Code-Switching as a Marker of identity: A linguistic analysis of Pakistani TV Morning Shows

Author(s) : Adeela Iftikhar & Muhammad Awais

Abstract:

Abstract
The present research aims at exploring the phenomenon of code-switching as a marker of identity in three popular Pakistani TV Morning shows. It analyses the tendency of code-switching and the identity of the speakers through the choice of language being used. The research takes Myer-Scotton’s Code-switching within Markedness Model (Myer-Scotton, 1989) as its theoretical framework. The data analyses indicated that code-switching is being used as a marker of Identity in the Morning shows. The participants are indicating their linguistic identities through the unmarked or marked choices of language. The matrix language used in all the shows is Urdu as unmarked choice of language in the Pakistani context, whereas English is the major code-switched language both as unmarked and marked according to the context of the situation. Persian and French usage is also found in the show which is marked choice. Other than these languages Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto are also being used as a marker of regional identity by the speakers.
Keywords: Code-switching, Markedness, identity, marked choice, unmarked choice.