| The following thesis explores German-English code-switching as a contextualization cue in verbal interaction. The premise is that both languages have a functional equivalence and, thus, can be used by speakers according speakers' purposes. Therefore, code-switching has an expressive quality to contextualize what is being said by how it is being said. One major argument is that this switching does not occur arbitrarily. Research has been done so far in the field to discuss grammatical constraints and sociolinguistic variables, but this thesis deals with the contextual and pragmatic strategies of changing between two different languages.; Using “Gesprichsanalys” (conversation analysis) as a method, the author shows the reciprocal use of code-switching within interactions of her own compiled corpus. She argues that code-switching follows conversational patterns and can be a marked choice of the interlocutors' language use. Three patterns are of particular interest to the analysis: the pattern of expressing feelings, perspectives, and evaluations. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
