1. P R I N C I P L E I N V E S T I G A T O R : M I C K E Y WO N G
M E N T O R E D B Y : T R A C Y D A V I S
Code switching and the
identity of trilingual
Chinese immigrants
By Mickey Wong
Mentored by Dr. Tracy Davis

2. IDENTITY
• How does identity change?
• Within, without, and past authenticity
• Social Status
• Authority
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 1

3. • What is code switching?
• Alternation between codes
• Intersentential vs. intrasentential(Dabène and
Moore, 1995)
CODE CHOICE
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 2

4. FUNCTIONS OF CODE SWITCHING FOR
CANTONESE AND ENGLISH
Lexical Pragmatic Social
Euphemism
Bilingual Punning
Specificity
Principle of economy
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 3

5. RESEARCH QUESTION
•When does code switching
occur?
•How does the individual see him
or herself within the dominant
society?
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 4

6. PARTICIPANTS
• Requirements
• Learned Cantonese (speaking) at home and
speaks it with family
• Learned Mandarin (speaking, reading, and
writing) under the Chinese educational
system
• Learned/learning English within the United
States for educational and professional
reasons
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 5

7. PARTICIPANTS
Jesse Amelia Jack Will Irene
Age 32 52 24 51 22
Gender Male Female Male Male Female
Age of
emigration
16 30 22 20 12
Age in which
English
instruction
began
16 31 18 22 12
Occupation Programmer Dental
Technician
Student Restaurant
Owner
Student
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 6

8. PROCEDURE
• Recorded observation
• At home, at work, and in social situations
• Questionnaire
• Series of interview questions
• For example, “How would you value the languages you use at home, in
your work place and in society?” (Lo, 2007)
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 7

9. EXPECTED RESULTS
• Cantonese with English
• Social activities
• Pure Cantonese
• Older generation and with family
• English with Cantonese
• Clarifying purposes with bilingual Cantonese/English
speakers
• Mandarin and Cantonese
• Employment and service related activities.
(Ho, 2008)
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 8

10. REFERENCES
• Dabène, L. & Moore, D. (1995). Bilingual speech of migrant people. In
L. Milroy, & P. Muysken (eds), One speaker, two languages (pp. 17-
44). New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Ho, J. W. Y., (2008), Code choice in Hong Kong: from bilingualism to
trilingualism, Australian Review of Applied Linguistics, 31 (2), 18.1-
18.17.
• Lo, V. (2007). Cultural identity and code-switching among immigrant
Chinese students, parents, and teachers. (Doctoral dissertation).
Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
Literature Review Research Question Methodology Results References 9

11. SPECIAL THANKS TO…
• McNair Scholars Program
• Dr. Tracy Davis
• Tumblinguists
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