Code-Switching in the Process of Virtual Communication via Messenger

Currently, virtual communication format sometimes replaces real communication, which makes it possible to consider phenomena recorded in Internet communication (including switching language codes as one of the frequent phenomena in a multilingual setting) as a specific reflection on linguistic reality. The purpose of our study was to identify the peculiar features and functions of switching language codes in the process of virtual communication, so 137 speech situations represented in WhatsApp chat, a popular messenger in the Republic of Kazakhstan, were selected as research material, and clearly demonstrate the switching of language codes in cases when communicants have the same social status and educational level. Most communicants were bilingual and multilingual people, so the predominant type of multilingualism in our case is coordinate bilingualism (Russian-Kazakh / Kazakh-Russian). At the same time, in a number of communicative situations, code switching involving a third language (usually English) has been observed. As a result of our research, the referential function was considered to be the dominant one for switching language codes in Internet communication. At the same time, a significant part of our material showed the high frequency of expressive/emotive function, as well as metalanguage and directive functions of code switching. The given research makes a definite contribution both to the study of Internet communication and to the study of the priority functions of switching language codes in the context of Kazakh-Russian / Russian-Kazakh bilingualism with elements of a third (English) language inclusion. The results can be implemented in teaching elective courses related to the problems of sociolinguistics and functioning of languages in the multilingual environment. 

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