Applying Classic Code Switching to Bilingual Utterances of Bilingual Libyan Children in Oklahoma, USA  

作　　者：Azza Abugharsa 

机构地区：[1]Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, USA

出　　处：《US-China Foreign Language》2013年第3期227-248,共22页美中外语（英文版）

摘　　要：Many studies have investigated the source of mixed utterances. Bilingual speakers switch languages for reasons such as lack of morphology required to complete the utterance monolingually, to accommodate to the topic, or to meet individual preferences, context, and other interlocutors＇ language（s）. The focus in this paper is on classic code switching which requires full mastery of at least one of the languages involved in bilingual utterances. Data are collected from utterances of 16 Libyan children who live in USA, and who have learned English upon their arrival to USA at ages from two to five. It is argued that code switching can occur even when the speakers are not sufficiently fluent in either language. The children were interviewed by the researcher and the interviews were tape-recorded. The results show that although the children do not have full competence in the two languages （Arabic and English）, they still produce bilingual utterances, and that although some of these utterances include Arabic as ML （Matrix Language）, English seems to be the dominant language as it is the ML in the majority of bilingual utterances. It is concluded that switched utterances do not require full competence in either language in order to be produced.

关 键 词：Libya classic code switching ML （Matrix Language） 

分 类 号：TN941.1[电子电信—信号与信息处理] TB932[电子电信—信息与通信工程]