engleski

Code-switching between the standard Croatian language and the Chakavian dialect

The results of the study show that there are different factors that influence code-switching and code-mixing between the Chakavian dialect and the standard Croatian language. While several are characteristic only of one of these contexts, some of them are evident in both formal and informal settings. The first group comprises the following factors: topic, emotions, interlocutors, and addressee specification. The factors that influence switching and mixing only in informal settings are jokes, (non-)accommodation to the interlocutors, clarification, and quotation while proficiency and persuasion influence the language of conversation in formal situations. The study shows that the reasons why the participants do (not) accommodate to their interlocutors, who use only the standard variety, are expressing emotions, joking, and avoiding misunderstandings. The analysis of the results also reveals that the reason why the participants opt for the dialect instead of choosing the standard variety could be the fact that the use of the dialect is less demanding. For others, the dialect is integral part of their identity, and they tend to use it whenever possible (and context-appropriate), sometimes even when their interlocutors only understand the dialect, but do not use it. It can also be concluded that the participants in the informal situations do not communicate exclusively in the standard Croatian language, but switch and mix codes because of the factors already mentioned above. The present study opens opportunities for further research, which could focus more on the grammatical and/or phonological aspects of code-switching and code-mixing between the Chakavian dialect and the standard Croatian language.

standard Croatian, Chakavian dialect, code-switching

nije evidentirano