Code Switching Among Malay TeenagersIntroductionCode-switching is a natural phenomenon in a bilingual or multilingual linguistic environment. It can be defined as the alternation between two or more languages between two interlocutors. The act of code-switching has been reported in literature as being often produced unconsciously, or as Wardaugh (1998, p. 103) puts it, [where] “…people may be not aware that they have switched or be able to report, following a conversation, which code they used for a particular topic.” However, as unconscious as the act may be, research has also shown that code-switching (C-S) is not a random behaviour as well. Li Wei (1998, p. 156) has suggested that “…Sociolinguists who have studied code switching draw attention to extra-linguistic factors such as topic, setting, relationships between participants, community norms and values, and societal, political and ideological developments influencing speakers choice of language in conversation.” C-S is, therefore can be seen as being a purposeful activity as well with functions and intentions assigned to it. (Gumperz, 1971; Myers-Scotton, 1983; 1988; 1989, Hoffman, 1991).
The preceding paragraph has elaborated on the nature of C-S especially on its characteristics. Most of the literature on code-switching has dwelt on the function and motivation behind code-switching. A description of the various functions and associated literature of C-S will narrow it to the following: mitigating and aggravating messages (Koziol, 2000), effective production (Azhar & Bahiyah, 1994), distancing strategy (David, 1999), signaling topic change (Fishman, 1972; Hoffman, 1991), dramatizing key words (Auer, 1988), framing discourse (Koike 1987) and personalizing messages (Koziol, 2000).Within the Malaysian context, studies from researchers like Ariffin & Rafik-Galea (2001), Muthusamy (2007) and Karen Kow (2003) have also contributed to the body of knowledge concerning the act of code-switching.
Statement of ProblemThe use of English has become increasingly the norm among Malay teenagers especially in the urban areas of Malaysia. This linguistic phenomenon has becoming noticeably more pronounced especially in insular linguistic environments such as boarding schools where the choice of interlocutors are relatively stable and finite. The phenomenon of code-switching in this case arises from the use of English interspersed with Malay. However, there is a lack of research concerning the actual act of code-switching from a quantitative perspective especially in terms of distribution of the word classes that are switched during the act of codes-switching. This mini research project aims to address this issue by providing a detailed description of the act of code-switching as well as addressing a common perception that code-switching occurs because of the lack of competence in the target language or as a feature
This mini-project aims to give an early idea of how many different terms are switched by speakers of spoken English (using a language of choice) and at what levels of fluency (and language frequency). The first task of this project is to investigate how many different terms to choose between among each of two main language categories: a single term, and a multivalent process with different types of word classes which occurs when each term is used in two related ways: by speaking a single language class or a mixture of two languages. This project will cover different levels of verbal fluency which the speakers of spoken English cannot easily change.
In this experiment we will use an objective system called the Bayesian approach of classification of speech. Each speaker will be able to rank a speaker in order of preference. We will use a simple system consisting of four components: The number of the words in the syllable, the syllable size and the count, the list of the words which describe a content of the speech, the vocabulary which a speaker can use and how to apply these to the different parts of the speech. We will test two different types of classification for the speaker which are shown in the first chapter of the article.
The following statistics show the differences in the number of verbs across word classes between non-speaking and speakers of spoken English. Most significant difference is in the number of verbs in a given sentence and the number of verbs in different words.
In our first experiment two words of different verbs have changed. (1) In the last word there were only four words.
In the first sentence, the speaker (the subject of the next sentence) said to an acquaintance; “Ah,” (2) the speaker (the subject of this sentence) said to his friend; “Ah,” (3) the speaker (the subject of this sentence) said to his colleague; “Ah,” (4) the speaker (the subject of this sentence) said to his friend; “Ah,” (5) the speaker’s friend said to himself; “Ah,” (6) to his enemy’s friend (of the opposite party); “Ah,” {3} the speaker’s enemy said to himself; “Ah,” {4} the peer’s friend said to himself. It is clear that the differences are not very big that we see here. The difference is only about 2.54% of the size of the difference in terms of the number of verbs.
After four words, the first sentence gives the same difference in terms of the number of verbs (for example, between 2.54% and 2.74% of the size and the vocabulary of the sentence is greater than 2.74%). The verb “to go,” (3) tells the speaker there is a certain quantity of time to travel (about 1 gram). The verb “to go to the place” (6) tell the speaker there are certain amounts of time that will be waiting for him to go at a certain rate. The verb “to go to the place” means ‘go to it faster, or to go from where you’ve taken your place, to where you haven’t.’ Note furthermore that the length to go from one place to another in the same time is the same as after a word change. In short, the time that has passed is different from before the words were in syllable size. Furthermore, even if speakers of different languages use the same vocabulary, the total length and length of words have the same effect on the speakers.
There are two possible interpretations of the number of verb change on the first sentence. The first is that the speakers used the same language class and as such had different means of changing the verbs involved for certain