CODE-MIXING ON FACEBOOK POSTS: A CORPUS-BASED ANALYSIS OF LINGUISTIC PRACTICES IN DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AMONG PAKISTANI YOUTH

Abstract

            This paper examines the code-mixing phenomenon in online communication of the young people of Pakistan, especially those on Facebook. The study analyses the two forms and the percentage of language mixing, but also discusses the sociolinguistic background and motivations. The members of this experiment included adolescents that were between 14-18 years of age and of different locations in Pakistan, whereby the different linguistic and cultural groups are represented. Data was gathered by the author through Facebook posts throughout the week and examined to find patterns of interchange between Urdu, English and local languages. The result shows that code mixing has a variety of purposes, among them expression of identity, cultural affiliation, and peer-group belonging, and the effect of educational exposure. In addition to that, the social media dynamics platforms also promote the use of flexible language and influence the way young users negotiate meaning and self-presentation. This work is a contribution to the formation of digital spaces in modern Pakistan bilingual and multilingual.