What is "code-switching"?

Code-switching refers to the practice where individuals alternate between two or more languages or language varieties within a conversation, often depending on the context, topic, or audience. This phenomenon is common among bilingual or multilingual speakers who may switch languages to convey a point more effectively, adapt to the linguistic preferences of their interlocutor, or express cultural identity.

In conversations, code-switching can manifest as a seamless interchange between languages, where speakers might use one language to ask a question and switch to another to respond, or even mix both in a single sentence. This practice allows speakers to utilize their full linguistic repertoire, enhancing communication and expressing nuances that might be lost in a single language.

While other options mentioned aspects of language use and development, they do not capture the specific and dynamic nature of code-switching as it relates to alternating between languages during interaction.