One Speaker, Two Languages: Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Code-Switching

Code-switching--the alternating use of several languages by bilingual speakers--does not usually indicate lack of competence on the part of the speaker, but results from complex language skills. The reasons why people switch their codes are as varied as the directions from which linguists approach this issue. This volume of essays by leading scholars explores code-switching in particular social and institutional contexts, and brings together current research into the social, grammatical and psycholinguistic issues raised by this highly significant form of speech behavior.

Pieter Muysken is Professor of Linguistics at Radboud University Nijmegen, after previously teaching at the universities of Amsterdam and Leiden. His specialism is language contact and he does research in the Andes, the Caribbean and the Netherlands.