Some structural and social correlates of single word intrasentential code-switching in Jersey Norman French

Abstract

This article investigates single word intrasentential code-switching in obsolescent Jersey Norman French. It considers the relationship between code-switched forms and borrowings and, via an analysis of flagging strategies, reveals that speakers seem to differentiate between these two types of contact form. On the basis of the findings, it is suggested that the presence of self-correction as a flagging device may warrant further investigation as a possible criterion for distinguishing code-switches and borrowings. The switching patterns of individual informants are also examined and it is demonstrated that a speaker's attitude towards the dialect seems to have a bearing on the extent to which they code-switch.