'Code-switching' was originally coined as a linguistic term for the ways in which bilingual people engage with language. It describes bilingual speakers alternating between literal linguistic codes in ...

In sociology, code switching is when a person alters their speech to conform to different cultural norms. For example, marginalized people may use one way of speaking around their community and ...

I—Samantha—vividly remember one of my first appointments as a writing consultant, where a scene played out that would repeat itself weekly in the years I worked there. A student brought in a rough ...

As one of the few Black women in the corporate offices where she worked, Regina Lawless took pains to blend in. She donned conservative blazers and low-wedge heels and tucked her hair in a wig instead ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Curiosity expert improving engagement, innovation, and productivity. Have you ever noticed how your voice, word choice, or even ...

For many people of color living in the United States, code-switching has become an automated survival tool, something so ingrained in daily life that it often goes unnoticed. While the term ...

Vice President Kamala Harris ruffled some feathers when she appeared to adopt a different tone or accent with a crowd than she had previously during her recent campaign trip to Detroit to talk about ...

Code-switching also involves adapting other aspects of self that may not be as easily identified. In academic and professional settings, many in the BIPOC community are likely familiar with the term ...