Code-Switching in E-Distance Learning Education Zaemah Abdul Kadir 1 , Zurina Zubir 2 Universiti Teknologi MARA Abstract. Language plays an important role in the communication activities in the computer-mediated communication. In the computer-mediated communication literature, the term generally refers to communication modalities dependent on computer-based networks or meta-networks, particularly the Internet and commercial online services. Due to the revolution of technology in communication, a unique form of communication has emerged involving the use of new word forms, structures and style of expression. Therefore, this study examined the use of code-switching as a communicative strategy used in a discussion forum among the e-distance learning students in Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia. The data of this study were collected from messages posted by the students to their friends and lecturers. The online forums are platform for the students in this program to communicate with their fellow classmates, lecturers and other e-distance learning students. The messages posted by the students were analyzed to investigate the discourse functions of code-switching used in the forum. The study indicates that code-switching functions for various purposes such as to capture attention, to show respect and empathy. Students also code-switched for formulaic purposes and to indicate a shift in topic. This study hopes to enrich the knowledge on the study on code-switching in computer-mediated communication and to motivate other researchers to conduct further studies in this area. Keywords: code-switching, computer-mediated communication, language choice, e-distance learning 1. Introduction Within any complex society, the existence of different language codes and ways of speaking cannot be denied. These include all varieties, dialects or styles used in a particular socially-defined population, and the constraint which govern the choice among them. Code choice is the use of a language or language variety for specific communication purposes which can also reflect the speaker’s attitude towards the language and the speakers of the language. A competent speaker needs to know the rules for language choice in any specific context. There are various factors that may influence the language choice such as the general subject area under discussion (e.g. religion, family, work), the role relationships between the participant (mother-daughter, boss-secretary) and the setting of the interaction (e.g. office, home). Topic however is often a primary determinant of language choice in multilingual context. Bilinguals have often learned about some topics through the medium of one language and other topics through the medium of the second, and thus only know the vocabulary to discuss a topic in one of their languages, or feel it is more “natural” to use one language for a particular topic (Saville-Troike, 2003). In addition to topic, appropriate language choice may depend on setting (including locale and time of the day) and participants (including their age, sex and social status). A bilingual child may regularly use English at school with her a teachers and friends and Bahasa Malaysia or Malay grandmother at home with parents and sibling. Language choice is also importantly influenced by social and political identity. Choice of varieties within a single language is governed by the same factors. Speakers may select from regional varieties in their repertoire depending on which geographical area and subgroup of the population they wish to identify. Malaysia is a multilingual and multicultural country and the language situation in Malaysia is extremely complex as one can find not only the presence of the national language Bahasa Malaysia or Malay and that of English but also code alternations between Malay and English, any of the Chinese vernaculars and English, an Indian vernacular, usually Tamil and English as well as scores of other code switching varieties (Jacobson, 2004). A good number of the present generation of Malaysians are bilingual of Malay-English due to the 2012 International Conference on Humanity, History and Society IPEDR vol.34 (2012) © (2012) IACSIT Press, Singapore 22