The types and functions of code switching in a thesis defense examination

Usman Kasim,Yunisrina Qismullah Yusuf,Sri Rahayu Jumiati Ningsih

doi:10.30659/e.4.2.101-118

Usman Kasim, Yunisrina Qismullah Yusuf + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.30659/e.4.2.101-118

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Abstract

This study investigated the acts of code switching by lecturers and student in thesis defence examination at a university in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The study involved five participants (four lectures and one student) of the English Language Department. Data from recordings were used to analyse the types and functions of code switching that occurred during the defence. The types of code switching were analysed based on Poplack, and the functions of code switching were analysed based on the theories by Gumperz, Hoffman and Holmes. The result showed that there were three types of code switching found in 109 examples during the interactions between the lecturers and the student, they were: intra-sentential switching (77.06%), inter-sentential switching (15.59%), and tag switching (7.33%). In term of the functions of code switching, 10 functions were identified from 68 switches, they were: addressee specification at 22.05%, followed by interjections (16.17%), loanwords (16.17%), message qualifications (11.76%), transfer of the subconscious markers (8.82%), proper names (8.82%), quotations (5.88%), message reiteration (4.41%), personalization versus objectification (2.94%) and specific features of Islamic terms (2.94%) as the least. It can be concluded that in this case, code switching allowed the participants achieve a wide range of important and interesting ends in their discourse during the thesis defence examination.

Highlights

In a multilingual context, shifting or mixing codes with other languages among the speakers is a common practice; and this is typically called code switching
We explored the acts of code switching by a university student in Banda Aceh with his lecturers during his thesis defense examination
We present the results into two sub-sections; the findings on the types of code switching and the findings on the functions of code switching conducted by the student and lecturers in an EFL thesis defense examination

Summary

Introduction

In a multilingual context, shifting or mixing codes with other languages among the speakers is a common practice; and this is typically called code switching. Code in this case means a system used for communication between two or more parties which can be a language, dialect, style or register (Wardhaugh, 2006). It is a strategy in the way speakers communicates with each other to achieve better understanding among them. Many studies (Gumperz, 1982; McClure, 1981; Milroy & Muysken, 1995; Myers-Scotton, 1993; Poplack, 1980; Romaine, 1995) have revealed that bilingual speakers use code switching as a valuable linguistic strategy to achieve certain communicative goals

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