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Hong Kong Cantonese-English Code-switching Analysis

Author: HuangXiaoWen
Tutor: WangLei
School: Shanghai International Studies University
Course: English Language and Literature
Keywords: Cantonese English code-switching features functions
CLC: H31
Type: Master's thesis
Year: 2014
Downloads: 39
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Abstract

This thesis focuses itself on the study of Hong Kong Cantonese and EnglishCode-Switching (C-E CS). It looks mainly into the features and functions of thisphenomenon. Features include the phonetic features, the phonological features and themorph-syntactic features. Functions include the function-fulfilling C-E CS and thenon-function-fulfilling C-E CS.To be more specific, this thesis seeks to answer these four questions:Are some sounds more likely than others to be switched? If yes, what traits dothey possess?Will the switched words undergo some sound changes? If yes, what is theprocess?What elements are more likely to be switched? Nouns? Verbs? Adjectives? OrPrepositions?Can a speaker have no function to fulfill when he switches to another language?Different theoretical frameworks will be applied to different aspects of this study.The analysis of the phonetic and phonological features of C-E CS will be based on theOptimality Theory of McCarthy Prince and Prince Smolenky. The analysis of themorph-syntactic features will be based on the Revised Markedness Model and theMatrix Language Frame Model of Myers-Scotton. As for the study of the functions ofC-E CS, the Adaptation Model and the Manner Maxim of the Grice’s CooperativePrinciples will be employed.The discussion of this thesis is based on the analysis of the conversations inHong Kong TV programs, namely, the transcriptions of4sitcoms:《爱回家》，《女王办公室》，《恋爱季节》 and 《on call36小时》.The study finds that the answers to the four questions the thesis sets out toexplore in the first place are all positive.In the phonetic aspect, the words with consonant-initial and the words with fewsyllables are more likely to be inserted into Cantonese. This is seen as the adaptationof the embedded language (EL) to the habitual syllable structure of the matrixlanguage (ML).In the phonological aspect, the switched words are found to undergo somephonological processes. These processes include insertion, deletion and replacementand are seen as the adaptation of the EL to the syllable structure of the ML.In the morph-syntactic aspect, it is found that intra-sentential C-E CS is morelikely to occur than inter-sentential C-E CS. It is also found that letters and individualwords are more likely than a whole phrase to be switched. What’s more, nouns andverbs are more likely to be switched than other kinds of words like the adjectives andthe prepositions.In the function aspect, it is found that in addition to the traditionalfunction-fulfilling C-E CS, there is actually non-function-fulfilling C-E CS. That is tosay, not all of the cases of CS are strategic, deliberate act on part of the speaker to achieve a certain purpose, but many of them are subconscious with no particularpurpose to achieve.Despite its limitations, the present study presents a general and overallperspective of Hong Kong C-E CS. It sheds some light on the normally-neglectedaspects of the phenomenon.

Hong Kong Cantonese-English Code-switching Analysis

Abstract

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