Code-switching Patterns Research Articles

Differences in codeswitching patterns between immigrant and heritage speakers of US American Danish

This paper addresses intrasentential code-switching in US American Danish spoken by 1st generation immigrants from Denmark, who migrated to the US around 1900 as part as the transatlantic European mass emigration and their descendants (2nd and 3rd generation). The analysis is based on the Corpus of American Danish, specifically a dataset of 173 speakers producing 46 hours of speech. In this dataset, we observe significantly different patterns of intrasentential code-switching in the speech of the immigrant speakers (1st generation) and US-born heritage speakers (2nd and 3rd generation): The code-switching patterns of the heritage speakers show a preference for English lexemes that are integrated morphologically into Danish or which are part of Danish-English bilingual compounds. In contrast, the immigrant speakers prefer non-integrated English words for code-switching. This result taken per se shows that code-switching patterns show variation across generations just as other linguistic variables. Taking the result further, we have connected it to a previous study of representations of linguistic proficiency in immigrant Danish in the Americas. By this, we are able to show that the morphologically or lexically integrated code-switching of the heritage speakers correlate with features representing fluent speech, while the non-integrated code-switching of the immigrant speakers rather seems to correlate with features showing a low activation of Danish in a situation of language shift. Thus, the heritage speakers seem to have developed a way of speaking US American Danish where English word stems are an integrated part of speaking fluently and lexically varied.

Why do Mandarin speakers code-switch? A case study of conversational code-switching in China

Multilingualism is becoming increasingly common worldwide, with multilingual studies becoming more popular and accelerating interpersonal language contacts; however, it remains controversial and ambiguous in China. The current study aims to explore code-switching (CS) patterns and factors among Mandarin-dominated mainland Chinese speakers and investigate multilingual development in China through CS, as it is a multilingual practice. Conversational analysis was conducted to analyse daily interactions in short videos posted online, categorise language varieties and frequencies, identify CS patterns, and examine the factors influencing CS patterns. The results revealed that foreign languages and dialects other than Mandarin were spoken by Mandarin-dominated speakers. Three of four CS patterns were also pinpointed regarding language practices in China. Insertion was the most predominant pattern, followed by backflagging and alternation. The CS patterns employed by Mandarin-dominated mainland Chinese speakers were influenced primarily by participant-related factors, followed by linguistic-related factors, sociopsychological factors, convenience, and situational factors. The prevalence of the insertional CS pattern and the influence of personal factors suggest that China’s Mandarin-speaking community is in an early phase of multilingual development.

Conversation analysis as a speech-language research method in Polish-foreign bilingualism studies

The article concerns conversation analysis (CA) as a method derived from sociology, and also used and developed in psychology, linguistics, and speech and language therapy. The article aims at presenting the potential of the method in describing various types of verbal interactions. The text presents the use of CA to explore the dialogic abilities of bilingual children. The authors study code switching (CS) patterns occurring in bilingual children’s speech, the features of these patterns, and conversational strategies that appear in interviews with children. It was found that CS is closely linked to lexical deficits in Polish. The features of conversational negotiation were noticed when using English. Moreover, due to deficiencies in the Polish linguistic repertoire, the speakers used repairs, and the statements of the interlocutors would often overlap.

Sociolinguistic analysis of code switching in medical register

The research work is associated with identifying an in-depth understanding about the ways that are used by patients and practitioners to handle the medical registers of language in medical communication. The research works focuses on the code-switching approaches in the medical communication that is important in patients. However, some challenges are associated with code switching usage in medical communication due to the usage of code switching along with its frequency as well as pattern of code switching. Previous researchers have focused on the impact of patient education level in code switching as well as the role of doctors to handle the approaches. The study is also supported by the concepts of theory of language acquisition device. However, previous research has not focused on the role of administration and leadership in that particular field. A descriptive research design is followed in order to collect primary data from the medical practitioners in order to generate further outcomes that can be valued in that particular research field. Software like IBM SPSS is used to generate results from the collected quantitative data.

