Code Switching
Code-switching and Code-mixing : A Case Study of
Child Bilingualism in Iraq
By
Juliana D. Yousif
MA. In TEFL
Department of English
College of Arts
Basrah University
May, 1992
Code-switching and Code-mixing: A Case Study of
Child Bilingualism in Iraq
by: Juliana D. Yousif,University of Basra
Theoretical Background
Code-switching is a very interesting aspect of bilingualism that has recently received considerable attention from linguists. It is defined as "the use of more than one language by communicants in the execution of a speech act"(1) or "the alteration of two languages"( 2) or " the use of two or more linguistic varieties in the same conversation or interaction.”( 3)
The phenomenon of code-switching spreads widely among members of communi- ties of minority languages in a country whose official language is that of the majority.(4) It becomes especially common if the bilingual's language is similar to that of the larger group he/ she is living in. For example, code-switching is much more practiced between English and French than between English and Chinese.(5)
Code-switching can involve a word, a phrase, or a sentence; it can involve several sentences. This alternate use of items from two language systems in the same utter- ance begins early in bilingual children. The facility with which young bilingual learns to use the two languages simultaneously is astonishing.Besides.children’s code- switching is worthwhile studying since it is distinct from adult's code-switching in a number of ways. Recent research on bilingualism has already isolated these diff- rences. McClure(1977) shows that the Mexican Americans, who speak Spanish and English produce different types of code-switches depending on their age. Young children(below the age of nine)tend to put single items from one code into the other. The inserted items
Child Bilingualism in Iraq
By
Juliana D. Yousif
MA. In TEFL
Department of English
College of Arts
Basrah University
May, 1992
Code-switching and Code-mixing: A Case Study of
Child Bilingualism in Iraq
by: Juliana D. Yousif,University of Basra
Theoretical Background
Code-switching is a very interesting aspect of bilingualism that has recently received considerable attention from linguists. It is defined as "the use of more than one language by communicants in the execution of a speech act"(1) or "the alteration of two languages"( 2) or " the use of two or more linguistic varieties in the same conversation or interaction.”( 3)
The phenomenon of code-switching spreads widely among members of communi- ties of minority languages in a country whose official language is that of the majority.(4) It becomes especially common if the bilingual's language is similar to that of the larger group he/ she is living in. For example, code-switching is much more practiced between English and French than between English and Chinese.(5)
Code-switching can involve a word, a phrase, or a sentence; it can involve several sentences. This alternate use of items from two language systems in the same utter- ance begins early in bilingual children. The facility with which young bilingual learns to use the two languages simultaneously is astonishing.Besides.children’s code- switching is worthwhile studying since it is distinct from adult's code-switching in a number of ways. Recent research on bilingualism has already isolated these diff- rences. McClure(1977) shows that the Mexican Americans, who speak Spanish and English produce different types of code-switches depending on their age. Young children(below the age of nine)tend to put single items from one code into the other. The inserted items