CODE-SWITCHING AND CODE-MIXING IN AN INTERCULTURAL

FAMILY
(A CASE STUDY OF MULLIN’S FAMILY)

by
Susvita Dwi Rani
Student ID No: 009201500070

Thesis submitted as partial fulfilment of the requirements

for the Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Studies
(Public Relations/Film and Television/Journalism)

Supervised by
Lambok Hermanto Sihombing, SS., M.Hum.

Communication Studies
School of Humanities
PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY

January 2019
CODE-SWITCHING AND CODE-MIXING IN AN INTERCULTURAL
FAMILY

(A CASE STUDY OF MULLIN’S FAMILY)

Susvita Dwi Rania, Lambok Hermanto Sihombingb

Susvita Dwi Rani, JL. Ki Hajar Dewantara, Kota Jababeka, Cikarang Baru, 081283915722,
susvitadwir@gmail.com

i
Statement of Authorship

This thesis is my own work containing, to the best of my knowledge and

belief, no material published or written by another person except as referred to
in the text. None of the material submitted as part of this thesis has been
accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any tertiary
institution.

Signed: __________________________________ Dated:

As (a) supervisor(s) of Susvita Dwi Rani, I confirm that the work submitted in this thesis
has, to the best of my knowledge, been carried out by the student named above, and is
worthy of examination.

Signed: __________________________________ Dated:

Supervisor’s name: Lambok Hermanto Sihombing, SS., M.Hum.

ii
Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to say and give all my thank and my gratitude to the Most Gracious

and the Most Merciful, the almighty Allah SWT who always blesses me, gives me strength,

gives me health and pleasures during my thesis which I am very grateful of. I do believe Allah

SWT will never test anything beyond my ability, especially in completing this thesis.

I also would like to addressed my gratitude to my family, Bapak, Tajuddin Muntu, my Mama’,

Nurhana Reyemce. thank you for all of your hard work, thank you for always believe in me,

and thank you for never giving up on me. And all of my family member, Muhammad Giffari

Ramadhani, kak Dewi Setia Lestari, especially my sister, Susmita Eka Putri, who always

support me through my ups and downs, thank you for always believe in me, motivate me

that I can survive in this university and finish this thesis. And also, I would like to thank all of

my big family. Without all of your prayers and support, I will never finish this thesis on time.

It’s a debt of gratitude which I can never pay off and I realize that I could not complete my

college life without these amazing people.

I also would like to thank my thesis adviser, Mr. Lambok Sihombing that already helped and

guided me on doing this thesis. Because of his guidance, help, and patience. I could finish my

thesis on time. I am grateful for having you as my adviser.

I would like to say my biggest gratitude to Dean of School Humanities, DR. Endi Haryono.

I would like to thank Mr. Dindin Dimyati, S.sos., MM, as a Head of Communication study

program in President University. I will be nothing without his kindness and motivation which

taught me to always encourage me to achieve my goal today and in the future.

I would like to thank communication lecturers, Raudy Gathmyr, S.Sos., M.Si, Achmad

Supardi, S.IP., M.A.,Syamsuddin Aziz Ph.D., Drs. I nyoman Musiasa, MAMC., Sylvia Savitri,

S.IP., M.Si., Mariani Amri, S.Sos., M.Si, Abhirama Perdana M.Ed., M.Comm&mediaSt,

Mohammad shihab, M.I.Kom, Meri Kristina, S.E., and all lecturers in communication study

program who already taught very valuable knowledge during my university’s life. Their

knowledge are really usefull and meaningful in helping me made this thesis.
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I would like to address my appreciation and gratefulness to my beloved informant who

involved in this thesis. “Phone Vlogger” YouTube channel, Kak April, Mr.Shawn, Orion, and

Athena. For their heartwarming, kindness, time, understanding, help and support in the

thesis process until the end of this thesis.

I also would like to thank Mam Merri Kristina for her valuable assistance on my

administration matters during my university life especially when the thesis making process.

Sincere gratitude to my kost-mate Fiqri Atriyani, thank you for being a caring person that I

can share my hard time sadness and happiness with. To Adolpha Anggarani, Dang Thi Thuy

Duyen, and Siti Dinarraya, thank you for the never-ending friendship that we had for this

past four years.

I would like to thank my 24/7 friends Tania Natalie, Nabilla arswendita, Marina Aprillia Putri

Girsang, Raafi al-fajar, Rifqi gusrandi Kodrat, Daffa Fachri Ramadhan, Jean Alicia Pepita

Tarigan, Chindru Andelarue, Channy Anasthasia, and Arwina Zilva. Thank you for all of the

salt and pepper that you guys taught me in this university.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my special person, Leo Alfonso, S.Tr. Thank you for

always listening, motivating, and caring about me along this time.

Susvita Dwi Rani

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Table of Content

CODE-SWITCHING AND CODE-MIXING IN AN INTERCULTURAL FAMILY ............................... i

(A CASE STUDY OF MULLIN’S FAMILY)................................................................................................... i
Statement of Authorship .......................................................................................................................... ii
Table of Content .......................................................................................................................................... v
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
1. Literature Review ............................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Intercultural communication .................................................................................................... 3
 Perception .......................................................................................................................................... 4
 Belief and value systems ................................................................................................................ 4
 Social organization........................................................................................................................... 4
 Nonverbal processes ....................................................................................................................... 4
1.2. Interpersonal communication .................................................................................................. 6
1.2.1. Elements of interpersonal communication ..................................................................... 6
1.3. Difference in perception ............................................................................................................... 10
1.3.1. Physiological Factors ................................................................................................................ 10
1.3.2. Culture and Co-Culture............................................................................................................ 10
1.3.3. Present feelings and circumstances ................................................................................. 10
1.4. Sociolinguistics ................................................................................................................................. 11
1.4.1. Language and culture .............................................................................................................. 11
1.5. Bilingualism ....................................................................................................................................... 12
1.6. Code ...................................................................................................................................................... 13
1.7. Code switching and Code mixing ............................................................................................... 13
1.7.1 Code switching ............................................................................................................................ 13
1.7.2. Code-mixing ................................................................................................................................ 14
1.7.3. Reasons of using Code-switching and Code-mixing ....................................................... 15
2. Method ............................................................................................................................................... 16
2.1 Research approach........................................................................................................................... 18
2.1.1 Advantages of the case study ................................................................................................. 18
2.2. Technique of data collection ....................................................................................................... 19
2.2.1 In-depth Interview ..................................................................................................................... 19
2.2.2. Online Interviewing .................................................................................................................... 20
2.2.3. Documents .................................................................................................................................. 20
2.2.4. Informant criteria ...................................................................................................................... 20

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2.3 Technique of data analysis ............................................................................................................ 21
2.3.1 Coding and categorising procedures .................................................................................... 21
2.4. Research validity. Reliability, and trustworthiness ........................................................... 22
2.4.1. Research validity ....................................................................................................................... 22
2.4.2. Research reliability ................................................................................................................... 22
2.4.3. Trustworthiness ......................................................................................................................... 22
2.5. Ethical Consideration ..................................................................................................................... 23
3. Results and Discussions.................................................................................................................... 25
3.1.1 Research informant ................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 3.1 Aprillia Mullins Family ..................................................................................................... 26
Figure 3.2 Orion and Athena ............................................................................................................... 26
Figure 3.3 April’s YouTube Channel. ................................................................................................ 27
3.1.2. Data Finding ................................................................................................................................ 27
3.1.3. Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 28
Table 3.1 Type of Code-switching and Code mixing .................................................................. 31
4. Conclussions and recommendations ........................................................................................... 41
4.1 Conclussion ......................................................................................................................................... 41
4.2 Recommendation.............................................................................................................................. 41
APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................................. 46
A. Letter of Consent ............................................................................................................................. 46
B. Interview Guideline ........................................................................................................................ 49
C. Interview verbatim ................................................................................................................... 53

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List of Tables and Figures

List of Tables and Figures...........................................................................................................................vii

Figure 3.1 Aprillia Mullins Family .......................................................................................................... 26

Figure 3.2 Orion and Athena .................................................................................................................... 26

Figure 3.3 April’s YouTube Channel. ..................................................................................................... 27

Table 3.1 Type of Code-switching and Code mixing ....................................................................... 31

Figure 3.3. Orion Communication Process on YouTube ................................................................ 34

Figure 3.4. Athena communication process on YouTube.............................................................. 36

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Abstract

Communication is the main issue that can occurs in Intercultural family, in this research about code-switching and code-
mixing. The purpose of this research is to find out what pattern of communication applied by intercultural family. The
researcher divided the analysis into several parts, causes of code-switching and code-mixing, types of code-switching and
code-mixing applied in the family, children’s communication process in the family and strategies to solve communication
problems in intercultural family. By using in-depth interview, the research finding was collected from one informant.
Besides that, the researcher also used documents to support and validate the primarily data obtained from in-depth
interview. The researcher purposively conducted research on Indonesian female who is married with people from different
nation using qualitative research method with case study approach. By conducting this research, the researcher found the
type of code-switching and code-mixing, also communication processes applied by member in intercultural family.

Keywords: Code-switching and Code-mixing, Intercultural Family,

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Introduction

Intercultural communication looks at the circumstance in which a message is encoded in one

culture for utilization in another culture. The correct interpretation of verbal and nonverbal
messages encoded in another culture is largely dependent upon one's capability in social
discernment and experience in intercultural communication. Richard West & Lynn H. Turner
(2010) indicate that communication goes in two directions: from sender to receiver and from
receiver to sender. This circular process suggest that communication is ongoing. The
interaction can be done by understanding their language, and by that, people are able to
share and convey their thoughts and feelings to the others.

According to Samovar and Porter (1991), communication and cultural relations are reciprocal
where each has an impact and influence on each other. Everything we talk about, how we
talk about it, what we see, what we aim for, what we reject, how we think, and what we
think about are influenced by our culture. Cultural factors affect every interaction and
influence what you say, how you say it, and how you respond to what others say (as cited in
DeVito, 2006).

Turow (2013) stated that what really separates mass communication from other forms of
communication is not the size of the audience, it can be larger or small. Rather, what makes
mass communication special is the way the content of the communication is created. These
days, the impact of the rapid growth of technology makes people can communicate and
socialize globally. Here, the researcher use YouTube as the research medium because the
data that obtained by the researcher are accessible every time and everywhere and it’s. It
cannot be changed because it is a record data in the form of photo/video files

“Phone Vlogger” is a YouTube channel managed by April, a 28 years old Indonesian woman
that married to American citizen. Joined on April 30th 2013, her YouTube channel got 17,523
subscribers and 1,285,134 views. After marriage, April decided to live in Michigan, United
States with her husband and her childrens named Orion (8 years old) and Athena (4 years
old). As seen on her YouTube videos, the researcher found that in the child rearing process,
April and her husband communicate with their childrens using 2 languages which are English
and Indonesia. Thus situation raised communication issue such as code switching and code
mixing.

