Abstract

Code-switching is regarded by most researchers as an intricate and complex mode of discourse, one with several rules that govern its use. These regulations are not only grammatical; but social, and linguists have started to explore the depths of this phenomenon and its implications, not only for the study of bilingualism, but also to further our understanding of social and communicative interactions among various sets of people. This paper aims to catalogue and present some instances of how Port Harcourt Ikwerre-Nigerian Pidgin English (NPE) bilinguals employ code-switching as a linguistic resource for realizing particular communicative goals.