IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION THROUGH CODE SWITCHING: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ LANGUAGE USE

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the matrix language in English-Urdu code-switching among the Pakistani students and how they perform their linguistic identity through that. This present study further extends to explore the correlation between education, matrix language and identity construction. The study has adopted the qualitative approach, examining the intermediates, undergraduates and graduates in Pakistan through Myers-Scotton Matrix Language Frame Model. The findings have revealed that Urdu functions as the matrix language while English serves the content morphemes among the intermediates, reflecting locally grounded identity. In contrast, among the under-graduates English inconsistently emerges as the matrix language, indicating the transitional linguistic identity, while among the graduates, English consistently appears as the matrix language, corresponding to the stable academically grounded and English-dominant linguistic identity. Moreover, education appeared to be an effective social factor, shifting the matrix language choice among the students, which indicated a correlation between identity construction through matrix language and education.

Keywords: Matrix language, code-switching, education, Pakistan, embedded language, identity construction