LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 15:7 July 2015
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Form and Function of Code Mixing in Marathi

Milind M. Ahire, M.A., SET, PGCTE, PGDTE

Abstract

English has been a dominant feature of daily communication. In a multilingual country like India, English works as a connecting thread among people of different linguistic backgrounds. It proves to be a helping hand to anyone who does not share the linguistic code used in other states. English is so merged in our languages that it seems nearly impossible to use any state language without words from English. Sociolinguistics has a wider scope in a multilingual setting like India. Code mixing and code switching as sociolinguistic terms seem natural in such a multilingual setting. Nevertheless, analysing language use in such a setting is an enriching experience for those who are interested in sociolinguistic study. The present paper explores the issue of code mixing as a sociolinguistic device and discusses formal and functional aspects of code mixing in specific relation to Marathi.

Keywords: Sociolinguistics, Code Mixing, Form, Function, Multilingualism.

Introduction

The present paper seeks to explore code mixing in Marathi, the official language of Maharashtra, in daily discourse.

Terminology

In any socio linguistic study, study of multilingualism, bilingualism, multiculturalism, borrowing, code mixing, and switching, etc., is of vital importance. Among these the last mentioned code mixing is defined by Kachru (1978:28) as follows: ‘Code mixing denotes to the use of one or more languages for consistent transfer of linguistic units from one language into another, and by such a language mixture developing a restricted or not so, restricted code of linguistic interaction.’

Code mixing takes place both at the lexical as well as syntactic level which in turn gives birth to hybridization of language structure. Borrowing takes place to fill in the semantic gaps which otherwise is not possible for the speaker at that particular speech moment to fill up with the available linguistic data in his/her language. Code mixing is distinguished from code switching as ‘code mixing is considered as the formal manifestation of consistent functional usage, of the latter’ (Kachru, 1978: 28). It means code switching process is in accordance with the code mixing through ascending development of progress.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.


Milind M. Ahire, M.A., SET, PGCTE, PGDTE
Arts, Science and Commerce College
Loknete Vyankatraoji Hiray Marg
Malegaon-Camp – 423 105
District Nasik
Maharashtra
India
milindahire7@gmail.com
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