The Effect of Language Competence on the Functions of English-Arabic Code-Switching among Iraqi Students

Abstract

The current study investigates the bilingual phenomenon of codeswitching by Iraqi Arabic students at the University of Memphis. Casual topics of conversations by three participants, selected purposively with varying competence of English and Arabic, were recorded. Notes were taken to analyze why and when speakers codeswitch from English to Arabic and vice versa. In light of the models proposed by Auer (2002) and Appel and Muysken (2006), the study attempts to examine the effect of competence of any of the languages spoken on the variety of functions and direction of code-switching. In addition to the functions established by the aforementioned models, it is found that bilinguals generally often code-switch to the language of better competence to change subject, exclude other speakers, or show solidarity. Meanwhile, bilinguals may switch to the language of less competence to communicate humoristic gestures, among other purposes.