The ethnography of communication is a mode of inquiry which investigates relationships between language and culture in a particular speech community. Based on the ethnographic perspective, this study examines a certain way of speaking at a specific historical moment in a specific community. The major focus is two disc jockeys who are characterized as "trilingual" speakers (Japanese-English-Okinawa dialect) and their code switching activities in an Okinawan local radio program. The three-month field study took place on the island of Okinawa. Data were collected from observations at the two radio stations, transcriptions of the program, and interviews with the DJs, the program director, program listeners, and older Okinawan residents. The situational and metaphorical code switching patterns found in the DJs' verbal interactions include: obligational code choice, topic related code choice, interjections, quotations, translations, a lack of language proficiency, reiterations, and addressee specification. Using language which reflects "we" versus "they" orientation was a major determinant of the DJs' code choices. While the DJs use dialect to maintain Okinawan group identification, the use of English appeared directed toward loosening the social separation between Okinawans and Americans who belong to mutually exclusive speech communities. In addition to these functions of code switching related to the general social context in Okinawa, the study finds that the DJs and program listeners share the particular sociolinguistic values and therefore create a specific speech community. The DJs' use of three codes discloses two cultural phenomena in this young Okinawan speech community. One is the enhancement of Okinawan identity as a resistance to Japanization and the other is the acceptance of the American influence as part of local culture. Although the DJs are known to be "trilingual" among the younger people, the older generation defines the DJs' dialect as Okinawan-Japanese, which is a Creole produced language contact between the Okinawa dialect and Japanese. In a strict grammatical analysis, most of the DJs' dialect is not spoken in pure form of the Okinawa dialect. However, using dialect in a certain way, the DJs maintain and share Okinawan group identity with the young program fans. Simultaneously, the mixed-background English speaking radio hosts are also accepted by listeners as a symbol of new Okinawa where the American influence has become an indispensable factor in creating its unique characteristics. The success of the "trilingual" entertainers reveals the current situation in the young Okinawan speech community where a cultural interrelation between mainland Japan, America, and Okinawa can be discovered.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of English

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 186-203).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Alberta, 2010. / "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics, Modern Languages and Cultural Studies. At head of title screen : University of Alberta. Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on December 8, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research assignment reports on the findings of a study that was conducted at High School X, Durbanville, Western Cape, South Africa. The aim of this study was to understand how code-switching to isiXhosa affects learner performance in English short story lessons. Code-switching, which is a change of language that occurs in a conversation, happens most often when bilinguals converse with other bilinguals. Several language experts, and teachers, believe that code-switching assists learners who are taught in a second language. However, some principals do not tolerate code-switching by English language teachers, as they argue that code-switching is evidence of laziness or of a lack of proficiency in English. Based on his experience, the researcher, in contrast, argues that many learners need to be supported when they do not understand English fluently, as was the case in the present study. By using code-switching in an experimental class and only English in a control class, this study attempts to show the benefits of code-switching as a scaffolding tool that can help learners to understand the short story in English better. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie doen verslag oor die bevindinge van ’n studie wat gedoen is by High School X, Durbanville, Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika. Die doel van hierdie studie is om te verstaan hoe kodewisseling na isiXhosa leerderprestasie kan beïnvloed in Engels-kortverhaallesse. Kodewisseling verwys na die oorslaan van een taal na ’n ander in ’n gesprek, gewoonlik wanneer tweetaliges in gesprek is met ander tweetaliges. Kodewisseling word deur heelwat taalkenners en onderwysers beskou as ’n strategie wat leerders kan help wanneer hulle in ’n tweede taal onderrig word. Sommige skoolhoofde is egter hewig gekant teen kodewisseling deur Engels-taalonderwysers, aangesien hulle van mening is dat kodewisseling luiheid kenmerk of ’n gebrek aan vaardigheid in die taal aandui. In teenstelling hiermee is die navorser se argument egter dat leerders juis gehelp moet word wanneer hulle Engels nie ten volle verstaan nie – soos die geval is met die leerders in hierdie studie. Kodewisseling is gebruik in ’n eksperimentele klas en slegs Engels is in die kontroleklas se lesse gebruik. Die studie toon die voordele van kodewisseling as hulpmiddel vir leerders om die Engelstalige kortverhaal beter te verstaan, aan.

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts

Being a British colony for more than a century, Hong Kong has been influenced by the western culture in multiple aspects. One of the prominent western footprints is the ubiquitous Cantonese-English code switching and code mixing behavior which permeates all walks of life in this bilingual community. Though having seen its pervasiveness in different domains, limited studies from the sociolinguistic perspective have been conducted in the broadcasting domain, especially within the radio broadcast domain. This research gap prompts a study idea to unravel the sociolinguistic motivations behind the Cantonese-English code switching and code mixing behavior in Hong Kong radio broadcasts. Instances of code-switched and code-mixed which happened during the conversations among radio hosts were transcribed from the broadcasts of Commercial Radio Hong Kong (CRHK) between April 26th and May 24th 2013 for exploratory analysis. The language alternation behavior was investigated through a communicative discourse context. In essence, the reasons motivating code switching and code mixing behavior among radio hosts include ‘principle of economy’, ‘generality/ specificity’, ‘euphemism’ and ‘emotional buffer’. Code switching/ code mixing also serves as a purposeful communicative strategy in tone switching or creating comical effect to enhance the entertainment value of the programs. It also helps the speakers to portray a particular social orientation or specifically, to project a western image. By code switching/ code mixing, the hosts also take into consideration of the societal preference of codes. The ideas of ‘we-code’, ‘they-code’, and ‘social distance’ are also applicable in exploring the social meaning of code switching/ code mixing within the Hong Kong radio broadcasts. / published_or_final_version / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / English Studies / Master / Master of Arts