Code-Switching

Code-switching is the use of two or more languages in the same conversation or sentence, and is the linguistic embodiment of the pluralistic groupings which are a fact of twenty-first century economies and lifestyles. Understanding code-switching is essential to understanding the new mixed identities which are taking over from the more traditional ones in our societies, and is hence of growing interest in disciplines such as sociolinguistics and psycholinguistics. Code-Switching provides a thorough introduction to the topic from a multi-disciplinary perspective, incorporating views from sociolinguistics, grammatical theory and psycholinguistics. The text also cites examples of code-switched data and discusses methodology for analyzing it. The first comprehensive textbook available on code-switching, this book is an invaluable tool for both students and researchers.