Code-switching has become a topic of debate as discord erupts over Kamala Harris's shift in tone on the campaign trail.

Code-switching can also "inadvertently reinforce stereotypes," said LaFawn Davis, the senior vice president of Environmental, Social & Governance at Indeed, in Fast Company.

"We're sort of conditioned by our parents to code-switch out of the need to feel safe in the community," she says. What are the long-term impacts of code-switching?

What Is Code-Switching? Code-switching is a linguistics term for the practice of tailoring our language to our social context, like speaking only Spanish at home and only English at school.

Code-switching is another fluidity tactic that African American characters employ. Gene Demby, lead blogger for National Public Radio's Code Switch team, defines code-switching in a unique way.

And so, code-switching now commonly means changing the way you speak, dress and carry yourself in order to fit in and assimilate, a theme that runs through recent popular culture.

Code-switching can be a positive way to maintain a sense of identity and to feel part of a community. Bautista's video has intrigued many social media users since it was shared at the end of May.