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As intercultural parent, the use of code-switching and code-mixing might occur in their
everyday conversation. Mahootian (2006) indicate that code-switching is a linguistic
phenomenon commonly occurring in bilingual and multilingual speech communities. Here,
the researcher believes that there are some of the reasons why code-switching and code-
mixing occurs: to qualify message, amplify or emphasize, convey confidentiality, anger and
annoyance. Bokambai(1989) indicate that code-switching is the mixing of words, phrases and
sentences from two distinct grammatical (sub) systems across sentence boundaries within
the same speech event. Code-mixing is the embedding of various linguistic units such as
affixes (bound morphemes), words (unbound morphemes) phrases and clauses from a co-
operative activity where the participants, in order to infer what is intended, must reconcile
what they hear with what they understand.

The researcher uses intercultural parent and their children as the research object because
there is a communication problem in the process of encoding and decoding. Hall (1980)
argued that the meaning is not fixed/determined by the sender, the message is never
transparent and the audience is not a passive recipient of meaning (as cited). The language
used by the children in giving responses (decoding) is a reflection of the language used by
parents as the educators that closest to the environment around the children (encoding). The
researcher believes that parents who speak in a different language to their children may face
a dilemma: should they teach their children only the dominant language or should they raise
them bilingual? In a study on cultural variation in parenting style, Quah (2003) found that
culture (operationalized as ethnic identification and religion affiliation) had a significant
influence on several aspects of parenting style, including methods of discipline, expectations
of child behavior, demonstration of affection, and roles of the parents. Berg-Cross (2001)
indicate that the parental role was a primary source of conflict for couples, particularly those
with divergent styles of parenting (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, or
uninvolved). Furthermore, the researcher aims to know how they respond to things through
communication as a bilingual child.

The aim of this research is to explain a case study of code-switching and code-mixing. This
research presents why parents in intercultural family mix two languages and switch back and
forth between two languages and what triggers them to mix and switch their languages
when they speak to their children. These bilingual phenomena are called ‘code-mixing’ and
‘code-switching’ and these are ordinary phenomena in the area of bilingualism. These

2
phenomena occur when bilinguals substitute a word or phrase from one language to another
language. This research will analyze on how is the pattern of communication applied
between intercultural parents with their children. Therefore, the research aimed to answer
specifically these research question:

 How is the pattern of communication applied between intercultural parents with their
children?

This research deals with “Code switching and Code Mixing” in intercultural family. The
researcher will analyze about “how Code switching and Code Mixing can affect the children
in intercultural family. it will begin by explaining the concept of ‘Code-Switching and Code-
Mixing’, and elaborate more about definition of code itself and continue with the definition
of ‘Code Switching and Code Mixing’, the differences between code switching and code
mixing, then describing the use of ‘Code-Switching and Code-Mixing’ in intercultural family.

The researcher will analyze the linguistics problems that happened in intercultural parents
and how they overcome the problems. After the results are found, the researcher wants the
readers, particularly intercultural parents to acknowledge the communication pattern that
they use to educate and raise their bilingual children.

1. Literature Review

1.1. Intercultural communication

According to Littlejohn and Fossi(2009) intercultural communication refers to the process of

interaction between people from different culture. More specifically, Knapp (as cited in
Littlejohn & Foss, 2009) defines it as the interpersonal interaction between members of
groups that differ from each other in respect to the knowledge shared by their members and
their linguistic forms of symbolic behaviour. As such, intercultural communication is affected
by how people from different countries and culture behave, communicate and perceive the
world around them. Culture affects communication in subtle and profound ways.

Griffin (2009) said that as people attempt to communicate with other people from different
cultures and reconcile their differences, it is very important that they remember culture is
learned. Because culture is learned, it also changes as people come into contact with one
another or as their experiences change their need.

3
Kitao (2004) indicate that intercultural communication is, literally, communication between
people from different cultures. In this era, people can globally communicate each other
through media. and the study of intercultural communication has become more important.

For more specially about communication or living between people from different cultures
can vary according to (1) perception, (2) belief and value, (3) social organization, (4) verbal
language (5) nonverbal process (Kitao,i2004)

 Perception
Perception is the process by which a person selects, evaluates, and organizes information
from the environment. To a great extent, people perception is influenced by other culture.
People in different cultures have differences in their perceptions. And these can cause
difficulties in intercultural communication.

 Belief and value systems

Belief and values of course, vary within each culture, but there are also beliefs and values
that are common to most of the people in the one culture. They define what is good or bad,
useful or useless, right or wrong. These beliefs and values also influence their behavior.
Differences in many expectations can lead to difficulties between people of different
cultures.

 Social organization
Social organization and the institutions of a culture also influence perception and
communication. The family is the smallest unit of organization and one of the most
influential. The family influences a child’s attitudes and values, language development, goals,
and education.
 Verbal language
It is obvious that people of different cultures must have a common language in order to
communicate, and some misunderstandings between people of different cultures can be
traced to language barriers. However, even people with the same native language may use
different grammatical forms of different expression, making it difficult for them to
understand each other at times.

 Nonverbal processes
While language is the primary means of communication, nonverbal behavior also
communicates. Nonverbal pattern includes gestures, facial expression, eye contact,

4
movement, touching and the use of space and time. Gestures are an obvious source of
misunderstanding, because they may have different meanings. However, other forms of
nonverbal communication may cause particular difficulty, partly because people do not think
about it much. Therefore, people may not be able to figure out what is causing the
misunderstanding or why we feel uncomfortable. For example, patterns of touching vary a
great deal in different cultures. In some cultures, people frequently touch, kiss, and hold
hands in public. In other countries, this is not acceptable. In some cultures, people stand very
close together when they talk, but in other cultures, they stand relatively far apart. In some
cultures, a person who looks down while talking appears dishonest, while in other cultures,
looking down shows respect. In some cultures, you are expected to be on time for an
appointment, but in other cultures you are expected to be late. All of these differences have
the potential to cause problems.
Allwood (1985) pointed intercultural communication as a place to sharing the information on
different levels of awareness and control between people with different cultural background
include both national cultural differences and differences which are connected with
participation in the different activities that exist within a national unit.

Allwoodi(1985) in Journal Intercultural Communication defined the cultural dimensions by

differentiate the following four primaries:

 Patterns of thought – it tells about the ways of thinking which includes factual beliefs,
values, norms, and emotional attitudes.
 Patterns of behavior – common ways of behaving from ways of speaking to ways of
conducting commerce and industry, where the behavior can be intentional/unintentional,
aware/unaware, or individual/interactive.
 Patterns of artifacts – common ways of manufacturing and using material things, from
pens to houses (artifact = artificial object), where artifacts include dwellings, tools, machines
or media. The artifactual dimension of culture is usually given special attention in museums.
 Imprints in nature – the long-lasting imprints left by a group in the natural surroundings,
where such imprints include agriculture, trash, roads, or intact/ruined human habitations.
In fact, “culture” in the sense of “growth” (i.e. a human transformation of nature) gives us
a basic understanding of what the concept of culture is all about.

5
1.2. Interpersonal communication

Interpersonal communication describes the process of communicating ideas, thoughts and

feelings to another person or a group of people. Interpersonal communication skills are
acquired behaviors which improve with knowledge and practice. According to DeVitoi(2009),
interpersonal communication is the verbal and nonverbal interaction between two (or
sometimes more than two) interdependent people. Interpersonal communication occurs
between at least two people who usually interact face-to-face and act the same time as
objects and subjects of knowledge, message receivers and message senders. The nature of
interacting is different when communicating with friends, family or strangers, but the aim is
always to learn more about the other person using both verbal and nonverbal
communication. When people are related, they see each other as unique individuals with
whom they can be intimate, while when interacting with strangers they initially are just
unacquainted participants in a particular social situation.

1.2.1. Elements of interpersonal communication

According to DeVitoi(2009) there are 8 elements of interpersonal communication, such as;
source and receiver, encoding and decoding, message, channel, noise, context, ethics, and
competence. These are the explanation of all elements:
 Source and receiver
In interpersonal communication, there are at least two persons who involved to give and to
receive the messages. They are source and receiver, which the source is a person who
delivering, formulating, and sending the messages to receiver, and the receiver is a person
who perceiving and comprehending the messages by the source.
 Encoding and decoding
The term of encoding and decoding is used to explain that the two activities are performed
in communication by each participant. Which are encoding is actually refers to the act of
producing messages both by speaking and writing, and Decoding is refers to the act of
understanding messages by listening and reading the messages itself.
 Messages
It is signals that serve as stimuli for a receiver, they are may be auditory (hearing). Visual
(seeing), tactile (touching), olfactory (smelling), gustatory (tasting), or any combination of
people who received messages. It could be verbal or nonverbal, and may be intentional or
unintentional.

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a. Feedback messages
According to Clement and Frandseni(1976) that cited in DeVito (2009), throughout the
interpersonal communication process, people exchange feedback messages and sent it back
to the speaker concerning reactions to what is said. Feedback is telling the speaker what the
effect she or he is having on listeners and readers.
b. Feedforward messages
Feedforward messages are the information that people provide before sending people
primary message (Richards, 1951)i(as cited in DeVito, 2009). It reveals something about the
message to come
c. Channel
Channel is the medium through which messages pass. It is kind of bridge connecting source
and receiver. Communication rarely takes place over only one channel; two, three, or four
channels are often used simultaneously.
d. Noise
Basically, noise is anything that distorts a message. It is also anything that prevents the
receiver from receiving the message. It may to keep a message that happened between
source and receiver. There are 4 types of noise that really important to identify, when
possible, to reduce their effects:
 Physical noise
There is external to both speaker and listener. This interference is in physical noise. It is the
physical transmission of the signal or messages.
 Physiological noise
It is established by barriers between the sender and the receiver such as visual impairments,
hearing loss, articulation problems, and memory loss.
 Psychological noise
It is the mentality that interference is speaker and listener such as preconceived ideas,
wandering thoughts, biases and prejudices, closed-mindedness, and extreme emotionalism.

e. Context
There are two things that influences the context that communication always takes place in it,
the form and the content of people give and receive messages. There are 4 dimensions of
the context of communication:

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 Physical Dimension
In this context, physical dimension is the tangible or concrete environment in which
communication place includes the room, hallway, or park, the boardroom or the family
dinner table.
 Temporal Dimension
It has to do not only with the time of day and moment in history of temporal dimension but
also with where the particular message fits into the sequence of communication events.
 Socio-Psychological Dimension
In this communication context includes, such as status relationship among the participants,
roles and games that people play, norms of the society or group, and the friendliness,
formality, or gravity of the situations.
 Cultural Dimension
The cultural beliefs and customs of the people communicating are includes in cultural
dimension. Research shows that people lose more information in an intercultural situation
(approximately 50 percent) that in an intercultural situation (approximately 25 percent) (Li,
1999). When people interact with other from different cultures, they may each follow
different rules of communication. This can result in confusion, unintentional insult,
inaccurate judgements, and a host of another miscommunication.
 Ethics
Because communication has consequences, interpersonal communication also involves
ethics, which each communication act has a moral dimension, a rightness and wrongnessi(cf.
Jaksa & Pritchard, 1994; Johannesen, 2001).
 Competence
Spitzberg & cupach, 1989; Wilson & Sabee, 2003 that cited in DeVito, 2009, said that people
have ability to communicate effectively is people’s interpersonal competence.
1.2.1. The principles of Interpersonal Communication
These principles are largely the work of the transactional researchers Paul Watzlawick, Janet
Helmick Beaving, and Don D. Jackson (as cited in DeVito, 2009): (1) Interpersonal
communication is transactional process, (2) interpersonal communication is purposeful, (3)
interpersonal communication is ambiguous, (4) interpersonal relationships may be
symmetrical or complementary, (5) interpersonal communication refers to context and
relationship, (6) interpersonal communication is a series of punctuated events, and (7)

