Code switching and code mixing in peer group communications, selected whatsapp chats in Ghana

Abstract

A lot of studies have been done on code-switching. Most of the studies are concerned with face to face interactions but less on online communications. This study therefore gives an account of both sociolinguistics and grammatical aspects of code-switching and code-mixing in peer communications on WhatsApp group chats using the matrix language frame model (Myers-Scotton, 1993) and rational choice theory (Elster, 1986). The paper utilized unstructured interview, participant observation and screen captured chats as the basic data collection instruments. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the participants to correspond with what the research questions demand. The study revealed that intra-sentential code-switching was dominantly practised on the platforms. It also unveiled that majority of the embedded language elements adhered to the Morpheme Order Principle and System Morpheme Principle and as such, most of the embedded language morphemes followed the morphosyntactic structure of the matrix language. It was also found that the participants did back and forth switching and the English Language verbs incorporated into Twi constituents, went through some phonological process. Therefore, the study proposes that there should be a study on English embedded language verbs switched into Twi matrix language constituents.