Code Switching In Samoa Essay

In the South Pacific Ocean lies the island nation of Samoa. Samoa is split in two with the western, formerly known as Western Samoa, now referred to as Samoa as of 1997. The eastern half is named American Samoa, a territory of the United States of America. Believed to have been populated by Polynesians which may have been from Tonga around 1000 BCE, Samoa was said to be the origin of voyagers settling eastern Polynesia. 1722 was the first recorded sighting of Samoans by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggenveen. Samoa was later described by French explorer Bougainville as the “Navigator Islands” around 1766 because of how easily Samoans were able to maneuver their canoes across the ocean. Today the population of Samoa is estimated to be around

Having mentioned when this rise of style variation became more noticed, and where you may expect to hear the two styles, the following looks at code switching in a social relationship. In his dissertation, John F. Mayer discusses the switching in terms of deference. In the first situation, an elder taking chief is being videotaped sending a message to people who are not in Samoa. The speaker is familiar with the one to receive the message and may therefore have used the k-style. Noting familiarity between the two and thus creating a casual setting for the message. However, it is noted that when speaking of an illness or suffering of the one to receive the message, the talking chief makes a quick switch to the t-style. This, Mayer notes, may be to sort of soften the tone or politely bring up the subject. The chief then goes on to relate to his own sufferings in the casual k-style. This is a common linguistic form in Samoan language to show respect to the one being addressed while at the same time sort of lower oneself before them. In this way the talking chief shows respect, although within the culture he himself holds a position of great