AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CAUSES TO MIX AND SWITCH CODE PATTERNS IN PAKISTANI CONTEXT: THE ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF SINDHI CHILD

Abstract

The bilingual speaker requires a specific place to learn a description of language. The bi-lingual speakers create a concept of either mix of code patterns or switch of them during meaningful utterances. This research sketches a case study of pre-teen child named ‘Asim’ in terms of ethnographic study. The child affirms a notion of bi-lingual act during his speech in context of Sindh, Pakistan. The speech patterns of twelve-year child “Asim” are made the part to analyze in study. The study is qualitative in approach. It analyses the content of utterances. The speech codes of child were recorded at different stages. Both languages, Sindhi and English were analyzed, when they were either mixed or switched during conversation with child. The main languages under
consideration were English and Sindhi. However, Urdu had little influence. The different causes were found that proved as factors to either mix or switch code patterns in meaningful utterances. The guardians of child were interviewed to know peculiar reasons behind switch of code. The causes found were environmental bilingualism, interaction with different native speakers of languages, the instruction medium in learning institutes and partners.