Code-Switching In Popular Songs

Code-switching happens in different language contacts. Since 1970s, researchers have been paying increasing attention to it in different fields. Yet, only few investigations have concentrated on code-switching in popular songs. It is evident that nowadays Chinese popular songs are filled with a mixture of Chinese and English. As a major form of entertainment for millions of people, especially for young people, code-switching can inevitably influence language use and language change. In light of its significance, it has been found not only essential but also pragmatic to study code-switching in Chinese popular songs.The theoretical framework of the present study is based on Jef Verschueren's (1999) Theory of Linguistic Adaptation and Yu Guodong's (2001) Linguistic Adaptation Model of Code-switching from the pragmatic perspective. Lyrics-writers'Chinese/English code-switching has been found as a linguistic choice and a strategy. And they are used to achieve certain communicative goals and special effects.The study plans to achieve: 1) to describe the distribution patterns of Chinese/English code-switching in Chinese popular songs; 2) to clarify the motivations of lyrics-writers for their code-switching performances in Chinese popular songs, and explore the pragmatic functions of code-switching. Methodologically speaking, this study integrates qualitative research methods with quantitative research methods, which makes the study more convincing and comprehensive.With the help of serious data analysis, the distribution patterns that Chinese/English code-switching possesses are clearly manifested in two aspects. First, in terms of linguistic units, there is a great variety with different frequencies of occurrence in code-switching in Chinese popular songs, such as letters (including letter clusters), words, phrases, sentences and paragraphs. Secondly, in terms of structure complexity, inter-sentential code-switching takes up the highest percentage of frequency; next is intra-sentential code-switching, tag switching also appears in Chinese popular songs.From the adaptation perspective, the thesis has found that lyrics-writers'performance of code-switching is mainly based on three types of adaptation, namely, adaptation to the linguistic reality, adaptation to the characteristics of popular songs, and adaptation to social conventions. During the process of adaptation, various functions of Chinese/English code-switching are realized to achieve better communicative effect. These functions include filling lexical gap, avoiding taboos, seeking fashion, gaining exotic flavor and so on.This thesis explores the phenomena of the Chinese/English code-switching in Chinese popular songs from the pragmatic approach with the help of the qualitative and quantitative methods. I hope it would benefit both the lyrics-writers of popular songs and audience for their writing and appreciation as well. At the same time, it will test the interpretative power of the theories in pragmatics to language phenomena.