Lexical borrowing and code-switching in digital communication among Turkish ELT students

Abstract

Abstract With the increasing use of social media, young people engage more frequently with international communities, which increases the lexical borrowing and code-switching practices in Turkish. This study investigates how undergraduate English Language Teaching (ELT) students employ borrowing and code-switching in their social media use by focusing on the social context and types of borrowed elements, their thematic functions, and the motivations and degrees of awareness underlying these practices. Drawing on questionnaire data from 67 students at a state university, the analysis combines frequency-based findings with qualitative categorization of commonly used expressions. Results show that single English words and short phrases are the most prevalent borrowed forms, while hybrid constructions reveal structural integration into Turkish morphology. The dominant themes, content types, motivations, and metalinguistic awareness indicate that borrowing is less about lexical need and more closely connected to digital culture, creativity, and alignment with global youth discourse. The study contributes to ongoing research on language contact, youth language, and the sociocultural dynamics of online communication, offering insights into both digital sociolinguistics and language education.