Types and Functions of Code-Switching: A Case Study of Korean Canadian Bilinguals in a Canadian Sitcom, Kim’s Convenience

Types and Functions of Code-Switching: A Case Study of Korean Canadian Bilinguals in a Canadian Sitcom, Kim’s Convenience

Code-switching is a complex sociolinguistic phenomenon, especially as the English language serves as a lingua franca around the globe. Furthermore, bilingual populations outnumber monolingual populations in most countries. This research attempts to describe the types and the functions of discourse-related CS by analyzing conversations of Korean Canadian bilinguals in a Toronto-based situation comedy, Kim’s Convenience, first aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in 2016. We highlight extensive use of Korean words and expressions interspersed in the conversations uttered in English, and arrive at a conclusion that the types of CS in the sitcom display the majority of the six functions and motivations proposed by Jacobs (1983), Appel & Muysken (1987), and advocated by many others like Tseng and Cashman (2015) and Spice (2018). We maintain that the CS expressions in the show signal ethnic/group identity (Myers-Scotton, 1983, 1993) as expressive function, referential function, metalinguistic function, and poetic function which enhances the humorous tone in the show. We further propose an additional noteworthy function, i.e., heritage function in immigrants’ bilingual speech community. The ramification of this research is that the Canadian linguistic landscape seems to be tolerant toward bilingualism between English and a heritage language, which is Korean in this case.