Code‐switching and borrowing in Irish1

Abstract

An increase in code-switching is one of the signs that a minority language is coming under pressure from a majority language. This study examines the extent and nature of code-switching among a key group of adult native speakers of Irish -Leaders in Irish-medium preschools. Data were collected from 10 women (aged 30-50) as they interacted with preschool children (aged 3-5) years in naíonraí (Irish-medium preschools) in Irish-speaking communities. The frequency of intrasentential code-switching varied among the Leaders: 7 had intrasentential code-switching in less than 7% of their utterances, while 2 were above 15%. However, they showed similarities in the code-switched elements: 78% of the Leaders' intrasentential switches came from a limited set of English discourse markers. The trajectory of change is considered from code-switched items, tononce borrowings, to recurrent and widespread borrowings which co-exist with the Irish forms, to loan words that may show signs of replacing the Irish form.

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