Code- Switching in the Conversation of Salespersons and Customers in Ain Smara Market (Clothes Section)

Abstract

Much research has been done on code switching in Algeria and the world but few got an interest in this phenomenon among salespersons and customers in a market. Our research refers to the characteristics of code switching in a specific place (a market: clothes section) and by specific persons (salespersons and customers). This work lies within the scope of sociolinguistics. It brings a small reflection on the functioning and characteristics of code switching. To test the hypotheses of this study, a recording is used as a research instrument. The theoretical part has the aim to present concepts concerning code switching and its distinction from other related language phenomena. The purpose of the practical part is to reinvest the theories exposed in the preceding part through the analysis of our corpus. The result of our study seems to support the hypothesis that code switching is used as a strategy of communication at a market place in general and in clothes section in particular.