Understanding Code-switching & Word Borrowing from a Pluralistic Approach of Multilingualism

Valentin Ekiaka Nzai, Yu-Lin Feng, Mónica R. Medina-Jiménez, Julien Ekiaka-Oblazamengo 
(Department of Teacher & Bilingual Education, Texas A&M University, USA)

Abstract: This paper reports research findings from multilingual participants’ language use paying special attention to the phenomena of code-switching and word borrowing between English and Spanish during formal speeches and informal social interactions with church attendants. Participants were six catholic priests from Central and Western Africa serving in predominantly Hispanic communities in Texas. Data was collected through non- participant observational protocol. Results suggested that in formal settings when using their cognitive academic language proficiency skills during sermons in Spanish and bilingual Masses, participants never code-switched. However, some participants borrowed from a variety of their linguistic and cultural repertoires to effectively convey the meaning of the messages they intended to communicate during sermons in Spanish and bilingual (English-Spanish). The linguistic settings where code-switching and word borrowing are more likely to occur for multilingual working professionals in a predominantly subtractive bilingualism setting are further discussed.

Key words: code-switching, word borrowing, inter-sentential, intra-sentential, multilingual