Bilingual Language Dominance and Code-switching Patterns

Abstract Code-switching, the alternation between two languages in an interaction, is a salient characteristic of bilingual speech, but there is substantial variability in code-switching patterns among bilinguals. Language dominance, the relative strength of a bilingual’s languages, has been suggested as a key factor that impacts both the frequency with which a bilingual engages in code-switching and the directionality of code-switching. This study examines the relationship between language dominance and code-switching engagement and directionality. A total of 454 Spanish–English bilinguals completed questionnaires regarding language dominance, code-switching engagement, and code-switching directionality. Results demonstrated an impact of language dominance on code-switching engagement, with more balanced bilinguals reporting greater code-switching, although significant individual variation remained. A weak link between language dominance and directionality was also found. These findings suggest that while language dominance may serve to constrain a bilingual’s range of possible engagement with code-switching, it represents a distinct characteristic of a bilingual’s language profile.

Language variation in the Instagram discourse of Indonesian Papuan dialect

The language variations and substance of Papuan millennials' speech on the Instagram platform are unique. The choice of language used reflects the fact of speaking Indonesian with a distinctive Papuan dialect. This study aims to describe language variation in Papuan dialect Indonesian instragram discourse. This research is categorized as qualitative-descriptive research with a socio-pragmatic approach. The study data are words, idioms, terms, and quoted sentences as well as features of Papuan millennials' Instagram discourse. The data is sourced from the Igers' accounts which are taken purposively and representatively. The researcher acts as an observer (silent reader /host follower). The data is analyzed inductively through the process of description, interpretation, and explanation. The research findings show that the orientation of language choices made by Papuan dialectal Indonesian Instagram account owners leads to four (4) patterns of language variation, namely: (1) patterns of Papuan dialectal Indonesian (IDP); (2) patterns of Indonesian (IL); (3) patterns of code-switching of Papuan dialectal Indonesian-Foreign Language (IDP"FL); (4) patterns of code-mixing of Papuan dialectal Indonesian and foreign languages (IDP↔FL). The results of this study illustrate that there is a variety of Papuan dialectal Indonesian (IDP) among young Papuans on social media. With these findings, people can find out about the context of language use in society, especially on Instagram. The findings of this study also strengthen the view that language is a cultural product that cannot be separated from its social context.

Code-Switching and Bilingualism in French Guiana: Exploring Influences Between French Creole and Standard French

The paper focuses on detailing the reasons and effects of code-switching and bilingualism in French Guiana. The primary focus is on analyzing the patterns of code-switching between two dominant languages in the region: The commonly known French Creole and Standard French, which are, furthermore, one of the many, different languages. Using the mixed-methods approach that is based on both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study attempts to find the various social, cultural and linguistic factors that make bilingualism in this very particular sociolinguistic setting feasible. French Guiana being different from other countries as it has different cultures and having different languages coming from different sources. It is the clashing of French Creole and Standard French that points to the history, the social-political dimension and the culture that define the language in this region. Through detailed research of the code-switching in this case study, the aim is to gain a nuanced perception of the intricacies of bilingual communication. The innovative method adapted in the study provides overall understanding of the code-switching patterns applied. Statistical analysis will help us understand code-switching patterns, distribution, while qualitative analysis will give us social and cultural reasons of switching to another language. The effects of the study have made us face the role of language, identity and social conditions. These links affect different disciplines particularly language matters and education. From this study, we will derive such insights that will aid in the making of inclusive policies that will adapt to the diverse linguistic practices. Students attending these schools also benefit from applying the data to their language development programs, those taking into account the multilingual nature of their environments. For example, the study’s conclusion that multilingualism is favorable paves the way for other researchers to come up with more studies on multilingualism. The research undertaken has provided the foundation for further studies to be carried out in relation to the villi context in linguistic studies that will be carried out to identify the same phenomenon in other sociolinguistic contexts. Typically, the outcomes of a this study direct a more general view into dilemmas of dual language and code changing.