8
interpersonal communication is inevitable, irreversible, and unrepeatable. These are the
explanation of the above statements:

 Interpersonal Communication is a Transactional Process

Transactional Perspective views interpersonal communication as (1) process with (2)

elements that are interdependent. For example, unlike linear and interaction models, in
which speaker and listener take turns speaking and listening, when people talk about
transactional model, each person serves simultaneously as a speaker and listener. At the
same time, speakers and messages, they also receive messages from them own
communication as well as from the reactions of the listener,
 Interpersonal Communication is Purposeful
In this statement, each interpersonal interaction has a purpose, or, more often, a
combination of purposes. There are five such purposes can be identified, to learn, to relate,
to influence, to play, and to help.
 Interpersonal Communication is Ambiguous
An ambiguous message is a message that can be interpreted as having more than one
meaning or can easily be interpreted very different by different people. All messages are
potentially ambiguous, which different people will derive different meanings from the
“same” message.
 Interpersonal Relationship May be Symmetrical or Complementary
In a symmetrical relationship, the two individuals mirror each other’s behavior (Bateson as
cited in DeVito, 2009). In a complementary relationship, the two individuals engage in
different behaviors. The differences between the parties are maximized.
 Interpersonal Communication refers to content and relationship
In communication ways, the content may be the same, but the relationship aspect may be
different, and vice versa, the relationship aspect may be the same, but the content different.
 Interpersonal Communication is a Series of Punctuated Events
Everyone separates communication sequences of the events into stimuli and response on
the basis of their own perspective is referred to as punctuation. The punctuated events
could mean differently to different person.

9
 Interpersonal Communication is inevitable, irreversible, and unrepeatable
o Inevitable, people communicate which they want or do not want to
o Irreversible, people cannot “uncommunicative” what they have communicated before
o Unrepeatable, people cannot repeat exactly a specific message

1.3. Difference in perception

According to pearson, Nelson, Titsworth,iand Harteri(2011) there are four factors why
differences in perception occur:

1.3.1. Physiological Factors

Human are created differ from each other. they are different in sex, height, weight, body
type, and senses. from these differences, it leads to perceptual differences. temporary
conditions are the other physiological factors that influence perception such as headache,
fatigue, hunger, thirst, may also affect human perceptual skills.

1.3.2. Culture and Co-Culture

Culture is a system of beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of
a society use to cope with one another and with their world. What people see, heard, touch,
and smell is conditioned by the culture. In other words, it can say that people’s background
influences their perception in perceive the world. Based oniDeVito (1986) in pearsoni(2011)
co-culture is “a group whose beliefs or behaviors distinguish it from the larger culture of
which it is a part and with which is shares numerous similarities”. Therefore, differences in
perception that are created by cultural differences can be overcome in our interaction with
others.

1.3.3. Present feelings and circumstances

present feelings affect how human perceive stimuli. what happen in the daily, monthly or
yearly is affect their perception. What people do today toward other which influence their
mood, emotions affect their perception today, next day, and so on.

10
1.4. Sociolinguistics

Sociolinguistics is a study that emphasizes and bases its approach on matters that are
outside the language, which are related to the use of language by speakers in social groups.
There are four possibilities that describe the relationship between language and society,
namely: (a). Social structure will influence or determine the structure of linguistic behavior;
age, ethnicity, social status, gender and others, (b). Linguistic structures will influence social
structures, (c). Language and society will influence each other, (d). There is no connection
between the two, like Chomsky's asocial theory. However, this kind of analysis is weak and
there are many criticisms put forward by the linguists themselves.j(Mujib,2009)

1.4.1. Language and culture

Mujib (2009) argued that There are several theories regarding the relationship between
language and culture. Broadly speaking, these theories can be grouped into two categories,
namely declaring relationships that are subordinate, in which language is under the scope of
culture, and relationships which nature is coordinative, that is equal relations with the same
high position.

 Coordinative

(Silzer: 1990 via Chaer,k1995: 218) argued that there are two interesting phenomena
regarding this coordinative relationship. First, there are those who say the relationship is
tightly tied like a coin: one side is a linguistic system and the other is a cultural system (as
cited in Mujib, 2009).

Edward Sapirj(1884--1939) said that there is a close relationship between language and
culture and emphasizes that language and culture cannot be separated from one another, so
that one cannot understand one without knowing the other. Whorf, Sapir's student,
expanded the idea. He not only said that there was an influence, but the relationship
between language and culture was determinative (as cited in Mujib, 2009).

11
 Subordination

Mujib (2009) identifies that several things that can be classified in this relationship pattern
includes:

a. the relations between language and culture that related to the cultural change. This is
more prominent in the morphological aspects of other linguistic aspects
b. Submission of communication actions to cultural norms. Language procedures must be in
accordance with the norms that live in society, the place of life and use of the language.
Language behavior or also called language ethics, has a close relationship with the selection
of language codes, social norms, and culturalJsystems that apply in one society.

c. A direct relation stated that language is a cultural result (Levi-Strauss, 1963jvia Sibarani,
1992: 104). Language spoken or used by a community group is a reflection or reflection of
the entire culture of the community. In other words, language will only have meaning in the
cultural setting that is the container.

1.5. Bilingualism

KBBI stated that bilingualism is the use of two languages by the speaker or by some language
communities. Francois (1982) indicate that bilingualism is the norm; most people speak two
or more language, and a large proportion of the world’s population is bilingual. Weinreich
(1968:9-11) underscores three types of bilingualism, naming them compound, coordinate,
and sub-coordinate. Basically, the way one learns a language is said to have an impact on
how concepts are encoded and stored in the brain. Compound bilingualism stands for an
individual who learns the two languages in the same context and situation so that two
words, (one in each language) have one common, meaning and representation in the brain,
thus creating an interdependence of two languages: the individual learns the two languages
in different contexts, so that each word has its own specific meaning. The third type of
bilingualism proposed by Weinreich is the sub-coordinate. In this case, one language is
stronger and faster than the other one, which results in establishing one meaning, namely
the one of the languages which has been acquired first. Whenever the second, weaker
language (WL) is used, the representation recalled will be that of the stronger language (SL)
(as cited in Cantone, 2007).

12
1.6. Code

Based on KBBI, code is signs (words, writings) agreedjupon for specific purposes (to
guarantee the confidentiality of the news, the government, etc.). Oxford dictionary also
stated that code is a system of words, letters, figures, or symbols used to represent others,
especially for the purposes of secrecy.

1.7. Code switching and Code mixing

1.7.1 Code switching

Wardaugh (1986) stated that code switching is is a conversational strategy used to establish,
cross or destroy group boundaries; to create, to evoke or change interpersonal relations with
their rights and obligation. The metaphorical of code-switching happens when there is a
change in the perception, or the purpose, or the topic of conversation. Hymessk(1875) also
defined code-switching has become a common alternative use of two or more language or
varieties of language, or even speech style. He mentioned that code-switching is the use of
more than one language by communicants in the execution of a speech art. (as cited in Fitria,
2014).

Fischerk(1972) suggest that code-switching or inter-sentential code-alteration occurs when a

bilingual speaker uses more than one language in a singlekutterance above the clause level
to appropriately convey his/her intense. that language or code choice in communities where
bilingualism or multilingualism is the norm should be analyzed in the context where the
speech is produced. (as cited in Fitria, 2014). Arifink(2011) indicates that three contextual
factors should be calculated, which are; (1) the relationship among speakers, (2) the setting
where the conversation takes place, (3) topic that being discussed. From the definitions
above, it is learned that code-switching is found more with bilingual or multilingual speakers.
Code-switching should be found in a single conversation. in other words, there is a situation
where speaker deliberately change a code being used. namely by switching from one
language to another. David (2008) stated that the grammatical classification of code-
switching is based on where is the sentence or utterance the switching appears while the
contextual classification of code-switching is based on the reason why a bilingual switch. the
grammatical classification are: tag-switches, intra-sentential, and inter-sentential.

13
 Tag-switches

Tag-switches happens whenka bilingual insert short expressions (tag) from different
language at the end of his/her utterances. for example:

An Indonesian bilingual switch from Indonesia to English

Hari ini kelas libur dulu, assignment will be informed by captain class

 Inter-sentential

Inter-sentential occurs when there is a complete sentence in a foreign language uttered

between two sentences in a base language. for example:
An Indonesian bilingual switch from bahasa to English and back to Indonesia

Mall nya luas sekali, I was so confused to find the parking lot, akhirnya aku pake jasa parkir.

 Intra-sentential
occurs when a word, phrase, or a clause of a foreign language is found within the sentence in
a base language. for example:
An Indonesian bilingual switch from english to bahasa

why you make things complicated? jangan jadikan ini menjadi beban anda

1.7.2. Code-mixing
Wardaugh (1986) stated that code-mixing occurs when the speaker use both languages
together to the extent that they change from one language to the other in the course of a
single utterance. It means that the speaker just change some of the elements in their
utterance. Code-mixing takes place without a change of topic and can involve various levels
of language. Muysken (2000)kdefine that the termjcode-mixing pieces of one language that
are used while a speaker is basically using another language. (as cited in Fitria, 2014)

According to Suwitok(1998), in code-mixing, we can see the borrowing elements of sentence

from one language to other language. (Kim, 2006) describe the factors that cause people to
do code-mixing, which are; bilingualism, speaker and partner speaking, social community,
situation, vocabulary, and prestige. Bilingual speakers may utilizekcode-mixing as a marker in
group identity in various intra-group bilingual communities. it may occur because speakers
want to show their solidarity and familiarity each other. and in principle, code mixing is the
mixing from one language into the structure of other language such as word, phrase, clause,
and even sentence from a cooperative activity where the participants in order to infer what

14
is intended. Based on Siregarj(1996), Code-mixing divided into two, which are; Intra-
sentential mixing and extra-sentential mixing.

 Intra-sentential mixing
Intra-sentential occurs from the alternation of single words or phrases to clauses within
single sentence or utterance. example:

a. saya sangat sibuk today (today as code mixing of word in the sentence)
b. saya terlambat ke kelas hari ini, the lecturer won’t checklist my attendance (in here, the
lecturer won’t checklist my attendance as code mixing of clause)
c. nanti follow up di ruang marketing (follow up as code mixing of phrase)

 Extra-sentential mixing

Extra-sentential mixing occurs between sentences. Because it occurs at sentence boundaries,

it requires less complex syntactic interaction between two language involved in code-mixing.
code-mixing divided into two types, such as: Inner code-mixing is that stemming from
original language with all variation and outer code-mixing is that stemming from foreign
language. Code-mixing has some forms, word insertion, phrase insertion, clause insertion,
expression/idiom insertion, and baster insertion (combining of original and foreign language)
Muysken (2000) elaborated more that code mixing typically divided into three main types
which are; insertion (word or phrase), alternation, (clause), and congruent lexicalization
(dialect).

