Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan
Code-switching can be used to express and create different meanings and ideologies, as well as different identities. Speakers can choose various codes in their linguistic repertoires to do these things. In academic settings in Pakistan, English is likely to be used with Urdu and regional langu...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
2020
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/1/40391-143237-1-PB.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848814148395204608 |
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| author | Shah, Mujahid Stefanie Pillai, Malarvizhi Sinayah, |
| author_facet | Shah, Mujahid Stefanie Pillai, Malarvizhi Sinayah, |
| author_sort | Shah, Mujahid |
| building | UKM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Code-switching can be used to express and create different meanings and ideologies, as well
as different identities. Speakers can choose various codes in their linguistic repertoires to do
these things. In academic settings in Pakistan, English is likely to be used with Urdu and
regional languages, such as Pashto, resulting in the expression and construction of different
identities. In order to examine the link between code-switching and identity in a multilingual
academic setting, this paper examines the construction of identity that emerges from code-switching practices among a group of lecturers and students at a university in Pakistan. Data
were collected through recordings of interactions supplemented with semi-structured
interviews, which were then ethnographically analysed from a micro-macro perspective. The
findings revealed a seamless and dynamic use of code-switching, which was mainly in English
and Pashto. The fluid nature of the code-switching makes it seem as if speakers have developed
a different ‘language’ combining Pashto and English. Such use of code-switching reflects their
socialisation in a multilingual and multicultural environment, which in turn, has led to the
emergence of their hybrid identity orientations. The study contributes empirical evidence of
the link between code-switching and hybrid identities in a multilingual context. The findings
also imply that interactive practices should be examined from a dynamic micro-macro
perspective because changes in the social environment can affect the thinking, perceptions,
behaviours, and identity-orientations of the speakers. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T00:29:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | oai:generic.eprints.org:16812 |
| institution | Universiti Kebangasaan Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T00:29:29Z |
| publishDate | 2020 |
| publisher | Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | oai:generic.eprints.org:168122021-06-16T01:58:18Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/ Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan Shah, Mujahid Stefanie Pillai, Malarvizhi Sinayah, Code-switching can be used to express and create different meanings and ideologies, as well as different identities. Speakers can choose various codes in their linguistic repertoires to do these things. In academic settings in Pakistan, English is likely to be used with Urdu and regional languages, such as Pashto, resulting in the expression and construction of different identities. In order to examine the link between code-switching and identity in a multilingual academic setting, this paper examines the construction of identity that emerges from code-switching practices among a group of lecturers and students at a university in Pakistan. Data were collected through recordings of interactions supplemented with semi-structured interviews, which were then ethnographically analysed from a micro-macro perspective. The findings revealed a seamless and dynamic use of code-switching, which was mainly in English and Pashto. The fluid nature of the code-switching makes it seem as if speakers have developed a different ‘language’ combining Pashto and English. Such use of code-switching reflects their socialisation in a multilingual and multicultural environment, which in turn, has led to the emergence of their hybrid identity orientations. The study contributes empirical evidence of the link between code-switching and hybrid identities in a multilingual context. The findings also imply that interactive practices should be examined from a dynamic micro-macro perspective because changes in the social environment can affect the thinking, perceptions, behaviours, and identity-orientations of the speakers. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2020-11 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/1/40391-143237-1-PB.pdf Shah, Mujahid and Stefanie Pillai, and Malarvizhi Sinayah, (2020) Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan. GEMA ; Online Journal of Language Studies, 20 (4). pp. 1-17. ISSN 1675-8021 https://ejournal.ukm.my/gema/issue/view/1356 |
| spellingShingle | Shah, Mujahid Stefanie Pillai, Malarvizhi Sinayah, Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title | Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title_full | Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title_fullStr | Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title_short | Identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in Pakistan |
| title_sort | identity construction through code-switching practices at a university in pakistan |
| url | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/ http://journalarticle.ukm.my/16812/1/40391-143237-1-PB.pdf |