Language Variation in Print Media: A Study of Code Switching Patterns in Pakistani Urdu ‘Express’ Newspaper Editorials

The current study explores the problematic background of language variation within the print media domain, specifically exploring code-switching patterns in the editorials of the Pakistani Urdu' Express' newspaper. Code-switching is a linguistic phenomenon involving alternation between two or more languages within a single discourse that reflects the dynamic interaction of cultural and communicative factors. The study put into practice a sociolinguistic lens to analyze the frequency, types, and functions of code-switching employed in the Urdu editorials of the 'Express' newspaper. The study applies a qualitative descriptive method; it produces descriptive data in the form of code-switched sentences from the editorial of Pakistani Urdu newspaper. 'Express' is selected for this purpose. One week of newspapers is collected for the current study from 1st October 2023 to 7th October 2023 to analyze code-switching in editorial sections. The analysis of data from the newspaper shows that the types of code-switching are intra-sentential, word code-switching, and total integrated Urdu. The most dominant type of code-switching observed is Intra-sentential (80%). The findings are expected to contribute to understanding how language is strategically employed in print media, shedding light on the role of code-switching as a tool for effective communication and cultural expression. This study holds significance in media discourse, as it exposes the linguistic choices made by writers and editors in the 'Express' newspaper, offering insights into the complex relationship between language, culture, and journalism. The results of this research are anticipated to inform future discussions on language dynamics within the Pakistani media landscape and contribute to the broader field of sociolinguistics.

Third Culture Kids in Denmark: exploring code-switching patterns according to interlocutors and topic emotionality

ABSTRACT This mixed-methods study is among the first to explore code-switching (CS) patterns within the broader context of translanguaging in a unique multilingual population, namely Third Culture Kids (TCKs), who are extensively socialised in English through schooling and the expatriate community. Data were collected from 188 TCKs enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Programme at the same international school in Denmark. Participants spoke 60 different languages, with 42 first languages (L1s). English represented the largest language group, with 30% first language (L1) users, and 70% acquired later in life (LX). Results showed that TCKs diverged from previous studies regarding the frequency and direction of CS, reporting a decrease in use as the topic became emotionally charged, with a reverse direction in the switch from L1 to LX (English). Additionally, bivariate analysis and multiple regression models were conducted to explore the role of sociobiographical, language profile, and family language policy (FLP) factors in CS frequency according to interlocutors (family and friends, schoolmates, and strangers) and topic emotionality (non-emotional, emotional). This study not only enhances our understanding of TCKs’ underexplored linguistic abilities, but also contributes to both micro- (TCK’s household) and macro-level (expatriate community and international school) CS studies recognising TCKs as unique multilingual individuals.

Hablando at home: Examining the interactional resources of a bilingual autistic child.

Daily language interactions predict child outcomes. For multilingual families who rear neurodiverse children and who may be minoritized for their language use, a dearth of research examines families' daily language interactions. Utilizing a language socialization framework and a case study methodology, 4,991 English and Spanish utterances from a 5-year old autistic child and his family were collected during naturally occurring interactions over 10 days. Utterances were analyzed for patterns of code-switching by speaker, activity setting, English or Spanish initial language, and code-switch function. Spanish was spoken in most activities. For reading, both languages were equally employed by the father. While participants used both languages across all activity settings, significant variations in code-switching type and function were observed by activity setting and speaker. We discuss implications for how home language resources can be integrated into autism interventions.