1.7.3. Reasons of using Code-switching and Code-mixing

Saville & Troike (1986)kstated that reasons for bilinguals or multilinguals use code-switching
and code-mixing are; To soften or strengthen request or command, because of real lexical
need, to exclude other people when a comment is intended for only a limited audience.

15
2. Method

In this entire research, the researcher will apply Qualitative Research Method to covers how
to answer the research question through the research methodology especially case study
since the researcher would like to know and getting closer with the respondent. The
researcher want to get the detail and accurate information by dig deeper about the
experience of intercultural couple and how they communicate to their children. Denzin and
Lincoln (2000) have defining the qualitative research like to following statement:

“Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of
a set of interpretive, materialkpractices that makes the world visible. These practices turn the
world into a series of representationskincluding fieldnotes, interviews, conversations,
photograph, recordings and memos to the self. At this level, qualitative research involves an
interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world. This means that qualitative researchers study
things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or tokinterpret, phenomena in
terms of the meanings people bring to them.”

Qualitative methods make the researcher get detail research because in qualitative methods
enable researcher to:

 Carry out an investigation where other methods - such as experiments - are either not
practicable or not ethically justifiable
 Investigate situations where little is known about what is there or what is going on. More
formal research may come later.
 Explore complexities that are beyond the scope of more ‘controlled’ approaches
 ‘Get under the skin’ of a group or organization to find out what really happens - the
informal reality which can only be perceived from the inside.
 View the case from the inside out: to see it from the perspective of those involved.
 Carry out research into the processes leading to results (for example how reading
standards were improved in a school) rather than into the ‘significance’ of the results
themselves.k(gilham, 2000).

According to Dawsonk(2009), qualitative research is talk about how to do such a method like
interview and focus group discussion to explore about attitudes, behaviorkand experience of
the people. This kind of research offers the specific information. Moreover, the important
16
information that the researcher concern about. Just like another expert, Hatch (2002) also
stated:
“Qualitative researchers attempted to make a fit between positivistkexpectations for validity,
reliability, and generalizability and constructivist models of doing research.”

In the process of this research, qualitative method takes the data from words (spoken or
written) and visual images (observed or creatively produced). To complete the research, they
were helped with the strategies such as case studies, grounded theory, ethnography and
phenomenology, along with research methods such as interviews, documents and
observation (denscombe,k2010). It’s credentials as an alternative tokpositivism are further
reinforced by the fact that phenomenological research generally deals with: people’s
perceptions or meanings, people’s attitudes and beliefs, people’s feeling and emotions
(Denscombe, 2010).

(Deacon et al. 1999)jQualitative methods is related with the interpretive worldview. It

concern is to explores how people make their understanding in the social world through
language, sound, imagery, personal stylekand social rituals’ (as cited). With a situation where
the researcher could be getting closer toward the nature of theksocial world and the nature
of knowledge in order tokmanage the communication, then the researcher take a chance to
use the qualitative researchkmethod because these allow them to get closer and involved in
the situation of the respondent. After all, qualitative methods often seen to be inseparable
from interpretive, constructive worldview (Daymond &lHolloway, 2002).
Denscombe (2010) also indicate about principles of qualitativekresearch, which are:
 Iterative: rather than analysis being a one-off event taking place at a single point in time,
the analysis tends to be an evolvingkprocess in which the data collection and data
analysis phases occur alongside each other.
 Inductive: analysis tends to work from thekparticular to the general. Data of the analysis
attempts to arrive at more abstract and generalized statements about the topic.
 Researcher centered: the values and experiences of the researcher are seen as factors
influencing the analysis.

17
2.1 Research approach

The researcher used Case Study of Qualitative method as the research approach. A case
study research allowskthe researcher to get detailed information throughout a wide range of
dimensions about specific case or several cases. Daymonk& Holloway (2011) describe the
characteristics of the case study, as follows:
 Deep, narrow exploration
 Focus on real events inkthe informant’s real-life context
 Bounded in time and place
 Either a snapshot, or a longitudinal study of events with a past and a present
 Multiple sources of information andkmultiple viewpoints
 Detailed andkdescriptive
 Holistic view, exploring relationships and connections
 Useful for the theory building and theory testing.

A case study is a research approach that is used to produce an in-depth, multi-faceted

understanding of a complex issue in its real-life context (Crowe et al, 2011). Since the
researcher did a research about akcase that happened in a family which is part of small
organization andkaimed to provide in-depth explanation on that case. It enabled the
researcher to focus on one case and have the opportunity to take a further exploration of
specific instance.
Case studies can be defined as the intensive, in-depth study of a specific individual or specific
context or situation. The case study method is best applied when research addresses
descriptive or explanatory questions and aims to produce a firsthand understanding of
people and events (Yin, as cited in Murray & Beglar, 2009).

2.1.1 Advantages of the case study

According to singh (2010), there are some advantages by using the case studykapproach.
 Simplifies complex concepts.
 Exposes the informant(s) to the real-life situationkthat is actually difficult.
 Helps in adding value to the informant(s) through discussion on real subjects.

18
 Improves analytical thinking,kcommunication, developing tolerance for different views
on the same subject, ability to defend one’s own point of view with logic and increases
team work of the informant(s) making them efficient overktime.
 The many solutions, which come out of the case ready reference when informant(s) face
similar problems at workplace

2.2. Technique of data collection

2.2.1 In-depth Interview

In-depth interview, there is a term ‘conversation with a purpose’ which means the
researcher and informant become conversational partners, inkwhich a conversation is
conducted to obtainkmorekinformation (Bingham & Moore, as cited in Daymon & Holloway,
2011). In depth interview are useful for the researcher to get detailed information about
person’s thoughts and behaviours or want to explore new issues in depth (Boyce & Neale,
2006).
According to Boyce and Neale (2006) characteristics of in-depth interview are described as
follows:
 The interview questions mustkbe created in meaningful words so the informant will not
be in difficulty in answering the questions. It is an open-ended question. The researcher
does not ask leading questions (yes or no answers). Thus,kwhy, what, and how are the
words to begin the questions in in-depth interview. In this research, the researcher
applied this characteristic.
 The interviews are conducted in semi-structured format. The interviews are
conversational; the questions are flowing based on thekinformant’s responses. In this
research, semi-structured format was used by the researcher contained questions that
focused on the topic
 The interviews are conducted to gain understanding and interpretation. In this research,
the researcher aimed to gain understanding and interpretation
 The interviews are tape-recordedkand complemented with written notes. In this
research, the researcher recorded the interviews and took notes.

19
2.2.2. Online Interviewing

Daymon & Halloway (2002) stated thatkonlinekinterviewsktakekdata form of text-, audio-, or

video-chats, with somekformskof text-basedkinterviewing occurringkasynchronously (i.e. not
in real time) whilekother modeskoccur synchronouslyk(i.e. in real time) using
computerskand networkskwithksoftwareksuchkaskAIM (AOL Instant Messenger),
WindowskLive Messenger, Apple iChat or Skype. In this research, both thekresearcher and
informant are online, responding at the same time, andkface-to-facekusing video call.

2.2.3. Documents

Raharjo (2011) said that information can also be obtained through stored facts in the forms
of letters, diaries, photo files, results of meetings, souvenirs, activity journals and so on. In
here, the researcher used the documentskas the secondary data of this research. The reason
why the researcher needs tokgather data from documents is because the process of code-
switching andkcode-mixing are happened in her YouTube videos, in here, YouTube takes
place as the digital “diaries, photo/video files,etc”. Raharjo (2011) also stated that the data
obtained can be used to explore information that occured in the past. Thiskdocument will
support and validate the primarily data obtained from in-depth interview with subject under
research and other informants.

2.2.4. Informant criteria

To collect rich and detailed information about code switching and code mixing in a
intercultural family regarding the communication problems in April’s family. The researcher
conducted interviews with one informant. The informant had to fulfil the criteria that were
prescribed by the researcher, as follows: 1) the informant had to be one of the family
members, 2) the informant also had un-directly engaged with the childrens.
Here is the informant that was involved in this research:
Name: Aprillia Mullins
Children: Orion Alexander (six years old) and Athena Alexandria (three years old)
Age: 34

20
2.3 Technique of data analysis

The data that been collected by the researcher from interviews, observations through media
and video file from YouTube provide complete information for the researcher to analyze the
issue. The analysis process in this research involved transcribing, organizing, coding and
categorizing, interpreting and evaluating. According to Daymon and Holloway (2011), there
are some steps to conduct an analysis:

Figure 2.1 Data Analysis Technique

Source: (Daymon & Holloway 2011)

2.3.1 Coding and categorising procedures

After the researcher collected the data, the next steps is doing the data analysis by following
the data analysis steps by Creswellk(2009). The first step is organized and prepare the data
for analysis. In this step the researcher tried to make transcription of the interview session,
optically scanned the material, typed the field notes, and arranged the data into some
particular groups. The second step is read through all the data. The researcher tried to
obtain a general meaning from the information’s that informant have given. The last step is
beginning detailed analysis with a coding process. According to Rosman & Rallis as cited in
Crewell (2009), coding is the process of organizing thekmaterials from collecting data session
into some segments of text before giving the meaning into those segments of material.

21
2.4. Research validity. Reliability, and trustworthiness

This research examined the validity and reliability by using theory from Lincoln and Guba (as
cited in Daymon & Holloway, 2011).

2.4.1. Research validity

There are three aspects defined by Daymonkand Holloway (2011) in qualitative research.
Those are internal validity, generalizability, and relevance. Internal validity used to find out
the truth and reflect to the objectives of the research and the reality of people who
participated in it. Generalizability is findings of the research that can be applied to other
researcher with similar characteristics. Relevance aims to make sure whether the research
useful for other people whoever read the research. Although some qualitative researcher
argued that the term validity is not applicable to qualitative research, but they realized that
they need for some kind of qualifying check or measure for their research. The researcher
used in-depth interview to find out the truth and reflect the objectives of the research.
Literature reviews were the findings of the research that can be applied to the researcher’s
research because it has the similar characteristics, and recommendation of the research
proved that the research useful for other people whoever read the research.

2.4.2. Research reliability

According tokDaymon & Holloway (2011). In qualitative research, we are the main research
instruments and our research can never be wholly consistent and replicable. Although the
other researchers can repeat ourkstudy in similar circumstances and conditions, but they
would be unlikely to get same results. So, one way to achieve somekmeasure of reliability in
qualitative research is to set up a decision trail. In this research, the researcher recorded the
data, methods, and decisions the researcher has made.

