MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF LAW GRADUATION THESIS B. DEGREE IN ENGLISH Major: Legal English ENGLISH-VIETNAMESE CODE-SWITCHING AND CODE- MIXING: LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES AND IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Supervisor: LE NGUYEN THAO THY, MA Student: NGUYEN AN KHANH Student ID: 195 220 201 0020 Class: 112 – LE44A Ho Chi Minh City, 2023 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that this thesis entitled “English-Vietnamese code-switching and code-mixing: Language ideologies and identity construction of university students” is my own work. Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma. No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text of the thesis.
This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution. Ho Chi Minh City, 20th April, 2023 Nguyen An Khanh i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Being one of the students who is able to finish the graduation thesis is a wonderful honor for me since I have always wished to conduct a comprehensive investigation on a subject that interests me. The road toward finishing the graduation thesis is valuable. That is absolutely not a pleasurable and pleasant time for me to accomplish this paper.
I must thus use the entire first page to express my gratitude to my dearest people. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, Le Nguyen Thao Thy, for her unwavering support, invaluable guidance, and insightful feedback throughout the research process. Her dedication, expertise, and encouragement have been instrumental in shaping my ideas and helping me to achieve my goals. I want to convey my sincere gratitude to my family for their constant support and encouragement.
To grandma, dad and my stubborn little sister, your love and understanding have been my pillars of strength, and I could not have completed this work without your help. Thank you for offering me words of encouragement when I felt stuck or frustrated, and for simply being there for me whenever I needed it in spite of my short temper and unstable mental condition. To mom, even though you're far away, I am grateful for everything you have done for me. Thank you for being my rock and for always believing in me.
I want to give a shoutout to my squad, my ride-or-dies, my partners in crime who helped me survive the thesis writing process. You guys were my constant source of motivation, from sending me memes to keep me laughing, to making sure I didn't pull my hair out in frustration. Thanks for being my research assistants, and cheerleaders all rolled into one. And for those late-night brainstorming sessions, pizza runs, and caffeine-fueled study sessions that kept us all going.
I couldn't have done it without you guys: nhim, dung, bon, the “ai cuoi truoc” team and more friends I can’t name here. I want to give a huge shoutout to Seventeen and their music for being my source of inspiration during the thesis writing process. Your songs helped me through those late-night study sessions and provided a much-needed break when I needed to clear my mind. Your message of self-love, hard work, and perseverance inspired me to push through the difficulties and never give up on my dreams.
ii LIST OF ABBREVIATION ACCA Association of Chartered Certified Accountants CAT Communication Accomodation Theory CFA Chartered Financial Analyst ELL English Language Learners ESL English as a Second Language F Female FIFO First-in, first-out LIFO Last-in, first-out M Male SLA Second Language Acquisition VNUHCM Vietnam National University of Ho Chi Minh City iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1.20 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP. ii LIST OF ABBREVIATION .iii LIST OF TABLES. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION .1 Rationale of the Study .4 Scope of the Study .5 Significance of the Study .6 Structure of the thesis .4 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW .1 Code-mixing and code-switching .4 Communication accommodation theory .5 Communication accommodation theory, language ideology, and language identity.
14 CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY .4 Data collection procedures .23 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS .1 Frame and interview report .2 Participant: Hung, Tr.5 Participant: Ngo, Ng.1 Commonalities among Participants. 46 CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION .3 The Communication Accommodation Theory .52 CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION .1 Research questions revisited .2 Implications for teaching English .3 Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research .iv vi ABSTRACT This qualitative research explores the phenomenon of English-Vietnamese code-switching and code-mixing among university students, focusing on language ideologies and identity construction. The study investigates how Vietnamese-English bilingual university students navigate different language ideologies and examines how they construct their identities through code-switching and code-mixing between English and Vietnamese. Employing inquiry, data were collected using narrative frame and interviews.
The findings highlight the complex interplay between language ideologies, identity construction, and bilingual language practices. The study provides insights into the functions, motivations, and cultural implications of code-switching and code-mixing among university students, and aligns with the perspectives of Norton and Toohey (2011), De Costa (2011), Warriner (2015), Mirhosseini (2017), Park (2021), Lai, Gao, and Wang (2015), Braun and Clarke (2019), Gu, Kou, and Guo (2019), and Park (2017). The study contributes to the existing literature on language ideologies, identity construction, and code-switching and code-mixing by incorporating diverse theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and the Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) perspective. Recommendations for future research include comparative studies, mixed-methods approaches, investigation of sociocultural perspectives, and examination of code-switching and code-mixing in contexts of technology-mediated communication.
By addressing these recommendations, future research can contribute to a deeper understanding of code-switching and code-mixing phenomena in bilingual contexts. vii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION This chapter provides an overview of the topic, highlighting the significance of studying code-mixing and code-switching, identity, and language ideologies in Vietnam. It discusses the research questions, aims, and significance of the study and provides a brief overview of the research methodology and organization of the subsequent chapters. Through this introduction, readers will gain an understanding of the importance of investigating code-mixing and code-switching, identity, and language ideologies in the Vietnamese context and the relevance of this research to the broader field of sociolinguistics.