Kodų kaita dvikalbių vaikų rišliuosiuose pasakojimuose

This article discusses the use of code switching for bilingual children. The aim of the study was to assess which types and functions of code switching dominate in children’s narratives collected according to the MAIN methodology. Samples of children from different language groups (LT-EN and RU-LT) were chosen as they were expected to reveal different patterns of code-switching. The study revealed that code-switching was more frequent in the RU-LT sample, whose children lived in Lithuania but grew up in Russian-speaking families and attended educational institutions for national minorities. The children lacked basic Lithuanian language skills and were more likely to use words or phrases from their mother tongue to express their thoughts. Contrary to what is reported in international studies on children’s language development, in the case of Lithuania it is evident that even in third-generation Russian-speaking families Lithuanian is rarely used. Lithuanian children living in an English-speaking country (LT-EN) had fewer difficulties in speaking Lithuanian: fewer instances of code-switching in their narratives were observed and usually they were related to narrative coherence.In the RU-LT group, there was a very clear motivation for the use of code-switching – the code-switching recorded in the narratives was related to filling lexical gaps. A completely different trend emerged in the LT-EN sample, where English words or phrases helped the children to connect the narratives and to link the structural components of the story. In summary, code-switching is used as a helping strategy for the success of the task by helping the child to tell a story in a language that is inherited by some and a second language by others. Thus, even if the child inserts words in Russian or English, he/she successfully completes the task and tells the story according to the pictures that were presented to the children.

Affordances of code-switching in Polish–Australian families: An exploration of language ideologies, practices and management

Aims and objectives: As there remains a paucity of research into the use of communication strategies in Polish transnational communities, this paper seeks to delineate the code-switching practices of Polish-speaking families residing in Australia. The tripartite framework of Family Language Policy has been applied for the analysis of affordances of code-switching patterns. Methodology: Based on the data collected through the online questionnaire supplemented with in-depth interviews and observations, a qualitative analysis has been conducted to obtain the sociolinguistic picture of the code-switching practices. Data and analysis: The interviews and discussions during the observations were recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded according to the Grounded Theory Approach. The recurrent themes were noted. The existing patterns were conceptualised through the process of constant comparison. Findings and conclusions: The conducted study draws our attention to the fact that Polish speakers in Australia differ from speakers of other heritage languages. Language management efforts through a great exposure to Polish translates to HL proficiency, maintenance and the degree of bilingualism, as well as the rate of code-switching. All joint family and extracurricular activities organised by Saturday schools and cultural centres augment the HL retention despite the constant attempts to code-switch among the young family members. Originality: This paper delves into how Polish is maintained as a HL among Polish-speaking immigrants to Australia and their offspring. It explores one of the well-established yet understudied communities that makes up multicultural Australia. It unfolds an account of the dynamics of code-switching, illustrating how its affordances are utilised to foster communication.

Teaching in Two Tongues: Code-Switching Patterns in ESL

Teaching in Two Tongues: Code-Switching Patterns in ESL

Code-Switching Patterns of Senior High School Students and Teachers in the Technical Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) Shops And Language Classes: Basis for Intervention

This study looked into the code-switching patterns of the students and teachers of Isabela School of Arts and Trades Senior High School in the Technical Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) shops and language classes as a basis for intervention in classroom instruction. The study used the descriptive research design. Respondents of the study were five teachers of Technical Drafting, Bartending, Bread and Pastry Production (BPP) and Oral Communication and 105 students in the City Division of Ilagan during the School Year 2019-2020. The instruments used were questionnaire and unstructured interview. Based on the findings of the study, code switching is prevalent in classroom instruction and the most commonly used type is intrasentential. Students’ use of code switching is due to many reasons foremost of which is difficulty driven. This means that they lack the ease to transmit messages in the target language thus they code switch. Secondly, they code switch in consideration of the various linguistic backgrounds of the interlocutors as well as to promote solidarity with them. Lastly, they resort to code switching when they put emphasis more on the meaning or communicative intentions and stress out a point over the language itself. Sex does not influence the type of students’ code switching but it is affected by their age, language spoken and specialization.

