An Analysis of the Function of Code-Switching to Construct Identity in the Television Series Escape From the Trilateral Slopes From the Perspective of Figure-Ground Theory

Code-switching refers to the phenomenon whereby the two parties to a dialogue use different linguistic variants to communicate in the same conversation. It is not only a linguistic phenomenon but also a social phenomenon. Members of society have many identities in their social lives, and their identities can be constructed and perceived by two or more parties in a dialogue through their interactions and social behavior in conversation, or as a result of participants’ orientations and preferences. This paper takes the television series Escape From the Trilateral Slopes as the material to explore the identity construction function of code-switching from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. It is found that the characters in this drama mainly use code-switching to highlight the cultural differences between different languages and achieve the following three types of identity construction: 1) shaping the characters’ default identity image; 2) constructing the characters’ identity of power; and 3) constructing an equivalent identity by narrowing the psychological distance between the two sides of the dialogue.