Codeswitching: Am beispiel des Deutschen, Türkischen und Englischen

In a globalised world where migration and multilingualism are on the rise, codeswitching plays a central role in communication. This master's thesis analyses German-Turkish-English codeswitching, which illustrates the diverse linguistic interdependencies and the specific identity of the German-Turkish community. First, the terms codeswitching, bilingualism and multilingualism are defined and their relationship to each other is explained. The terms matrix language and embedded language are also introduced. The different forms of codeswitching (extra-sentential, inter-sentential, intra-sentential, inter-word and intra-word switching) are then analysed on the basis of bilingual examples, while the combinations of codeswitching forms are examined on the basis of trilingual examples. Finally, the functions of codeswitching are analysed from a sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspective. The importance of codeswitching for identity construction, group affiliation, emotional expressiveness, efficiency and comprehensibility, as well as for language play and humour is highlighted. In this way, the thesis aims to provide a comprehensive insight into German-Turkish-English codeswitching. The analysis of the forms and functions will reveal the linguistic resources of the German-Turkish community and illustrate their significance for identity, group membership and emotional expressiveness. Keywords: Codeswitching, German, Turkish, English, forms, functions