Analysis on Code Switching Manifested by Filipino High School Teachers

The Philippines as an archipelago is a multilingual community, thus, analyzing discourses are advantageous to its scholars. Hence, the researchers extracted the respondents’ discourses in their online classes and investigated the types and patterns of code switching occurences among 9 teachers through qualitative and quantitative analyses. They adapted the typology by Poplack (1980) and Myers-Scotton (1989). Poplack classified code switching into tag, intersentential, and intrasentential but later, Myers-Scotton added intraword. In the analysis of patterns, the researchers considered Muysken’s (2000) code switching patterns namely insertion, alternation and congruent lexicalization. However, due to limitations of these patterns, only insertion is utilized, and the researchers modified it to fit the context of this study. These are Ilokolish, Taglish and Ilocotaglish – all are forms of insertion with alternate use of languages.
 Intrasentential code switching has the highest number of occurrence (471) among the utterances of instructors in the classroom followed by intersentential (122), tag (45) and intraword (24). As to patterns, Taglish (346) occurs most frequently among the mixed code utterances of teachers in the classroom followed by Ilocolish (186) and Ilocotaglish (57). It is therefore concluded that switching of codes with different patterns and types happen in Philippine high school classes not only by students but even by teachers. Using code switching in high school classes is found to be beneficial to both teachers and students. Thus, this paper could help teachers regardless of their subject area determine the proper context of switching. Their understanding of students’ discourses could guide them in designing their lessons toward a more effective classroom interaction which lead to quality education.

Code-Switching During Narratives by Bilingual Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder.

This study examined the frequency, direction, and structural characteristics of code-switching (CS) during narratives by Spanish-English bilingual children with and without developmental language disorder (DLD) to determine whether children with DLD exhibit unique features in their CS that may inform clinical decision-making. Spanish-English bilingual children, aged 4;0-6;11 (years;months), with DLD (n = 33) and with typical language development (TLD; n = 33) participated in narrative retell and story generation tasks in Spanish and English. Instances of CS were classified as between utterance or within utterance; within-utterance CS was coded for type of grammatical structure. Children completed the morphosyntax subtests of the Bilingual English-Spanish Assessment to assist in identifying DLD and to index Spanish and English morphosyntactic proficiency. In analyses examining the contributions of both DLD status and Spanish and English proficiency, the only significant effect of DLD was on the tendency to engage in between-utterance CS; children with DLD were more likely than TLD peers to produce whole utterances in English during the Spanish narrative task. Within-utterance CS was related to lower morphosyntax scores in the target language, but there was no effect of DLD. Both groups exhibited noun insertions as the most frequent type of within-utterance CS. However, children with DLD tended to exhibit more determiner and verb insertions than TLD peers and increased use of "congruent lexicalization," that is, CS utterances that integrate content and function words from both languages. These findings reinforce that use of CS, particularly within-utterance CS, is a typical bilingual behavior even during narrative samples collected in a single-language context. However, language difficulties associated with DLD may emerge in how children code-switch, including use of between-utterance CS and unique patterns during within-utterance CS. Therefore, analyzing CS patterns may contribute to a more complete profile of children's dual-language skills during assessment. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23479574.

The effect of cognitive load on code-switching

Aims and objectives: This study explores the effect of cognitive load on code-switching (CS), by examining whether an increase in cognitive load can lead to a different amount and/or pattern of CS use, and whether there is an interplay between the effect of cognitive load and the effect of social factors (i.e., language and use, and attitudes towards CS). Methodology: Thirty-one Chinese-English bilinguals participated in a picture recall experiment consisting of three sessions, with an incremental increase in cognitive load which was achieved by manipulating the number of attentional targets that should be attended to. The increase in cognitive load was validated by a self-report survey adapted from Paas. Information on social variables was collected by a language use questionnaire. Data and analysis: The amount and pattern (intraclausal vs interclausal) of CS were coded and quantified. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare the within-participant use of CS across the sessions. Hierarchal regression analyses were also conducted to examine how cognitive load and the social variables of interest predicted the between-participant variation of CS in each session. Findings/conclusions: The results showed that the participants used significantly less intraclausal CS in Session 3, in which they reported the highest degree of cognitive load. In addition, the results of hierarchical regression analyses for overall CS use in Session 2 confirmed the significant effect of cognitive load. The influence of attitudes towards CS was also shown to be another significant predictor with large effect size. However, in the more demanding Session 3, none of the factors of interest could predict between-participant variation in CS use. Originality: This study is among the first to examine how cognitive load affects nonlaboratory CS. Significance/implications: This study argues for a recognition of the cognitive processing basis of socially driven language use, linking sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspectives on the use of CS.