2.4.3. Trustworthiness
The criteria for evaluating trustworthiness are credibility, transferability, dependability, and
conformability.
 Credibility
According to Lincoln and Guba (as cited by Daymon &kHolloway, 2011), the study is credible
when people recognize the truth of the findings in their social context. There are two ways

22
to make the research credible, namely, 1) by setting out the various research methods the
researcher intends to use and how each method will complement the others and 2) by
indicating the informant(s) of the research. In this research, the researcher conducted in-
depth interviews, observation through a Youtube Videos (vlogs).
 Transferability
Transferability replaces the idea of external validity. Several qualitative studies involve very
small samples or single case studies and it is the researcher’s role to help the reader transfer
the specific knowledge obtained from the research findingsk(Daymon & Holloway, 2011).
The researcher believed that this research had reached the transferability criterion, as it was
applicable in the context of communication and language problems in the intercultural
family.
 Dependability
Dependability is linked with credibility; the research must be accurate even though the
research tool is the researcher himself/herself. The readers should be able to evaluate
acceptableness of the analysis of the researcher (Daymon & Holloway, 2011). The researcher
believed that this research had reached the dependability criterion, as it was applicable in
the context of communication and language problems in the intercultural family by
documenting the overall process of research and described the analysis process.
 Conformability
Conformability is more suitable to qualitative research than the conventional criteria of
neutrality or objectivity. The research is assessed by the way in which findings and
conclusions achieve the purpose of the study and are not the result of the researcher
assumptions (Daymon & Holloway, 2011). This research had been confirmed over and over
before the researcher drew the conclusion of the research. Furthermore, in order to fulfill
the criterion of conformability, the researcher attached the interview transcript and all of
the supporting elements of the research.

2.5. Ethical Consideration

According to Daymon and Hollowayk(2002) at the same time when collecting the data
through human interaction, it was very important to pay attention to ethical issue because
there were inherent problems and dilemmas related to the inductive and holistic nature of
qualitative research. In this research, the informant participated voluntarily without
pressure. They accepted to show their name and identity on the transcripts.
23
24
3. Results and Discussions

People from different culture may have different perspective in communication. How they
act, and the way they communicate is based on what they have learned since they were
born. They tend to do something that they used to do. When they meet other people from
different culture, they will analyze the people and their characteristics which perhaps came
from their culture. In the intercultural family, parents definitely find some different action
and language background, and it’s become complicated when they bring it up to the process
of child rearing. Parents will face some communication barriers which is contrary with each
of their language. Some of them might use code-switching and code-mixing to communicate
with their children.

In this research, the researcher elaborates the data obtained from interview and what was
recorded. The data analysis in this chapter is based on Daymon & Holloway in 2011. The
researcher and informant become conversational partners, in which a conversation is
conducted to obtain more information.

3.1.1 Research informant

In this research analysis, before the researcher found the informant, the researcher made a
classification based on her analysis purposes. The researcher decided the criteria that she
want to choose to analyze. After several selection, the researcher chose one informant from
an intercultural family with following criteria: First, the informant is woman and she is
Indonesian citizen. Second, the informant already had children with the minimum age is
three years old. The researcher uses three years old as her minimum age because According
to Masnipal (2013), at that age, children have started using a lot of fantasy while talking and
have a high sense of curiosity about new things. Third, the informant has applied code-
switching and code-mixing language to her children. Based on that characteristics, finally,
the researcher found the informant. These are the informant’s detail profile and data:

25
 Figure 3.1 Aprillia Mullins Family

Source: April’s Instagram Account

The informant’s name is Aprillia Mullins. she’s Indonesian citizen who is married to Shawn
Mullins, a U.S Military after dating him for 10 months. On 2012, After her marriage, she
decided to follow her husband. Currently, she’s now lives in Michigan, United States. She has
two children, the first child named Orion Alexander (six years old) and the second child is
Athena Alexandria (three years old). Both of her children were born in Indonesia and grew
up in Michigan, United States.

Figure 3.2 Orion and Athena

Source: April’s Instagram Account

April was inspired to create a YouTube channel because there are a lot of people asked her
and really want to get close and connected to her family. She named “Phone Vlogger” as her
YouTube channel because she uses phone to make vlog and also, it’s easier. Join on April,
30th 2013, her YouTube channel got 17,523 subscribers and 1,285,134 views. The
uniqueness of her YouTube channel is the Makassarese accent that she uses to communicate
to her subscribers. Even though her content is not as good as the other Youtubers, She

26
gained lots of subscribers because she shared family moments with her sincere feeling with
her very humble personality.

Figure 3.3 April’s YouTube Channel.

Source: YouTube.

The researcher had interviewed the informant on December 10th, 2018. The researcher
conducted in-depth interview in order to get the deeper understanding about the
informant’s opinion. Because the informant lives in Michigan, the in-depth interview took
place in different place, Indonesia - Michigan, United States. And the media that the
researcher use is to connect with the informant is Line and Instagram Application.

3.1.2. Data Finding

In this part, the researcher elaborated the data finding from the result of semi-structured
interview session and related them with the theories and literature reviews that have been
explained in the previous chapter. Those theories and literature reviews were added in order
to understand the data and strengthen the analysis. This research was aimed to fulfill the
research objective, which is to figure out how is the pattern of communication applied
between intercultural parents with their children. To answering those research question, the
researcher tried to elaborate informant’s answers from eight questions that can be
elaborate more based on the informant’s answer. In the end, those questions generated five
sub-themes, which are; Causes of Code-switching and Code-mixing, Types of Code-switching
and Code-mixing Applied in The Family, Children’s Communication Process Towards Their
Parents, and Strategies for Solving Communication Barriers in Intercultural Family.

27
3.1.3. Analysis

 Causes of code-switching and code mixing

As Arifin (2011) stated before in literature, there are some of the contextual factors that
cause the informant use code-switching and code-mixing. In this research, the first reason is
cultural differences, in this part, the researcher tried to find out informant’s native origin to
confirm their culture categories. Based on the informant’s answer, the researcher found that
the informant is from Toraja, Indonesia and her husband is from Michigan, United States.
Those answers showed that the informant truly having intercultural relationship. Basically,
because she lives in United States, the informant use English to communicate to her husband
and her childrens: “I was born in Toraja, and grew up in Makassar Indonesia. And my
husband is from Michigan, U.S. he’s an American soldier. We were married 6 years ago in
Indonesia and since then I decided to come with him to Michigan, U.S.”

The informant also told the researcher that Her husband can’t speak Bahasa fluently because
he only went to Indonesia three times. Moreover, the researcher found that Orion and
Athena started to speak when they were about nine or ten months old: “Orion start to speak
some of the words when he was about nine months, and Athena started to speak when she’s
about 10-month-old. But overall, they both actively talk when they both two years old. The
words that Orion started to speak when he was about nine months are: Eat, drink, duck.”

The researcher found that Orion had less words to memorized than Athena. It happens
because back then, the informant still adjusting her new environment and often use Bahasa
to Orion. The researcher also found that most of her Bahasa language, she mixed it with
dialect.
“Back then, I predicted that if Orion able to speak some of the words when he was nine
months, then he will start to pronounce sentences when he was one year old. But in fact,
when he was one year old, Orion cannot pronounce the words into sentences. I believed that
there is speech delay that happened to Orion but not too long. I personally think maybe
because in 2012 my English is not really god, and I always use Bahasa and Makassarese to
talk to Orion when he was still a baby and also at that time, I am still in a period of adjusting
my new environment in Michigan. Different from Orion, Athena started to speak when she
was one year old but, the amount of words that came out from Athena is more than what
28
Orion has. I don’t Know ya, maybe it happens because I started to filtered the Indonesian
words that came out from my words or filtered when or where should I use Bahasa. Maybe I
was learned from my previous case. Athena always excited when I sang Indonesian by the
way, she is now able to sing Indonesia Raya even though he doesn’t know what it means.”
thus answer proved that the informant use code-switching and code-mixing to express her
feeling, she told the researcher that sometimes it’s hard for her to speak sentences in one
language. It is explained that the language that the informant and her husband use to
communicate to her children are different.

The researcher also found that the switches occurs because of some several reasons,
according to Savilla & Troike (1986), the reason why people use code-switching and code
mixing are; To soften or strengthen request or command, because of real lexical need, to
exclude other people when a comment is intended for only a limited audience (as cited in
Fitria, 2014). To prove those statements, the researcher analyzes the table 3.1 and found
there is some of the sentence use by the informant to soften or strengthen request or
command, as the informant told before: “I always tried to speak English even though it’s
hard for me to fluently speak English”. English is not her native language, but in order to
make something clear, the informant strengthen her command using English or sometimes
asking her husband to explained what has been said by her in a very clear explanation
because her children’s native language is English: “my husband always help me to explain it
in a very clear explanation. Sometimes if I talked using Bahasa to my children and they don’t
have any respond to it, my husband asked me to explained to him what does it means and
then he will help me to explain to Orion and Athena”

Shawn admitted that he is always help his wife to clarify her confuseness: “I always explain
anything to the kids in a very clear explanation and easy understanding.”

The second reason is because lexical need. The most common reason for bilinguals to switch
or mix their languages is due to the lack of equivalent lexicon in the languages. When the
informant has a word that is lacking in English, she will find it easier to say it in Bahasa or vice
versa: “whenever I said some of the Indonesian words, I also use my body language so Orion
and Athena will understand and remember what I said, usually they will asked me to repeat
the words”.
29
Shawn said that in here, the lexical need is because of imbalance of the languages. He
admitted that the language often heard by their children is English. Shawn also agree about
the amount of time that April spent with the kids is quite often than his, it’s affected to their
children understanding about words and languages: “The language that they heard
dominant is English but at that time when they were children, they cannot differentiate,
which one is Indonesia and which one is English. when me and my wife were spoken different
language in the same time and in the same place in front of our kids, I believed my kids were
confused and because of that, mixing occurs. And when they heard some of Indonesian
words, or lots of new words, they tend to avoid the difficult words and select the words that
might be easier for them to pronounce.”

Shawn also admitted that code-switching and code-mixing occurs because their kids felt
confuse in their process of communication. He argued that Orion and Athena tend to use the
words that easy to pronounce and easy to memorize: “When me and my wife were spoken
different language in the same time and in the same place in front of our kids, I believed my
kids were confused and because of that, mixing occurs. And when they heard some of
Indonesian words, or lots of new words, they tend to avoid the difficult words and select the
words that might be easier for them to pronounce.”

