ETD Collection

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Author: search.filters.author.Olawunmi, Oluwaseun FunmiSubject: search.filters.subject.Bilingualism

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    Language choice in business: perceived relevance of code switching among immigrant traders
    (2016) Olawunmi, Oluwaseun Funmi
    Research has shown that language has an impact on commercial growth and is a significant driver of economic performance (Jain, 2011). However, before language can have such impact, it has to be mutually understood within a group of people. Hence, immigrants in a country need to be able to understand the language(s) in the destination business environment to a certain extent in order to be able to make sales or render services. This is known as language contact. Other scholars have suggested that language contact promotes bilingualism within a given community and Code switching is a central part of a bilingual discourse (Appel and Muysken, 1987). Although a plethora of studies have shown the importance and positive relevance of language choice and/or code switching especially in the classroom, there are no conclusive findings or research on the relevance of code switching in small business environments. This study looks at the perceived relevance of code switching among immigrant traders in Johannesburg, a super diverse state in a super diverse South Africa. The study involves identifying the benefits of changing codes generally when dealing with customers and the outcome. To measure the impact and relevance of code switching among selected immigrant traders who own small businesses in Johannesburg, perceptions of such traders is elicited through a questionnaire, an observation schedule and an interview schedule. The results of the perceived relevance is analyzed based on the Halliday and Hasan’s (1985) Framework on the Stages of Service Encounters and Myers-Scotton’s Markedness Model, as well as recommendations are offered at the end.