An assessment of the functions of code-switching and code-mixing in Radio and YouTube commercials

Abstract: The mixture of codes in advertisements is a linguistic practice done by advertisers to perform some socially motivated functions geared towards ensuring an effective dissemination of intended information about advertised products and services. The objective of this study is to interpret the functions of the code-switched expressions in the selected advertisement jingles. The primary source of data was drawn from 60 code-switched advertisement jingles collected from 30 radio commercials and 30 online advertisements on YouTube. The result showed that the 6 functions of code-switching by Appel & Muysken (2006) were performed which include Referential, Directive, Expressive, Phatic, Metalinguistic and Poetic Functions. Also, two other functions called Maintenance and Elaborative Functions were discovered in the study. All these functions enhanced the listeners’ acceptability, understanding and positive disposal towards the products and services. It is recommended that advertisers employ code-switching and code-mixing in different advertising engagements so as to explore different functions that they can perform and ultimately guarantee a very successful transfer of information about products and services to the members of the society.