Changes in Code-Switching Patterns among Hindi-English Bilinguals in Northern India

Abstract

This study investigates changes in code-switching (CS) patterns among Hindi-English bilinguals in Northern India. There is a dearth of studies of naturalistic Hindi-English CS, which this study attempts to address. By recording a group of three older speakers and one of three younger speakers, the study identifies generational differences in CS behaviour. Echoing Si’s (2010) results, it finds younger speakers using more English overall, preferring to alternate between fully English or fully Hindi clauses, while older speakers insert English items into Hindi clauses more often. Finally, the paper investigates how CS reflects and aids speakers’ (linguistic) identity construction in modern India.

Keywords

• style shifting
• intraspeaker variation
• sociolinguistics
• code-switching
• hindi
• indian english