Functions of Code-Switching in Children's Conversations

Authors

  • Xuewei Gong School of Foreign Language, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70088/p8f28k38

Keywords:

switch, bilingualism, conversation, function

Abstract

This study analyzes the functions of code-switching in peer interactions to explore its relationship with the development of children's bilingual communicative competence. Focusing on 8- and 10-year-old Chinese-English bilinguals, the research investigates conversations across social and academic (science activity) contexts. Findings reveal that while both groups predominantly used Chinese as their base language, 10-year-olds code-switched more frequently and employed a wider range of functions than 8-year-olds. Furthermore, code-switching functions varied significantly by context, with "topic shift" dominating social talk and "clarification" prevailing in academic tasks. Ultimately, this study demonstrates that code-switching is a strategic, complex skill utilized by bilingual children to achieve specific communicative goals and facilitate cognitive development.

References

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Published

25 September 2026

Issue

Vol. 3 No. 5 (2026)

Section

Article

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Xuewei Gong (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Gong, X. (2026). Functions of Code-Switching in Children’s Conversations. Journal of Linguistics & Cultural Studies, 3(5), 126-130. https://doi.org/10.70088/p8f28k38