PHENOMENE DU MELANGE DES CODES PARMI LES ETUDIANTS FANTIPHONES DE L'UNIVERSITE DE CAPE COAST

ABSTRACT This research examines the nature ofFanti-English code-mixing among Fantispeaking students of the University of Cape Coast. It intended to find out the specific matrix language of the code mixed discourse of these students and the effects ofthis matrix language on the Fanti language as used by the population. The research questions and hypotheses were formulated around this problem. The data collection tools were questionnaires, observation and interviews. While the questionnaires were used to gather self-reports about language use among students, the observation enabled data to be gathered in natural, spontaneous contexts. The interviews were part of an experiment to find out whether Fanti English bilingual students could control the recourse to English lexical and grammatical elements in their discourse in Fanti under controlled conditions, and the extent to which this control was feasible. A total of eleven volunteers, made up of undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Faculties of Arts, Science and Education; were selected for the interviews as focal participants. Data consisting of code-mixed utterances were analysed using the comparative method within a hybrid framework.