Code-Switching as a Cognitive Adaptation Strategy: Lexical Retrieval and Language Selection Among Kazakh-Russian Bilingual Youth

This study explores how Kazakh-Russian bilingual adolescents navigate lexical retrieval difficulties and use code-switching in everyday communication. Combining survey data and an exploratory lexical retrieval experiment, the research examines whether code-switching functions as a sign of linguistic deficiency or as an adaptive cognitive strategy. The findings suggest that bilingual speakers strategically switch languages to maintain conversational fluency, particularly under time pressure, contributing to a deeper understanding of bilingual cognition in Kazakhstan’s multilingual context.