than a perceived code-switched instance. Yet, the code-switched instance would serve more optimally as a means of mitigating authority- and face-losing, complying with the principle of Power and Face. Example [8] is an indication of how a code-switch creates solidarity based on the “value of ethnic connection”'*. In this situation a customer is trying to withdraw money from a post office. The conversation takes place between the customer and the clerk in Nairobi. In Nairobi, both Swahili and English are used as official languages, but for service functions Swahili is preferred. Lou is the language of the Lou ethnic group™. 43 Bhatt — Bolonyai, Ibid., 531 44 Myers-Scotton, Social Motivations for Code-switching + 56 +
