ABSTRACT

This chapter explores some of the research into online code-switching - the practice of switching between languages while interacting online. The contextual factors impacting on code-switching practices include: the people involved, their relationships, social identities and educational background; the topic being discussed; and the setting where the interaction takes place. It is only recently that the practice of code-switching in written language has become a focus of attention in applied linguistics, in part because of the increasing recognition of the opportunities provided by the internet for language contact and mixing on an unprecedented scale. Code-switching in digital communication is functionally as well as formally similar to spoken interactions. In early studies of online code-switching, the impact of the audience on switches tended to be considered in relation to differences between private and public channels, which were felt to correspond to informal and formal writing styles.