Code-switching in Thai Podcast Discourse on YouTube: Types and Pragmatic Functions in Podcast Yim Mai Kid (PYMK)
(in progress)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62819/jel.2026.1853Keywords:
code-switching, bilingual discourse, YouTube podcasts, pragmatic functions, digital mediaAbstract
This article examines Thai–English code-switching in Thai podcast discourse on YouTube by describing the distribution of switching types and the pragmatic functions associated with English resources in naturally occurring talk. The dataset comprises five episodes of Podcast Yim Mai Kid (PYMK), selected from the channel’s most-viewed episodes at the time of data collection. Using a mixed qualitative–quantitative approach, code-switching instances were coded for switching type (intra-sentential, inter-sentential, and tag switching) and primary pragmatic function (emphasis, clarification, quotation/reporting, humour, and identity/stance; with one overlap case). The results show that intra-sentential switching occurs across all sampled episodes, whereas inter-sentential and tag switching are less consistently distributed. Functionally, English is used not only for lexical insertion but also for interactional work such as strengthening stance, providing compact labels, foregrounding quotation-like material, and punctuating affect or humour in public-facing, digitally mediated talk. The article argues that code-switching in Thai podcast discourse is best analysed as a set of pragmatic resources for managing footing, alignment, and evaluative positioning, rather than as a simple reflection of bilingual competence. Implications are discussed for research on English in Thai digital media and for broader interactional accounts of code-switching.
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