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A Study of Code Switching in the Classroom of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language

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In sociolinguistics, code is usually used as a neutral word, which means any symbol system for human communication. It can be a language, a dialect, language form or register. Code switching is called the changing use of two languages. This change can be embodied in the words, phrases, clauses or even the whole sentence structures. Linguist Gumperz believes that code switching is the co-existence of two languages within the same discourse, which belongs to two different language systems or sub-systems. Linguist Myers-Scotton refers that code switching can not be restricted by its quantity, which can be just a few words, sentences, or talks for only several minutes. Code switching is a normal and common existing language phenomenon, but it also a complex language phenomenon. Speakers may limit the audience by using code switching when we would like to express some secret things. At the same time, code switching can make the article, talks, lectures more passionate, the language more active, better, professional, and attractive. Thereafter, code switching can even show the people’s ability and competence of bilingual language and multilingual language.Code switching, as a central thesis in bilingual teaching, has been loved and studied by many linguists of domestic and overseas since1970s.They have made their research from different perspectives in linguistics, such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, pragmatics, discourse-analytic and so one. A lot of great results have been achieved.In this paper, the theory called the theory of adaptation in linguistics is used as the theoretical basis of the research work. This theory was put forward by Verschueren, in which he explained the relation between selection and adaptation. This paper extends an observation research on teachers’ code switching in the classroom of TCSL, and makes the questionnaires and interviews to teachers and students respectively to identify the results achieved in the classroom observation, then investigates and analyzes the different reasons and functions for code switching.The observation results show that the experienced teachers have a strong sense of code switching in the classroom of teaching Chinese as a second language (shorted as TCSL) with a stable frequency. This can better motivate the enthusiasm of students in learning Chinese. This result can be identified in the latter questionnaires and interviews among teachers and students.The conclusion achieved by the research work in this paper is that:the phenomenon of code switching in the classroom of TCSL has been used as a major means of teaching, and has been accepted by most teachers and students. However the quantity of code switching should follow the principle of adequacy and appropriateness. To some extent, this conclusion reflects the actual situation of TCSL in China, and provides a reference on the research related to how to improve teacher’s teaching competence and teaching results of TCSL


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