Bilingual Speech in a Dutch Migration Context

Abstract

This study focuses on codeswitching as a language contact phenomenon in Turkish-Dutch migration settings. Firstly a conceptual analysis is made concerning the overall valid term bilingualism. Then codeswitching is discussed on the basis of some output examples from the field. A brief critical account of three approaches (i.e. lexical borrowing of Poplack, Matrix and embedded language framework of Myers-Scotton and code copying of Johanson) regarding codeswitching has been presented and discussed in the background of some assertions of Backus concerning insertion, alternation, borrowing, conventionalization, entrenchment and mixed language. Consequently, a brief critical analysis of these terms, which are to some extent difficult to define, has been made against the indirect assumption with respect to the presence of a ‘pure’ language.