CODE-SWITCHING AND THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS IGBO EXPRESSIONS IN ADICHIE'S IMITATION

This paper examines the role of code-switching and indigenous Igbo expressions in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story Imitation. It argues that Adichie’s strategic incorporation of Igbo into English narration functions as a linguistic tool for negotiating cultural identity, diaspora, and gender dynamics. Drawing on Shana Poplack’s (1980) model of code-switching, the study highlights how intra-sentential, inter-sentential, and tag-switches contribute to the preservation of indigenous voice within a global literary framework. Through close textual analysis, the paper demonstrates that Igbo phrases in the story do not disrupt comprehension but rather enrich the narrative by conveying intimacy, asserting cultural belonging, and resisting linguistic erasure. Ultimately, the study concludes that Adichie’s code-switching reinforces the inseparability of language and identity, affirming Igbo as a vital component of postcolonial expression.