Code Switching in the language teaching of emergency medical communication

Abstract

Code switching is not a new phenomenon. However, it is still interesting to know which factors or situations are predominant in the occurrence of this phenomenon. Emergency medical simulation training, which provides the framework for this study, is a good way to focus on medical communication. Emergency medical communication in a neighbour's language requires special consideration. In the InGRiP project, the emergency medical communication of German-speaking paramedics is being observed and evaluated. Since Polish is not learned as the first foreign language, code switching is also suspected. Observations have shown that the rescue workers who have already learned Russian engage in code switching, especially when it comes to numbers. They also switch to English or German, their first language, but much less frequently than in the case of Russian. The code switching into Russian observed here is a non-functional code switching that the rescuers perform unconsciously. The cause is assumed to be the language production process.