Parallel Tongues: Living Between Cantonese and English
Molloy Faculty Mentor
Hia Datta
Presenter Major
Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
Presentation Type
Oral
Location
Hays Theater, Wilbur Arts Building, Molloy University
Start Date
1-5-2026 10:08 AM
End Date
1-5-2026 10:14 AM
Description (Abstract)
Individuals who are bilingual are those who use two languages to communicate. Code switching occurs when such individuals switch between two languages within a single utterance (Kheder et al., 2025) as a means for proficient communication. While studies show that a bilingual parent proficiency in their two languages affect their children’s vocabulary (Core et al., 2025), less is known regarding how much parents in the Chinese community view bilingualism. Views and values surrounding bilingualism can impact whether or not they code switch when their children code switch, and how this affects their communication with their children. My study will further explore reported code-switching patterns and practices of the Cantonese-English speaking community, as well as their perspective on bilingualism. Data collected from human participants through an anonymous survey will be analyzed and findings will be used to further understand the perception of bilingualism in the Chinese community. IRB Proposal Number: 2415435-1
Keywords
code switching, bilingualism, values
Related Pillar(s)
Community, Study
Parallel Tongues: Living Between Cantonese and English
Hays Theater, Wilbur Arts Building, Molloy University
Individuals who are bilingual are those who use two languages to communicate. Code switching occurs when such individuals switch between two languages within a single utterance (Kheder et al., 2025) as a means for proficient communication. While studies show that a bilingual parent proficiency in their two languages affect their children’s vocabulary (Core et al., 2025), less is known regarding how much parents in the Chinese community view bilingualism. Views and values surrounding bilingualism can impact whether or not they code switch when their children code switch, and how this affects their communication with their children. My study will further explore reported code-switching patterns and practices of the Cantonese-English speaking community, as well as their perspective on bilingualism. Data collected from human participants through an anonymous survey will be analyzed and findings will be used to further understand the perception of bilingualism in the Chinese community. IRB Proposal Number: 2415435-1
