codeswitching and consciousness in the European periphery

This paper argues that the linguistic practices of bilingual ethnic groups reveal diverse forms of consciousness: they are symbolic responses to the ways in which the ethnic communities are differentially situated within regions of the world capitalist system. The analysis of codeswitching patterns in three European minorities (Italians in West Germany, Hungarians in Austria, and Germans in Romania) builds on current models of universals in language use, then goes on to develop another comparative strategy. It interprets the differences in codeswitching practices as diverse forms of resistance to symbolic domination within a historical and political‐economic context. [sociolinguistics, political economy, codeswitching, Europe]