Multiple choice

Which of these occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages in the context of a single conversation?

  1. Language transfer

  2. Pidgin

  3. Code-switching

  4. Loanword

  5. Translation
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C Correct answer
Explanation

In linguistics, code-switching occurs when a speaker alternates between two or more languages or language varieties, in the context of a single conversation. Multilinguals—speakers of more than one language—sometimes use elements of multiple languages when conversing with each other. Thus, code-switching is the use of more than one linguistic variety in a manner consistent with the syntax and phonology of each variety.

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