Code-switching as a strategy of invasive language use on Instagram
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2024
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Code-switching, (and code-mixing or any form of juxtaposing), a phenomenon characteristic of bilingual speech, has become more notable in writing with the advent of social media. This study investigates the use of words and expressions considered unacceptable by the Community Guidelines of social media applications by focusing on the evasive use of indigenous Nigerian languages on Instagram, a social media platform. Expressions that are considered ‘undesirable’ come up more consistently in indigenous languages when compared to their English equivalents. Thus, there is more code-switching/mixing on the platform than traditionally assumed. Extant studies on code-switching have addressed the phenomenon from the learning, interactional and expressive perspectives, but the discussion on its evasive use on social media platforms has not been equally addressed. Such studies mainly focused on the positive functions of CS. This study employs a corpus method of data collection to gather texts from purposively selected accounts and uses the discourse analysis framework to identify the strategies that foster evasive language use. The findings identify the negative function of CS and writing in an indigenous language as evasive strategies employed by Nigerian Instagram users in their social media posts.
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Isaiah, A. A. (2024). Code-switching as a strategy of invasive language use on Instagram. Jos Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Culture (JJOLLAC). 2(1), 57-74, Published by Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, University of Jos. ISSN: 3043-4572.