 Types of code-switching and code-mixing applied in the family

As David (2008) stated that in Code-switching there are three grammaticalkclassifications,

which are; tag-switches,kintra-sentential, and inter-sentential. And also based on
Siregark(1996), code-mixing divided into two, which are; Intra-sentential mixing and Extra-
sentential mixing. To prove that statements, the researcher asked the informant about what
sentences that she use to communicate with her children in her daily life, and also, the
researcher asked the frequency of language switches in her daily conversation. The
informant answer that since she is a vlogger, and most of her subscribers are from Indonesia,
she manages her vlogs on YouTube using Bahasa, and most of her vlogs are using congruent
lexicalization (dialect). The informant told that she is from Sulawesi and the accent that she
has is Makassarese. She switched her language often whenever she communicates with her
children in front of the camera. In here, the researcher gathered the data finding and

30
elaborated it into several classifications. Hymessk(1875), stated that code-switching has
become a common alternative use of two or more language (as cited in Fitria, 2014). To
prove the statement above, the researcher already collects the data from interview and
documents. Here is the data finding:

Table 3.1 Type of Code-switching and Code mixing

Speaker Sentence Type of Code-switching

and Code-mixing

April “Orion! Athena! Ayo cepat di pakai jaketnya, we’re Tag-switches code-
running out of time baby” switching

April “Jangan terlalu jauh jalannya Athena mama rasa mau Tag-switches code-
pusing ini, please wait for mommy and daddy first and switching
we can go together”

April “Orion dimana toilet paper kau sembunyikan baby? Tag-switches code-
Mommy really want to pup right now” switching

April “Coba sebutkan how many pandas in this picture, ada Inter-sentential code-
berapa panda di gambar ini Orion?” switching

April “Athena jangan kasi berhenti lagunya, mommy still Inter-sentential code-
want to test the speaker, jangan kasi mati ya” switching

April “Athena! Don’t go too far away from mommy, kau laju Intra-sentential Code-
sekali e hati-hati nak” switching

April “What kind of candy do you want? Athena mau Intra-sentential code-
kopiko?” switching

April “Athena don’t draw at the wall, nanti daddy bisa Intra-sentential code-
marah” switching

April “Which one do you prefer honey? Ini atau itu?” Intra-sentential code-
switching

April “Orion please don’t move to fast, nanti sebentar kamu Intra-sentential code-
terjatuh” switching

April “Mama will give you candy kalau Athena mau” Intra-sentential mixing
(code mixing of word)

31
 April “Orion wait a second, mama kasi tiup dulu sausage Intra-sentential mixing
nya, you can eat the whole sausage after mamak blow (code mixing of clause)
this”

Athena “I want tete mommy tete” Intra-sentential mixing

(code mixing with word)

Athena “Ini apa mommy” Intra-sentential mixing

Athena “Mommy minum mommy” Intra-sentential mixing

(code mixing with word)

Athena “Mana daddy?” Intra-sentential mixing

(code mixing with word)

Orion “It’s raining outside, baju basah” Intersentential Code-

mixing

Orion “Halo apa kabar Indonesia, I love Indonesa” Tag-switches Code-

switching

Orion “Hiii guys, apa ko biking guys, it’s really hot outside” Intra-sentential code-
switching

Source: The researcher results, 2019

From the table 3.1, the researcher found that the informant use code-switching and code
mixing in her conversational process with her children. The results showed that type of code-
switching and code-mixing that the informant often use is Intra-sentential code-switching:
“The words that I always said in Bahasa to my children are; sudah, minum, apa, hati-hati,
jangan, aduh, siapa, dimana. I believed there is more. And I think they understand it because
there are some of the words that they memorized and tried to say it several times. Orion and
Athena are very active nowadays, sometimes I accidentally use Bahasa, for example when
Athena playing around with my cooking tools, I will said “Athena! Don’t play with mommy’s
pan honey, it’s dangerous, kodoongg hati-hati nak”. Kind of that. And by the way, I often use
my dialect”

32
The researcher found that in some conversations, the informant did not use Bahasa as her
base language, instead, she use English as her base language to communicate to her
children. It happens because the informant actually didn’t want her children to confused and
not understand what she was said earlier: “me and my husband we both use English as our
daily conversation and as our dominant language. It’s just me who speak Bahasa in front of
camera because I need to speak Bahasa to my subscribers and accidentally my childrens are
near to me everytime I speak in Bahasa.”

 Children’s communication process in the family

Kitao (2004) stated that perception is the process by whichka person select, evaluates, and
organizes information from the environment. To a great extent, people perception is
influenced by other culture and this can cause difficulties in intercultural communication. To
prove those statement, the researcher asked the informant to explain and illustrate about
how do the children communicate in the family, and how they respond to the certain things,
and what kind of code-switching and code mixing that the children use on their daily
conversation. The informant elaborate her answer by giving the example of conversation
thatkalreadylhappened:
Orion: “mommy, I‘m thirsty give me water mommy”
April: “okey honey, orion mau minum apa?”
Orion: “what do you mean mommy?”
April: “what kind of drink do you want honey, mau means want, and apa is what”
Orion: “oh okay, I got it, aku mau orange juice”

From the conversation above, the researcher can see that there is a Code-switching and
Code-mixing happening in their conversation. The type that the informant use to reply her
children’s statement is Intra-sentential code-switching because the first two words that the
informant use is foreign language that is found within the sentence in her base language.
The researcher also found that the informant also use her Indonesian dialect of code-mixing
in the conversation. The informant explained that in some moment she’s once asking her
children to do certain things using Bahasa deliberately just to see how her children respond
to it. And through the conversation above the informant analyzed that Orion understand

33
only some of the word, which are: mau, apa, and minum. The informant also told that Orion
understand variety of Indonesian words but it’s hard for him to make a complete sentence
using Bahasa. So, in order to answer his confusedness, he asked what did his mom said
earlier. After he clearly understand the meaning, he confirmed to his mother and tried to
repeat it and put those words that make him confused earlier into sentence. And those type
of code-mixing and code switching that Orion use is Intra-sentential code mixing. The
informant said that Orion is a type of person who is always curious and usually asking her to
explain about certain things. And the informant said that if she thinks that her explanation is
not enough, she will ask her husband to explain it in a very clear explanation: “Orion and
Athena have a different reaction when they respond. If use English to ask him to do certain
things, he responded it faster and replied it in English. But when I asked him using Bahasa,
Orion understand it and still reply it in English, except if there is some of the words that is
new to him and he doesn’t know what the words mean, he will ask me to say the word again
and explain what it means. Orion sometimes analyzed the sentence that I said to him”

Figure 3.3. Orion Communication Process on YouTube

Source: April’s YouTube Channel

In the other hand, the researcher also wants the informant to illustrate her conversational
process with her youngest child, Athena, to find out the difference between two of the
informant’s children. Here is the conversational process:

34
1. April: “aduh Athena, kasi beres dulu ini mainan mu”
Athena: *look at her mother confused* “apa mommy?”
April: “kasi beres dulu ini *pointing her finger at the toys* and put it back to
your container”
Athena: *run to tidy up her toys and put it back to her container without
respond what her mother said earlier*
2. April: “Athena, what color is this Athena? Mama mau tau ini warna apa
Athena: “Red”

3. Athena: “mommy minum susu”

April: “dimana susu nya ko taro dari Athena”
Athena: *Pointing her finger to the milk bottle*

From the conversation above, the researcher found that if Athena heard some of the
Indonesian words, she tends to repeat the word until she memorized it. Athena use Intra-
sentential code-mixing. But also, the informant use her body language to explained in detail
items she appointed which is toys. Athena use word rather than phrase or sentence to speak
or respond to what her mother said: “when I said some of the indonesian words, without
asking, for example ‘Mommy minum please mommy’ she taught that minum is an English
word which is same with drink and use it as her native language.”

The researcher also found that when Athena understand the Indonesian words, she tends to
memorized it and say the words continuously. Athena even use some of the words she
understands into her native word. The informant also told the researcher that actually
Athena is more active and often use some of the Indonesian words, but, because Athena is
only three years old, and she is now in infancy, Athena did not understand yet to make a
difference between Bahasa and English: “everytime I speak Bahasa to my subscribers, the
one who is always excited to repeat my words is Athena, she always come to me, imitating
the language and the way I talk without even know the meaning.”

Shawn admitted that Orion and Athena have a different Indonesian words to remember.
They both has same way to remember the Indonesian words or sentence, it is by the
35
exposure of words in particular times: “they might use the words who are most exposure at
some particular time. And then now, when Athena is three years old which is critical age
period, Athena started differentiating the two languages, and mixing become quite often. It
happens to Orion too I believed that. So it’s depend on exposure.”

Figure 3.4. Athena communication process on YouTube

Source: April’s YouTube Channel

From two of the conversational process that has been illustrated above, the researcher
found that there is a difference in communication process for both Orion and Athena. Orion
use Intra-sentential code-mixing to speak to her mother even though he rarely speak Bahasa
or said some Indonesian word. From the table 3.1. Orion is the one who is always curious
every time he heard his mother speak to him using Bahasa, he often asked her mother to
elaborate and explain the words or sentence. Other than that, Athena sometimes speak
Bahasa and use some of the Indonesian words as her native language. Athena also use Intra-
sentential code-mixing Because Athena cannot differentiate between words in Bahasa and
English: “I always tried to use my body language along with my English language explanation
to make Orion and Athena understand some of the words. It’s funny actually but I want my
kids not only know the words but tried to understand it”

 Strategies to solve communication problems in intercultural family

Communication problem may occur in intercultural family. Including the way they
communicate to their children. Intercultural parents need to use some strategies to solve the
problems. The following explanations were formulated to find out the answer for the second
36
research questions, which discussed about the strategies that informants used to solve their
communication problems.
Shawn stated that to solve the communication problems in intercultural family is by always
remember that each person have different perception: “The way we assume similarities and
differences. Sometimes what we think is same is different of what is actually happen.”

 Strategies to solve intercultural barriers

In this part, the researcher used guidelines for improving intercultural communication by
DeVito (2009). Those guidelines are Prepare Yourself, Reduce Your Ethnocentrism, Confront
Your Stereotypes, Increase Mindfulness, Avoid Over attribution, Recognize Differences, and
Adjust Your Communication. The following paragraph would explain about informant’s
answers related this topic.

During the interview session, the researcher asked about what were strategies that she used
to solve their intercultural barriers. The informant solved it by reducing each of their
ethnocentrism: “we try not look at others and their behaviors through our own cultural
perception. Of course, my culture and Shawn are different, but we always tried to see
everything with different perception and not being stereotype person as much as possible.”

The informant said that she is now believed that it’s a right age for both Orion and Athena to
learn another language. But not only learn, the informant want her children to be able to
understand the differentiation between western culture and Indonesian culture, so, in the
future, their children will respect every culture in the world and not being stereotype of
others: “my husband want our children to understand my native language, and also he want
orion and Athena recognize our family is intercultural, my husband want them to not only
know the language but they value and respect my culture. I am a hundred percent agree with
my husband, because sometimes I didn’t realize that. And speaking of that, yes, I really want
my children to value and respect my culture, I want them to not differentiate between English
and Indonesia.”

According to DeVito (2009) stated that Intercultural communication (in fact, all
communication) take place only to the extent that you and the person you’re trying to
communicate with share the same system of symbols. Your interaction will be hindered to
37
the extent that your language and nonverbal system differ. Therefore, it’s important to
adjust your communication to compensate for cultural differences. As you adjust your
messages, recognize that each culture has its own rules and customs for communication.

Shawn also stated that when we’re living as an intercultural family. It’s very recommended
to learn how to adapt with people with different culture and how he act in certain
circumstances: “sometimes I lose my ability to predict and to interpret her behavior and also
sometimes I don’t know how I should act in that circumstances.”

 Strategies to solve language barriers

In this part, the researcher use communication choice point by DeVito (2009). Those types
are: Equality, Balance Split, Unbalanced Split, and Monopoly. The following paragraph would
explain about informant’s answers related this topic.

During the interview session, the researcher asked how the informant overcome the
language differences in in her family. The researcher found that in communicate and in child
rearing process, April always avoid to have monopoly relationship. It’s proved by these
statements: “We always tried to communicate and evaluate everything so in the future, so,
the possibility of miscommunication is minor. We want Orion and Athena being raised in a
good way. maybe, the language barriers that me and my husband face back then is a
problem, but for me it turns out into something very positive, because as me and shawn seen,
Orion and Athena now have the ability to understand and learn different languages.”

