SOME INTERACTIONAL MOTIVATIONS OF CODESWITCHING : A CASE STUDY OF ONE FAMILY

Abstract

Motivations for code alternation are often inter-related and multi-dimensional, varying from situation to situation and from person to person. A rigorous codeswitching model, such as the Markedness Model, which draws a rigid one-to-one relationship between codeswitching and the rights and obligations balance set, may not reflect the diverse uses, meanings and functions of the phenomenon in bilingual conversation. This exercise hopes to argue against the narrow scope of this model, by examining the motivations of codeswitching in the interactional dimension. By doing so, this study claims that meanings and functions of codeswitching are many and the Markedness Model's attempt to generalize such as to claim for universality and exhaustiveness ends in a rather inaccurate picture of the uses of this phenomenon in diverse social contexts and domains. Chapter One of this exercise will outline in detail the purpose and scope of this study and will give a brief insight into the informants' linguistic profile. Chapter Two presents a theoretical base which will serve as a frame of reference to the entire study. In this Chapter, the Markedness Model will be critically discussed. Chapter Three reports and discusses the findings of the study. In this chapter, the various interactional motivations of codeswitching in the local situation will be examined. Chapter Four discusses the theoretical implication of the study vis-a-vis the Markedness Model and offers suggestions for further research towards realising a comprehensive and integrated model of codeswitching.