Code-switching as a way of speaking - from language shift to language maintenance

Abstract

There has been considerable debate about the role of code-switching practices in contact-induced language change, especially as to whether they contribute to a path of language loss, and whether they could lead to the emergence of mixed languages. But the role of code-switching practices as a factor contributing to the maintenance of a language has been discussed much less. In this chapter, I show that although code-switching practices among one community of speakers at first played a role in partial language shift through leading to the emergence of a mixed language (O’Shannessy 2005, 2012, 2013), a new configuration of code-switching practices assists in maintaining aspects of the traditional language, by enabling verbs in the traditional language to remain easily accessible to the speakers. The new language, Light Warlpiri, uses few verbs from Warlpiri, and does not include full Warlpiri morphology. Code-switching into Warlpiri requires use of Warlpiri verbs and verbal morphology. Accessibility of the lexical items and morphology is increased through increased frequency of use, as higher-frequency items are more accessible and easier to process than lower-frequency items (e.g., Becker 1979; Forster 1976; Levelt, Roelofs, and Meyer 1999; Morton 1976).