The statement above proved that communication patterns in family is includes equality, in
which, each person shares equally in the communication transactions and decision making,
balanced split is when each person has authority over different but relatively equal domains.
The researcher also found that that April and her husband are very tolerant of each other
culture, they always try to see everything in different perceptions and see the meaning of a
message not only in the words used but also in the people using them.

Shawn stated that listening before responding is very important when you are doing the
conversation with other people from different language and culture. People need to

38
understand when they should react or if they confuse, it’s very recommended to ask a
question to reduce miscommunication: “In my opinion, it’s very very important to listen
before responding, ask questions if it’s not clear and try to elaborate it in our own words and
sentences with the same meaning and perception so in the future, when our kids learn
something, they know how to analyze it in both langugaes.”

Shawn also argued that people need to learn how to adapt themselves to the ability of other
person they’re speaking to: “I never speak a lot of sentences to my wife because at that time
she didn’t understand me when I speak too much. So by that, I tried to use only short
sentences supported with simple gestures, and also use pauses in between phrase in order to
give her time to process and analyze what I’m saying and made her understand and improve
her ability to learn my language.”

39
40
4. Conclussions and recommendations

4.1 Conclussion

The purpose of this research is to answer the research question:

 How is the pattern of communication applied between intercultural parent with their
children?

The transcript clearly described, elaborated, illustrated, and match with statements and
thoughts in those research questions. The researcher had also successfully gathered valuable
and necessary data from a qualitative research methodology with a case study approach
implemented by in-depth interview with the informant.

The researcher concluded that April’s family has applied code-switching and code-mixing
into their communication process as an intercultural family. The type of code-switching and
code-mixing applied by April and her children is Intra-sentential code-mixing. The researcher
also found that the strategies to solve communication problems and language barriers are
avoid ethnocentrism, confront stereotypes, recognize differences, adjust communication
and las, equality and balanced split.

4.2 Recommendation

Based in this research, the researcher would like to give some recommendations to:

1. Parents of intercultural family

The intercultural parents should pay attention more to some causes of speech delay and
always know where and when they have to use code-switching and code-mixing. The better
intercultural parents can use code-switching and code-mixing in the right time, the better
communication process the children will get. Children who are bilingualism can have the
ability to speak more than one language if parents what patterns that they will use to
communicate with their children.

41
2. Future researcher

The researcher realized that this research has limitations regarding the discussed topic and
the chosen informants. Therefore, it is recommended for the future researcher to conduct a
research in code-switching and code-mixing in intercultural family in deeper understanding.

42
References

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_ILMU_PENGETAHUAN_SOSIAL1

Berg-Cross, L., Craig, K., & Wessel, T. (2001). Multiculturalism at historically black colleges
and universities: A case study of Howard University. Retrieved
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d_Universities_in_Faculty_Diversity

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conducting in-depth interviews for evaluation input.
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Grosjean, F. (1982). Life with two languages: An introduction to bilingualism. Harvard

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45
 APPENDICES

A. Letter of Consent

46
47
48
 B. Interview Guideline

1. Interviewee : Aprillia Mullins

Setting : Indonesia – Michigan, United States
Medium : LINE Application
Date : December 10th, 2018
Time : 02:00 A.M – 03:17 A.M
Duration : 1 hour 17 minutes

“Good Afternoon from Indonesia kak”

“I am Susvita Dwi Rani. This interview is being conducted to find out how is the pattern of
communication in intercultural family. I am especially interested in any experiences you have
done or aware of recommendations you have.”

“if it’s okay with you, I will be tape recording our conversation. The purpose of this is so that
I can get all the details but at the same time be able to carry on an attentive conversation
with you. I assure you that all your comments will remain confidential. I will be compiling a
report which will contain all comments without any reference to individuals. If you agree to
this interview and the tape recording, please sign this consent form. And if you do not want
your name to be appeared, I will put your initial name only.”

“I’d like to start by having you briefly describe your identities and involvement/activities.”

“I’m now going to ask you some questions that I would like you to answer to the best of your
ability. If you do not know the answer, please say so.”

49
List of Questions:

1. Where do you and your partner came from?

2.Hhow do your children communicate? in their daily life, which one of you who
communicate more? you or your husband?
3. What language do your husband use to communicate with your children and how your
children respond to it?
4. Which languages are more dominant that you normally use to interact with your
children?
5. Is there any different reaction when you communicate with your children using Bahasa
Indonesia and English? and what language do they use to respond to it?
6. Do your children respond in the same language when you and your husband ask them to
do the certain things?
7. What kind of barriers that you face as an intercultural family?
8. How you overcome the communication barriers in your family?

50
2. Interviewee : Shawn Mullins
Setting : Indonesia – Michigan, United States
Medium : LINE Application
Date : December 10th, 2018
Time : 03:30 A.M – 04:10 A.M
Duration : 40 minutes

“Good evening from Indonesia”

“I am Susvita Dwi Rani. This interview is being conducted to get your opinion on April’s
communication process with your children, Orion and Athena. I am especially interested in
any experiences you have as her husband and father of Orion and Athena”

“if it’s okay with you, I will be tape recording our conversation. The purpose of this research
is so can I can get all the details but at the same time be able to carry on attentive
conversation with you. I assure you that all your opinion and answer will remain confidential.
I will be compilling a report which will contain all comments without any reference to
individual. If you agree to this interview and tape recording, please sign this consent form.
And if you do not want your name to be appeared , I will put your initial name only”

“I would like to start by having you briefly describe your identities and
involvement/activities.”

“I am now going to ask you some questions that I would like you to answer to the best of
your ability. If yo do not know the answer, please say so”

51
List of questions:

1. How did you figure out that Orion and Athena mixed their language?
2. In your opinion, why did your children mix their language?
3. In your opinion, which one of you who communicate more to Orion and Athena?
4. Which languages are more dominant that you normally use to interact with your
children?
5. Do your children speak the same language when communicate to them?
6. Did you ever find you child confuse of what are you talking about?
7. What kind of barriers that you face as an intercultural family?
8. How you overcome the communication barriers in your family?

52
C. Interview verbatim

Main Informant/Subject Research: Aprillia Mullins

Researcher: Hi kak, Good Morning from Indonesia. My name is Susvita Dwi Rani, I am Public
Relations student from President University, Indonesia, Now I am working for my thesis. Can
you introduce yourself in briefly kak?

Informant: heloo adik, oke, my name is Aprillia Mullins, you can call me Dodo, I am
Indonesian people who live with my husband Shawn Mullins and also my children Orion
Alexander and Athena Alexandria now in Michigan, United States.

Researcher: I will start the interview ya kaka, please bear with me (:laughing). Oke first,
Where do you and your partner came from?

Informant: “ I was born in Toraja, and grew up in Makassar Indonesia, so I’m sorry if my
accent is makassarese ya, you are also bugis right? You know how it feels ya (:laughing). Ah,
and my husband is from Michigan, U.S. he’s an American soldier. We were married 6 years
ago in Indonesia and since then I decided to come with him to Michigan, U.S.”

Researcher: How did you start your family back then?

Informant: “I met my husband, Shawn on 2012, we were dating for 10 months and actually
it’s very hard for me back then because my mom against our relationship, but after I found
out that I was pregnant, me and shawn decided to talk to my mom and after that we got
married and we moved to Michigan. Both of my children Orion and Athena was born in
Indonesia, but only born ya (laughing). After that I raised them in Michigan”

Researcher: How old is your children when they started to speak?

Informant: “Orion start to speak some of the words when he was about 9 month, and
Athena..… (humming) Athena started to speak when she’s about 10 months old. But overall
they both actively talk when they both two years old”
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Researcher: Can you elaborate what kind of words that Orion and Athena started to speak?

Informant: “So, this is the words that Orion started to speak when he was about 9 month:
Eat, drink, duck”. Back then, I predicted that if Orion able to speak some of the words when
he was 9 month, then he will start to pronounce sentences when he was 1 year old. But in
fact, when he was 1 year old, Orion cannot pronounce the words into sentences. I believed
that there is speech delay that happened to Orion. I personally think maybe because in 2012
my English is not really god, and I always use Bahasa to talk to Orion when he was still a baby
and also at that time, I am still in a period of adjusting my new environment in Michigan.
Different from Orion, Athena started to speak when she was 1 year old but, the amount of
words that came out from Athena is more than what Orion has. I don’t Know ya…
(humming) maybe it happens because I started to filtered the Indonesian words that came
out from my words or filtered when or where should I use Bahasa. Maybe I was learned from
my previous case. Athena loves it when I sang Indonesian by the way… (laughing) she is now
able to sing Indonesia Raya even though he doesn’t know what it means.. (laughing).

Researcher: In your daily conversation with the children, which one of you who
communicate more? You or your husband?

Informant: “actually we both have the same portions of that. If my husband goes to work, of
course it’s me who have time with children and basically, I always do the “mom things” while
communicate to them for example whenever I do the laundry, I took Athena to sit and have
a conversation with me while she’s playing around. we can talk about anything and
everything. And I also did the same things to Orion. Everytime my husband back from work
he really like to play …. (humming) what is that, kind of education game with the kids. He
said it’s to train their critical thinking. And my husband always read books for both Orion and
Athena every night before they sleep. So I think we both have the same portions. but if it’s
calculated based on the length of time, I think, I am the one who communicate more yah..
(smile)”

Researcher: How do you communicate with your children?

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Informant: “Both of my children are communicate very well, I always tried to rarely speak
English even though it’s hard for me to fluently speak English because I want my children to
not get confused. I sometimes mixed my language if I really don’t know how to explained it
very well. But whenever I said some of the indonesian words, I also use my body language so
Orion and Athena will understand and remember what I said.”

Researcher: Can you explain it more about the reason why you rarely speak Bahasa?

Informant: Yes, so I’ve actually seen a number of children from mixed marriage that are
having a child who has speech delay, I even saw some of the children being taken to speech
therapy because the language used by their parents are different. In my opinion, maybe the
children are confused or too young to understand. And because of those problems, the
children cannot receive the message clearly. Therefore, back then, when they both still a
baby,I refuse to use my native language in order to reduce the possibility of speech delay
that might be happen to my children in our family. And also, sincerely, I don’t want my
husband to be able to understand my language because I don’t want him to know my
family’s condition in Indonesia. My husband is a really care person and I just don’t want him
to know my family problems deeply. But I did taught him some of Indonesian sentences just
in case there is something happen. But it’s different with Orion and Athena yaa, I really want
my kids to be able to speak two languages or more, of course I want my kids grown up
smarter than me…. (laughing)

Researcher: How about your husband?

Informant: “My husband of course he use english to speak to our children, whenever I get
confused to explain something.”

Researcher: Why your husband did that?

Informant: “Because my husband want our children to understand my native language, and
also he want orion and Athena recognize our family is intercultural, my husband want them
to not only know the language but they value and respect my culture.”

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 Researcher: And in your opinion, what do you think about that?

Informant: “Oh yes, of course, I am a hundred percent agree with my husband, because
sometimes I didn’t realized that. And speaking of that, yes, I really want my children to value
and respect my culture, I want them to not differentiate between English and Indonesia.”

