• Society

Shared Languages Send Mixed Messages

• By Meng Seavmey
• March 20, 2024 7:10 PM

PHNOM PENH – A recent talk show in which a speaker was switching between Khmer and English has sparked a hot debate on the use of dual languages at a public event.   

Switching between languages, commonly known as code switching, often happens among bilingual or multilingual people. 

Some say it is normal because it is a verbal habit formed by daily use of more than one language, while some argue that speakers should be able to separate languages for their listeners.  

Teachers and analysts encourage them to be aware of the purpose of their speech and the target audiences, making sure that important messages are understood without a language barrier.  

Pa Chanroeun, president of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, said people should speak Khmer — the language of the state —in formal contexts. This did not mean that people were discouraged from learning and speaking other languages. 

Switching languages makes statements hard to understand, especially for people who do not speak foreign languages. 

“In the communication context, they should speak a language separately from another — either all in English or all in Khmer," Chanroeun said. 

“Learning foreign languages is important, but people should still prioritize their native language. 

“If the majority of people in the room are Cambodians, then Khmer should be used, and let the interpreters do their work for foreign guests.” 

Sambo Manara, a history professor at Pannasastra University of Cambodia, thinks that switching languages is reasonable in a casual setting where the public is not presented with the ideas of the conversation. 

However, only one language should be used if the talk is aimed at the target audience — who can understand the used language — or the public.  

“We must know for what and to whom we are speaking because we have to be aware that not everyone in the room understands the foreign language we are using,” the professor said. 

On the other hand, Chey Chab, a professor and an expert in literature and poetry, argued that there is a chance that the speakers have the habit of switching languages during their conversation because they use the foreign more than their native language in their daily lives. 

“They might have a hard time trying to think of some words in the native language, but somehow know the words in English, so they suddenly use the words in English in the middle of Khmer conversation,” the professor said. 

However, they would still appear to devalue their native language a little bit, particularly when sharing ideas with people, some of whom do not understand the second language. 

The professor suggested that the habit should be improved because speakers have to be aware of the purpose of their talks and their target audience. 

“If they want to share great ideas but mix up languages that their audience cannot understand, the purpose of the talk is pointless because the audiences do not understand their ideas,” he said. 

Conversations can be meaningful enough to the audience if the words in foreign languages such as technical words or key terms are translated.

From a speaker’s point of view, Seng Seavmeng, an English lecturer at a public institute, said he often mixes Khmer and English languages, and he does it unknowingly because it has been normal in his daily life since primary school.

Seavmeng tends to switch only when he talks to his friends or colleagues. He claimed that it is a habit since he started learning English. 

As a lecturer, he often hears his students switching to the language they feel is convenient while expressing themselves the most. However, they still emphasize the understanding of language proficiency. 

The lecturer, however, would only use one language in a formal setting, either in Khmer or English, and it depends on the importance of the language proficiency in the context. 

Bo Sambath, who has been teaching English for more than ten years in high school, thinks that mixing languages in a conversation is normal during a casual communication setting, especially among those in universities. 

Still, he said separating the languages was better to ensure that listeners understand the importance of the ideas being shared. 

“When you’re sharing something important, you should use any language which most of your audience can understand well,” he said. 

 

Po Sakun contributed to the story.