Article published In:
Australian Review of Applied LinguisticsVol. 32:1 (2009) ► pp.5.1–5.18
Living in two worlds
Code-switching amongst bilingual Chinese-Australian children
This paper is based on an analysis of interviews, conducted at three primary schools in Melbourne, which sought to explore the determinants of code-switching between English and Chinese. Specifically, it examined school education and other specific possible determinants of code switching amongst Chinese-Australian bilingual children. The specific determinants of codeswitching that emerge from this study include: the length of residence in an English speaking community; the exposure to languages in schools and family communication patterns. The nature of school education played a leading role in Chinese language maintenance for the bilingual children.
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