Researcher: What kind of mix language that you applied to communicate to your children?

Informant: “Back then when Orion and Athena are still a baby, as much as as possible I don’t
want to mix the language in front of them because I don’t want my children to have a speech
delay. Mixing the language is actually out of my will ya… but since I have YouTube channel ,
and I really like to share our activities on media, now I often speak bahasa in front of my
subscribers because most of them are indonesian, and accidentally, orion and Athena heard
what was I said and try to analyzed it indirectly. I think it is okay now for them to know a
little bit of Bahasa since their age is three and five years old. The words that I always said in
Bahasa to my children are; sudah, minum, apa, hati-hati, jangan, aduh, siapa, dimana. I
believed there is more. And I think they understand it because there are some of the words
that they memorized and tried to say it several times. Orion and Athena are very active
nowadays, sometimes I accidentally use bahasa, for example when Athena playing around
with my cooking tools, I will said “Athena! Don’t play with mommy’s pan honey, it’s
dangerous, kodoongg hati-hati nak”. Kind of that. And by the way, I always use my dialect
(laughing).”

Researcher: Can you illustrate what kind of conversation you had with your children to me?

Informant: “Oh okay… let me see..”

 Orion: “mommy, I‘m thirsty give me water mommy”

Conversation 1

April: “okey honey, orion mau minum apa?”

Orion: “what do you mean mommy?”
April: “what kind of drink do you want honey, mau means want, and apa is what”
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 Orion: “oh okay, I got it, aku mau orange juice”

“Orion understand what minum means, but when I put it into sentences he will confused. He
tend to show his curiosity to me and always want me to give him a clear explanation.That
was kind of conversation that I had with Orion.Moreover, maybe because Athena still three
years old ya, she tend to be in silent and analyze what I am saying about rather than asking
me what is the meaning. But sometimes, Athena said “what mommy”, but yaa.. That is not
as much as what I have already said to Orion. For example like this:

 April: “aduh Athena, kasi beres dulu ini mainan mu”

Athena: *look at her mother confused*
April: “kasi beres dulu ini *pointing her finger at the toys* and put it back to your
container”
Athena: *run to tidy up her toys and put it back to her container without respond what
her mother said earlier*

Researcher: Do you taught them Bahasa in a same portion?

Informant: “Practically, yes, I did taught them in a same way, the words and sentence that I
said to orion is same with Athena, but the way they remember and memorized is different.
Orion like to memorized words from Indonesian story books and movies, on the other hand,
Athena tend to remember words through Indonesian songs. They also understand some of
my dialect.

Researcher: is there anything else?

Informant: …. (humming) I believed there is a lot of mixing word or sentences that I said to
my children, I just can’t remember the exact sentence, but yes, those words that I
mentioned before are the words that often spoke said to Orion and Athena. By the way, I
have recorded our family vlog activities and upload it to my YouTube channel. You may
check on it.
Researcher: Do your children speak different when they communicate to you and to your
husband?
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Informant: “I guess no, because me and my husband we both use English as our daily
conversation and as our dominant language. It’s just me who speak Bahasa in front of
camera because I need to speak Bahasa to my subscribers and accidentally my childrens are
near to me everytime I speak in Bahasa. But currently, everytime I speak bahasa to my
subscribers, the one who is always excited to repeat the words is Athena, she always come
to me, imitating my language and the way I talk without even know the meaning. But after
all, both Orion and Athena speak in a same way to me or to my husband.”

Researcher: Do your children respond in the same language when you and your husband ask
them to do the certain things?

Informant: “No, Orion and Athena have a different reaction when they respond. If use
English to ask him to do certain things, he responded it faster and replied it in English. But
when I asked him using Bahasa, Orion understand it and still reply it in english, except if
there is some of the words that is new to him and he doesn’t know what the words mean, he
will ask me to say the word again and explain what it means. Orion sometimes analyzed the
sentence that I said to him. In other hand, Athena is more active, when I said some
of Indonesian words, without asking, she tend to repeat the words that is new to her once
or twice and applied it. Sometimes when she talked to me, she mixed her language, for
example; “Mommy minum please mommy” she memorized the word minum very well and
use minum as her first language not drink , another is “ Mommy I want chocolate, mana
daddy” kind of that”

Researcher: What did you do to explain your child’s confuseness?

Informant: “I always tried to use my body language along with my English language
explanation to make Orion and Athena understand some of the words. It’s funny actually but
I want my kids not only know the words but tried to understand it. It’s a different case with
my husband yaa, because my children’s are now in his infancy age with a really high
curiosity, so I don’t want to have a miscommunication, I want them to capture and analyze
things correctly.”

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Researcher: What kind of barriers that you face as intercultural family?

Informant: Of course language and culture ya, the most common barriers in my family is
perception, me and my husband are having a very different way to raise our children
because of our cultural differences.

Researcher: can you give me a detail information about that?

Informant: “When Orion was a new baby born, shawn told me that whatever the reasons is, I
cannot put the baby sleep beside me, he need to be placed on the crib. The other different
perception is about the way I feed my kid, because in my culture, it’s okay we use our hand
to eat, my husband didn’t used to it and tried to explained me that it’s not healthy to use
our hand to eat. But yea, most of them are perception.”

Researcher: Is there any other barriers?

Informant: “Yes, The second barriers that I faced as intercultural family is definitely language,
personally, I thinks it came from me who is hard to receive a message that my husband tried
to say. I don’t know maybe because I can’t speak english fluently (laughing) and it’s make me
hard to understand some of the sentences that my husband said to me. And also, I don’t
want Orion and Athena to get confuse just because I can’t speak English fluently.”

Researcher: How you overcome the language differences in your family?

Informant: … (humming) for me, even though there is a lot of differences that we had,
culture, language, perception, even the food that we eat, no matter what it is, we are all
human, it’s just the matter of the characteristics of the human itself. So by that, me and my
husband always keep in mind that everyone is different. And the way we overcome our
differences is first, not look at others and their behaviours through our own cultural
perception. Of course my culture and Shawn are different, but we always tried to see
everything with different perception and not being stereotype person as much as possible.
Like i said before, I was confused when my husband refuse me to put Orion sleep with me
when he was a baby, it’s really weird because in Indonesia I never found that a newborn

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baby sleep in the crib. But after my husband tried to explain to me the reason and tried to
convince me that it’s okay, then I think that is kind of a good problem solving. We always
tried to communicate and evaluate everything so in the future, the possibility of
miscommunication is not happening. We want Orion and Athena being raised in a good way.
maybe, the language barriers that me and my husband face back then is a problem, but for
me it turns out into something very positive, because as me and shawn see, Orion and
Athena now have the ability to understand and learn different language.

Researcher: well kak April, thank you so much for answering all of my question clearly. I
hope will meet up in person and share another story together. Thank you so much kak

Informant: you welcome sweetie, anytime (:smile)

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The 2nd Informant: Shawn Mullins (April’s husband)

Researcher: Hello mister, Good evening from Indonesia. My name is Susvita Dwi Rani, you
can simply call me Pipit. I am President University student and now I am working on my
thesis. Can you introduce yourself mister?

Informant: “Hi pipit, okay.. so I’m April’s husband, we’ve been together since …(:humming)
since 2012, and now we’re living together in Michigan, United States. I’m U.S military and I’m
sorry I can’t tell you the specific place where it is. (:smile). Oh. And yes, we have two
children, Orion and Athena.”

Researcher: Ok mister, could you explain how did you figure out that Orion and Athena
mixed their language?

Informant: “well, I figured it out back then, if I’m not mistaken is when they both nine and
eleven months. At first, I thought that they just speaking some of random words, like, you
know “baby language” (:laughing). But then I realized the more they speak the more I figured
out that some of the words they said is Indonesian words. Then I asked my wife, April to
explained to me.”

Researcher: In your opinion, why did your children mix their language?

Informant: “uhhmm, for sure, the amount of time that the kids have is with their mom. I
guess because of that, there is language imbalance happened there, I mean, the language
that they heard dominant is English but at that time when they were children, they cannot
differentiate, which one is Indonesia and which one is English. when me and my wife were
spoken different language in the same time and in the same place in front of our kids, I
believed my kids were confused and because of that, mixing occurs. And when they heard
some of Indonesian words, or lots of new words, they tend to avoid the difficult words and
select the words that might be easier for them to pronounce.”

Researcher: could you elaborate more about the avoidance of difficult words that you
mentioned before?

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Informant: “So like this, Athena use minum as her first word instead of drink. I believed back
then it’s hard for her to pronounce drink because I never said minum to Athena. She knew
what drink means but she avoid to use that word. So when they still a baby, they might use
the words who are most exposure at some particular time. And then now, when Athena is
three years old which is critical age period, Athena started differentiating the two languages,
and mixing become quite often. It happens to Orion too I believed that. So it’s depend on
exposure.”

Researcher: in your opinion, which one of you who communicate more to Orion and Athena?

Informant: “(:humming), actually, I don’t know how you measure it but it’s like this: while I’m
working, my wife is in-charge to take care and communicate to our children. But when I’m
not working, I always communicate to them and sometimes I taught them to learn
something new, like words, colour, or anything. Sometimes we play some games that
indirectly make them studying. I always taught them new words everyday through story
books. But yea, I always use English (:smile)”

Researcher: Do your children speak the same language when communicate to them?

Informant: “Yes, Orion and Athena they both speak English to me.”

Researcher: did you ever find you child confuse of what are you talking about?

Informant: “I think no, wait… (:thinking) … uhhm, I think no because I always explain
anything to the kids in a very clear explanation and easy understanding. it’s actually my wife
who always confused to explain something to our kids.”

Researcher: what kind of barriers you face as intercultural family?

Informant: “The first one is uncertainty. You know, we all in our cultural behavior what is
called a cultural script. What a cultural script essentially is… (:humming) is that a collective
programming of how people are ought to act in certain circumtances, so for example when I
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communicate to April about the way we eat, I have certain ways of how I should address it,
and different culture have different scripts of how these things work. So sometimes I lose my
ability to predict and to interpret her behavior and also sometimes I don’t know how I should
act in that circumstances. The second one is the different perceptions that happened
between me and my wife when we both communicate. That is why I always telling her that
whenever she get confused how to explain something to our kids, she can ask me and I will
tell the kids with a very clear explanation so there will be no miscommunication.”

Researcher: is there anything else?

Informant: “… (:humming) I think different language of course, the way we assume

similiarities and differences. Sometimes what we think is same is different of what the
actually happen.”

researcher: how you overcome the language differences in your family?

Informant: ”In my opinion, it’s very very important to listen before responding, ask questions
if it’s not clear and try to elaborate it in our own words and sentences with the same
meaning and perception so in the future, when our kids learn something, they know how to
analyze it in both langugaes.”

Researcher: is there anything else?

Informant: ”I guess learn how to adapt ourselves to the ability of the person we’re speaking
to, back then I never speak a lot of sentences to my wife because at that time she didn’t
understand me when I speak too much. So by that, I tried to use only short sentences
supported with simple gestures, and also use pauses in between phrase in order to give her
time to process and analyze what I’m saying and made her understand and improve her
ability to learn my language.”
Researcher: okay mister, thank you so much for your explanation
Informant: anytime (:smile)

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