Code-switching is a phenomenon that is widely observed in communities that are multilingual and multicultural. It can be observed in daily life, at workplaces and in classrooms in which specific languages have been instituted as the languages of instruction. Code-switching occurs naturally among bilinguals, and it can be used in formal as well as informal communication. Studies reveal that code-switching often happens subconsciously; people may not be aware that they have switched.
The researcher defines code-switching as a shift of a word, phrase, expression, or sentence from one language to the other within a conversation. Hymes, in addition, defined code-switching as a common term for alternative use of two or more languages, varieties of a language or even speech style (as cited in, moreover, defined code-switching as being the mixing of words, phrases and sentences from two distinct grammatical (sub) systems across sentence boundaries within the same speech event. Furthermore, Heller and Plaff (as cited in) claimed that code-switching is the use of more than one linguistic variety, by a single speaker in the course of conversation.
Author(s) Details:
Mumbere Malonga Mashauri
Christian Bilingual University of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Recent Global Research Developments in Bilingual Students’ Code-Switching
Code-Switching as a Marker of Linguistic Competence in Bilingual Children [1]:
- This study investigated the relationship between code-switching and linguistic competency in English–Mandarin bilingual children aged 5 to 6 years.
- Findings: Code-switching does not indicate linguistic incompetence; instead, it serves as a marker of linguistic competence.
- Researchers computed word roots, mean length of utterance, and code-switched utterances for each child.
- Teachers’ ratings of language competencies supported this argument.
Building Educational Technologies for Code-Switching [2]:
- Investigates effective methods for teaching bilingual students and the benefits of incorporating code-switching in mathematics and language education.
Code-Switching as a Pedagogical Strategy in Bilingual Classrooms [3]:
- Explores code-switching as an instructional strategy in foreign or second language teaching within bilingual contexts.
Systematic Literature Review of Conversational Code-Switching [4]:
- Provides insights into conversational code-switching from a sociolinguistic perspective.
Understanding Code-Switching from a Sociolinguistic Perspective [5]:
- A meta-analysis that addresses code-switching in language pedagogy.
References
- YOW WQ, TAN JSH, FLYNN S. Code-switching as a marker of linguistic competence in bilingual children. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition. 2018;21(5):1075-1090. doi:10.1017/S1366728917000335
- Nguyen, L.; Yuan, Z.; Seed, G. Building Educational Technologies for Code-Switching: Current Practices, Difficulties and Future Directions. Languages 2022, 7, 220. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages7030220
- Sakaria, S., & Priyana, J. (2018). Code-switching: A pedagogical strategy in bilingual classrooms. American Journal of Educational Research, 6(3), 175-180.
- Zhong, X., Ang, L. H., & Sharmini, S. (2023). Systematic Literature Review of Conversational Code-Switching in Multilingual Society From a Sociolinguistic Perspective. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 13(2), 318-330.
- Abdullah Mefareh Almelhi. (2020). Understanding Code-switching from a Sociolinguistic Perspective: A Meta-analysis. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 8(1), 34-45. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20200801.15
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