SOCIOLINGUISTIC AND PRAGMATIC ASPECTS OF CODE-SWITCHING IN BILINGUAL SPEECH COMMUNITIES

Abstract

This article investigates the sociolinguistic motivations and pragmatic functions of code-switching within bilingual speech communities. Code-switching, the systematic alternating between two or more languages within a single conversation, is analyzed not as a sign of linguistic deficiency, but as a deliberate communicative strategy. By examining the linguistic behavior of bilingual speakers, this study explores how social context, participant relationships, and psychological factors influence language choice. The findings demonstrate that code-switching serves critical interpersonal functions, including identity construction, emphasis, and the signaling of group solidarity, highlighting the complex interplay between language and social structure