| Abstract: | The study attempts to explore the functions of Code switching (henceforth
CS) in Facebook status updates and messages by Computer Science
Department Students, at St. Mary’s University in Ethiopia. Data were
recorded from 32 Facebook status updates and messages, posted by the
Computer Science students, who were chosen based on convenience
purpose. The study concluded that there are six functions of CS in Facebook
status updates and messages; these are Lack of Facility, Mood of the
Speaker, Habitual Expression, Pragmatic Reasons, Emphasizing a Point and
Attracting Attention. Moreover, the study concluded that CS is common in
an electronic discourse, and is practiced by computer science students to
enhance their interaction and to communicate and construct meanings
during their communication in one of the social networking websites,
Facebook. Eventually, the study recommends that Facebook could be used
as a platform for teaching- learning English, particularly for practicing the
writing skill. |
