The Impact of Social Media Platforms on Nigerian Code-Switching: A Case Study of WhatsApp and Instagram
- Project Research
- 1-5 Chapters
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- Table of Content: Available
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- NGN 5000
Background of the Study
Code-switching is a salient feature of Nigerian communication, reflecting the country’s multilingual heritage. This study examines how social media platforms—specifically WhatsApp and Instagram—affect code-switching practices among Nigerian users. On WhatsApp, the immediacy and conversational nature of chats encourage spontaneous language alternation, while Instagram, with its visual focus and curated posts, promotes more strategic language use (Adetayo, 2023). The study explores the factors that trigger code-switching, such as audience, context, and cultural identity, and how these practices differ between the two platforms. It also considers how digital communication influences traditional language boundaries, leading to a dynamic interplay between English and indigenous languages. The findings are expected to illuminate the sociolinguistic implications of digital code-switching and provide a deeper understanding of language adaptation in diverse online environments (Okafor, 2024).
Statement of the Problem
Despite the prominence of code-switching in Nigerian digital communication, little comparative research exists on how different social media platforms influence this practice. The variations in code-switching between private messaging on WhatsApp and more public posts on Instagram are not well-documented. This research aims to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence on the factors that drive code-switching in these distinct digital contexts, thereby enhancing our understanding of language mixing in modern communication (Chukwu, 2023).
Objectives of the Study
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To compare code-switching practices on WhatsApp and Instagram in Nigeria.
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To identify factors influencing language alternation in digital contexts.
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To assess the impact of platform-specific features on code-switching patterns.
Research Questions
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How do code-switching practices differ between WhatsApp and Instagram?
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What factors trigger code-switching on these platforms?
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What is the impact of platform design on code-switching behavior?
Significance of the Study
This study is significant as it provides a comparative analysis of code-switching on two major social media platforms. The insights gained will inform linguists and digital communication experts about the influence of technology on language mixing, with implications for education and policy-making in multilingual societies (Akinola, 2023).
Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study is limited to analyzing code-switching practices in Nigerian social media on WhatsApp and Instagram and does not extend to other platforms or offline communication.
Definitions of Terms
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Code-Switching: Alternating between two or more languages within a conversation.
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WhatsApp: An instant messaging platform used for private communication.
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Instagram: A visual social media platform that supports image and text posts.
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