The phenomenon of code switching between Vietnamese and English in communication of Vietnamese office staff

Abstract

Under globalization, Vietnam has been one of the investment destinations for many foreign partners. Intercultural communication becomes an indispensable requirement for countries in general and Vietnam in particular. In Vietnam, intercultural communication can be found regularly among office staff in foreign-invested companies as well as those working for companies with relation to foreign partners. This has made a great influence on the language used. This article mentions the phenomenon of language switching among office employees in Vietnam, which happens so naturally that speakers are often unaware of it. Some English words are included in normal Vietnamese sentences, not only in spoken but also in written communication because of no Vietnamese equivalent. This trend becomes inevitable with the presence of cultural interaction and fuzziness. In addition, the article also identifies a number of not only some daily-used but also professional English words in trading. From this interesting perspective, it is expected that we would have a positive view towards the phenomenon of including English in the daily communication language among Vietnamese youth.