English/Chinese code-switching in BBS in Chinese alumni's community

Abstract

The study, based on Myers-Scotton’s revised Markedness Model, investigates English/Chinese code-switching in BBS in Chinese alumni’s community, aiming to prove people are rational calculator when they switch codes. 82 fragments are retrieved from 4 classes in Chinaren, a large virtual Chinese alumni’s community.

With qualitative analysis, 8 functions of code-switching in this BBS are found: quotation, clarification, tone-softening, euphemism, humor, gap-filling, language skill-making and fashion. The revised Markedness Model is well proved in this study, i.e. people tend to minimize the costs and maximize the benefits when they code-switch.