Code-switching: Language Selection in Three Strasbourg Department Stores

Abstract

Code-switching (CS) can be defined as the use of two or more languages in the same conversation or utterance. This is a common occurrence in many parts of the world in situations of native bi- or multilingualism (e.g. Africa, India), immigration (Europe, the United States), and regional minorities. As millions of people use more than one language in their daily lives, it is no surprise to find that CS is a far from homogeneous phenomenon and that the actual behaviour involved varies depending on the sociolinguistic circumstances as well as the language combination concerned.