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In:Multidisciplinary Approaches to Bilingualism in the Hispanic and Lusophone World
Edited by Kate Bellamy, Michael W. Child, Paz González, Antje Muntendam and M. Carmen Parafita Couto
[Issues in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics 13] 2017
► pp. 211–233

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Chapter 9
Experimentally inducing Spanish-English code-switching

A new conversation paradigm

 | University of Florida
 | Yale University
Published online: 31 May 2017
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/ihll.13.09val
Abstract
U.S. Spanish-English bilinguals intentionally engage in code-switching. Its experimental study is challenging, due to the lack of a meaningful context or turn-taking between speakers. We report on the use of a referential communication task to experimentally elicit code-switching. Data from 10 sessions indicate participants’ willingness to code-switch but that frequency of code-switching is constrained by individual factors. Self-reported code-switching use is correlated with the proportion of English and Spanish spoken, validating self-reported measures of code-switching use but not exposure. The results underscore an asymmetric contribution of the bilingual’s languages in code-switching. The use of this task paves the way for experimental studies on naturalistic and spontaneous code-switching and provides a potential avenue for a more quantified measure of code-switching proficiency.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Psycholinguistic approaches to code-switching
    • 1.2Referential communication tasks
  • 2.Present study
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Procedure
    • 2.3Transcription and coding
    • 2.4Results
  • 3.General discussion
  • 4.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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