Paris Hilton and Codeswitching
This tweet shows Paris Hilton codeswitching between a higher pitched “baby voice” persona and her natural, lower register while testifying before Congress about child welfare. Code-switching here involves shifting between different speech styles depending on the social context and the identity being projected. The “baby voice” can index a cultivated public person associated with femininity and approachability, while the lower register aligns more with seriousness and institutional authority. In this context, Paris uses code-switching to align her speech style with the topic being addressed.