The functions of code switching used by secondary students in English classes

Abstract EN

This study focused on the functions of code switching used by secondary students in English classes at the modern American school in Jordan, and the effect of code switching on the linguistic aspects of language varieties.

the sample consisted of 71 senior students in four classrooms.

results of the study revealed that some of the students used code switching in order to add a comic sense to his/her utterances, and, therefore, attract the interlocutors’ attention.

despite the fact that they study at an international school, they switched codes as it is hard to find proper equivalents, especially, to culturally loaded terms.

students also switched codes in order to avoid misunderstanding.

students felt comfortable and confident in using more than one language within the same discourse.

students believed that code switching is used haphazardly and unconsciously without paying attention to the syntactic rules that govern each language.