A sociolinguistic study of the code-switching tendencies of native Maltese with matrix language Maltese or English

Abstract

This study attempted to examine the code-switching tendencies of eight native Maltese families. The families were evenly divided between those who self-perceived their matrix language to be English and those who self-perceived their matrix language to be Maltese. In addition, the parents in four of the families were all university graduates and in the four other families, the parents did not hold degrees. The study compared these different families’ educational and residential backgrounds by administering a questionnaire, since these cohorts have proven to influence speech in Malta (Sciriha and Vassallo, 2006). Their speech patterns were analysed by transcribing a fifteen-minute recording of each family’s conversation, taken when the family were together during dinner. Finally, each family was informally asked to volunteer any other particular information they might consider pertinent to the study, but which had not been included in the questionnaire. These three methods of compiling information were then utilised to compare speech patterns in all the families’ conversations. The study determined that despite the varied backgrounds with regard to ages, areas of residence, levels of education and attitudes to code-switching, the Maltese families studied had very similar patterns of speech, dependent on their self perceived matrix language.