Vene-eesti koodivahetuse funktsioonid Kohtla-Järve venekeelsete laste vestluses
The conversational functions of Russian-Estonian code-switching among Russian-speaking children in Kohtla-Järve

Summary/Abstract: The object of the present research is multilingual communication among Russian-speaking children with a special focus on Russian-Estonian code-switching patterns during the bilingual discource. The study is based on data collected in different everyday situations. The code-switching data is analysed from the conversational point of view. The starting point of such approach is that code-switching is a conversational event which has, first and foremost, conversational functions (Auer 1984, 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999). The results demonstrate that the classical conversational functions are well represented in the data: language play (puns etc), reported speech, reiterations, topic shift, change of participant constellation, parentheses or side-comments, expressive function, personalization. Code-switching serves as a contextualisation clue and switches usually take place at clause boundaries. The expressive function and language play are present in the data to a great extent. The language of the reported speech is often the same as it was in the situation described by the child. Thus, the quotations are usually in Estonian when describing a situation with an Estonian-speaking person. Code switches as reiterations are also often used for clarifying, emphasising or amplifying a message. Switching when changing topic is very rare in the data. Code-switching may also serve to mark the side-comments. This type of switch is rare but still observable in the data. Speakers personalize the message to talk about the issues that are of personal concern. Children use different code-switching strategies without any conscious intention of signalling the bilingual identity.

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