THE IMPACT OF CODE-SWITCHING AND CODE-MIXING ON IDENTITY FORMATION AMONG BILINGUAL YOUTH IN MULTICULTURAL MULTAN

Abstract

This research looks at how bilingual teens in multicultural cities use code-switching and code-mixing to shape their identities. As the globe becomes more interconnected, people are starting to use new linguistic practices like code-switching and code-mixing. These are important for bilingual speakers to get along with others. The research gathered qualitative data from multilingual people between the ages of 18 and 25 who are studying at the Institute of Southern Punjab Multan. It focused on their thoughts, feelings, and reasons for code-switching and code-mixing. Discourse analysis can assist build identities by finding shared themes, patterns, and linguistic elements. This research looks at how code-switching and code-mixing can be used as discursive tools in the ongoing development and negotiation of identity in a culturally and linguistically diverse setting. It does this by using several important theoretical frameworks, such as Gumperz's (1982) interactional sociolinguistics, which sees code-switching as a contextualisation cue in conversational meaning, and Muysken's (2000) typology of code-mixing, which gives a structural view of bilingual speech patterns. Using sociolinguistic theories of identity and bilingualism, the research shows that language is more than just a way to talk to others; it is also an important symbol of who you are, what group you belong to, and what culture you belong to. The study's goal is to find out why bilingual teens switch and mix codes, what they think about it, and how it affects their mental and social health. It does this using qualitative interviews, discourse analysis, and surveys. The results will help us understand how language use affects identity development, which has crucial effects on language policy, education, and social integration in multilingual environments.