The Linguistic Expression of a Greek-American Identity

The Linguistic Expression of a Greek-American Identity

Georgia Diamantopoulos

This article examines the bilingual speech of Greek Americans living in the Detroit metro area. It is argued that Greek American bilinguals, in displaying an identity which is constructed by, yet is different from the two cultures, will exhibit a form of speech which is based in the two languages but is exclusive to their identity. An original set of Greek-English code switching data is analyzed through the lens of previous research and literature concerning code switching, hybrid constructions and loan words. The analysis shows that certain forms of speech have entered the Greek American vocabulary. It also finds that some switches are symbolic of cultural affiliations. In addition, a questionnaire is administered to the participants in order to gain an understanding of their awareness and their reasons behind code switching.

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