This chapter sets the stage for the subsequent chapters and provides a context for the exploration of these phenomena in Vietnam.1 Rationale of the Study Code-mixing and code-switching, identity, and language ideologies are complex linguistic and sociocultural phenomena that have been widely studied in various sociolinguistic contexts around the world. In Vietnam, a country with a rich linguistic landscape characterized by multilingualism and language contact, these phenomena have been gaining attention in recent years (Tran, 2014; Le, 2018). Language plays a significant role in the formation of self and identity, particularly for bilingual speakers. According to Romaine (1995), language use and choice can reflect an individual's identity and social status.
Additionally, code- switching and code-mixing have been found to be related to language identity and have a significant impact on the formation of identity among bilingual speakers (Clyne, 2003). As such, exploring the use of English-Vietnamese code-switching and code- mixing among university students can provide insights into the role of language in shaping identity construction. Language ideology refers to the attitudes, beliefs, and values that speakers hold about language and its use, which influence their language practices and behaviors. Several studies have examined the role of language in the formation of language ideologies, including the use of code-switching and code-mixing among university students.
Hall and Nilep (2013) explore how code-switching, the alternation between two or more languages, can be used by multilingual speakers as a resource to signal their identity, affiliations, and ideological stance, and how this use of language can be 1 shaped by the forces of globalization. The chapter by Hall and Nilep (2013) discusses various theoretical perspectives and research methods used to investigate the relationship between code-switching, identity, and globalization. It also presents examples of code-switching practices among university students in different sociolinguistic contexts, including study abroad programs. One study by Gu, Kou, and Guo (2018) on Chinese language teachers’ language ideologies in teaching South Asian students in Hong Kong found that teachers’ beliefs about language proficiency and standards influenced their teaching practices and evaluation of students' language abilities.
This shows that language ideologies can have a significant impact on language learning and teaching. Another study by Park (2017) on language ideologies, heritage language use, and identity construction found that language ideologies influenced the construction of social identities among bilingual speakers. The study showed that heritage language use was related to the formation of identity and the maintenance of cultural heritage, indicating that language ideologies play an important role in shaping identity and cultural practices. According to Norton and Toohey (2011), code-switching can serve as a means for language learners to construct and display their identity.
It reflects the learners' social identity, power relations, and language proficiency. Norton and Toohey also argue that language learning and identity construction are influenced by social and historical factors in addition to individual beliefs. The study of language ideology and its role in language learning and identity construction is an important area of research with implications for teaching and learning, as also argued by Hall and Nilep (2013). There is complexity in language ideologies and their relationship with language use and identity formation.
Understanding this can provide insights into how language use shapes language ideologies and identity construction. Studies have been conducted to explore how learners’ identities are formed and developed (Norton, 2000; Pavlenko, 2001; Higgins, 2019), the way language ideologies are constructed (Heller, 2011; Bucholtz & Hall, 2018), the relationship between language ideologies and identities (Bucholtz & Hall, 2004), and how code-switching and code-mixing relate to language ideologies and identities (Heller, 2011). Nevertheless, research on the way code- mixing and code-switching construct and develop learners’ identities and language ideologies among tertiary-level students in Vietnam is still limited. For example, Pham (2020) examines the ways in which Vietnamese-English bilinguals use code-switching 2 to negotiate their identities in different contexts, such as at home, at work, and with friends.
Nguyen (2018) looks at the language practices and ideologies of young people in Hanoi, exploring how they use code-switching to construct their identities and negotiate their social relationships. Nguyen and Le (2020) explore the code-switching practices of Vietnamese-English bilinguals living in Vietnam and how these practices contribute to the construction of their identities in different contexts. Numerous studies have shown that language plays a crucial role in the formation of identity, particularly for bilingual speakers (Romaine, 1995; Clyne, 2003; Park, 2017). Researchers have noted that language use, including code-switching and code-mixing, can have a significant impact on how individuals perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others (Hall & Nilep, 2013; Gardner-Chloros, 2009).
Language plays a significant role in the formation of identity, particularly for bilingual speakers, and exploring the use of English-Vietnamese code-switching and code- mixing among university students can provide insights into the role of language in shaping identity construction. Language ideologies are also important to examine in this context, as they can have a significant impact on language learning, teaching, and identity construction. This study fills this gap by examining the language use and identity construction of bilingual university students in Vietnam.2 Objectives This study was carried out focusing on language ideologies and the identity of language users through code-switching and code-mixing practices. Particularly, the research was to explore the language ideologies that some Vietnamese-English bilingual students hold and how language learners' identities are constructed.3 Research questions In this study, the researcher draws upon students’ narratives to address the following research questions: (1) How do Vietnamese-English bilingual university students navigate different language ideologies? (2) In what ways do university students construct their identities through the use of code-mixing and code-switching between English and Vietnamese? 3 1.