Patterns of Code-switching in Multilingual Anglophone Cameroon Pop Music

Though contemporary Anglophone Cameroonian pop music songs are American-oriented with rhythmic characteristics of R&B, Rap and hip hop, they essentially display multiculturalism through code-switching, qualifying them as purely Cameroonian lyrics. This paper seeks to describe the patterns of combination of codes during code-switching and demonstrate that a typical Anglophone Cameroonian contemporary pop music singer performs in two or three categories of languages, namely, official languages (English and / or French); pidgins (Cameroon Pidgin English and/ or Camfranglais) and indigenous language(s) which could be the artist’s mother tongue or simply another Cameroonian home language. The data for this paper consist of sixty Cameroonian popular songs performed by twenty Anglophone Cameroonian artists. The data were descriptively analysed using the qualitative and quantitative methods. The paper validates that code-switching in Anglophone Cameroon Pop music consists of bilingual, trilingual, quadrilingual and pentalingual code-switching patterns with Pidgin English as the dominant language that cuts across all patterns of combination. The paper concludes that multilingual display, which stands as a sine qua non in Anglophone Cameroon contemporary pop music lyrics, manifests itself mostly through code-switching andt permits artists to connect with multiple linguistic and tribal groups of people to pass through their message(s), to the widest possible audience, and communicate their emotions while, at the same time, enhancing aesthetics.

Gender strategies in the perception and production of mixed nominal constructions by New Mexico Spanish-English bilinguals

This study investigated gender assignment strategies in mixed noun phrases containing a Spanish determiner and an English noun among Spanish-English bilinguals (n = 38) in New Mexico (U.S.A.). Previous research has reported different gender assignment strategies based on a preference for a default determiner, the gender of the translation equivalent, or shape-based cues from the other language. The present study consisted of (i) a language background questionnaire, (ii) a two-alternative forced-choice judgment task, and (iii) two director-matcher tasks: a forced-switch task and a spontaneous card game. The results of the judgment task indicate that participants preferred the gender of the translation equivalent, i.e., la window ‘the.FEM window’ following the gender of the Spanish noun la ventana. Results from the production tasks also show that participants produced both gender congruent and incongruent mixed NPs, with Late English bilinguals producing more congruent mixed NPs, similar to the translation equivalent strategy found in the judgment task. These findings differ from those found in naturalistic speech in other New Mexican communities, which display a preference for a masculine default strategy. We suggest that the nature of participants’ bilingual profile and the community norms (urban setting, heterogeneous and diverse language contact profiles) may play a key role in the observed code-switching patterns in mixed noun phrases.

Linguistic studies of computer-mediated communication

The article presents an overview of the work of Russian and foreign authors concerning the phenomenon of computer-mediated communication in linguistic perspective. We describe the features of the digital communication channel that can infl uence different levels of language, with special attention to the studies focusing on vocabulary, morphology, syntax, and punctuation of texts generated during Internet communication. We consider specific quantitative studies of these levels of language and note the special lability of the lexical level. We also demonstrate the mixed nature of borrowing morphological, syntactic, and punctuation features from spoken and written language and highlight the role of the linguistic economy principle at each level. The paper gives a detailed description of the corpus studies by I. Karpov and A. Bodomo, and also draws on the material from the Russian National Corpus. In addition, the works dealing with the issues of speech patterns of communication and code-switching are described. Further, we address the problem of inheritance of features of spoken and written language by computer-mediated communication: we show how many elements are borrowed and transformed at different levels and explain which extralinguistic factors can influence those changes. Special attention is paid to such constructions as well-wishes and appeals, as well as their functioning in various Internet spaces (e-mail, messengers, social media, forums). The final part of the article summarizes the results, concludes about the intermediate position of computer-mediated communication between oral and written communication, and discusses the prospects for studying Internet communication using quantitative methods.