Code-switching - the alternating use of several languages by bilingual speakers - does not usually indicate lack of competence on the part of the speaker in any of the languages concerned, but results from complex bilingual skills. The reasons why people switch their codes are as varied as the directions from which linguists approach this issue, and raise many sociological, psychological, and grammatical questions. This volume of essays by leading scholars brings together the main strands of current research in four major areas: the policy implications of code-switching in specific institutional and community settings; the perspective of social theory on code-switching as a form of speech behaviour in particular social contexts; the grammatical analysis of code-switching, including the factors that constrain switching even within a sentence; and the implications of code-switching in bilingual processing and development.

"...brings together an excellent representative collection of theoretical essays on bilingual code-switching....the breadth of the research areas...makes this volume worthwhile reading....a valuable collection." Rocky Mountain Review

"...this volume represents an excellent state of theart overview of recent theoretical approaches to code switching from several different perspectives. Any linguist interested in the way bilinguals mix languages would benefit from reading it." Richard Nivens, Notes on Linguistics

"...comprehensive coverage of such a complex field of inquiry....It presents a clear step forward." Journal of Linguistic Anthropology