Code-Switching Elicitation Task in Standard Arabic, Dialectal Arabic, and English Among Bilingual Saudi Arabian Students in the United States

This study explores code-switching practices among bilingual Saudi Arabians within three language varieties: English, Standard Arabic (SA), and Dialectal (DA). While there are studies that examine the use of between SA DA, others investigate Arabic-English code-switching, no to date has examined natural into English in conversations vs. DA as compared conversations. Controlling interviewer (English, SA, or DA), this examines (1) likelihood relative interview, (2) rate switches each interview context, (3) mean duration those switch segments. Results show was very rare interviews (only 0.89% time with a 1.74 switches/minute average length 0.59 s). However, participants did code-switch 8.32% 10.08% time, respectively. The about twice frequent for interviewed (14.18 switches/minute) than (7.21 switches/minute). Moreover, had significantly longer segments interviewees (1.21 s 0.81 s, respectively). results demonstrate greatest impact on participants’ tendency code-switch, encourages way aims preserve its formal status, most, i.e., is an emblem