English-Irish codeswitching as a stylistic resource in stancetaking: a case study of the queer bilingual podcast Gaylinn

Abstract

Abstract This article examines how codeswitching (CS) from English into Irish (Gaeilge) functions as a resource for stancetaking in contemporary queer media. Drawing on a corpus of spontaneous speech from the queer bilingual podcast Gaylinn, the study integrates variationist, interactional, and new-speaker-oriented theoretical approaches to analyse how switching patterns relate to interactional positioning. Quantitative analyses at both turn and switch levels show that CS is systematically constrained rather than random: at turn level, stancetaking is shown to variably condition both the likelihood and extent of switching, with switching clustering in interactionally unmarked contexts. At the switch level, discourse function is shown to govern switch language direction and flagging, while stancetaking influences the structural realisation of the switches (intra- versus intersentential switching). Intrasentential switches are closely associated with stance expression, enabling speakers to integrate bilingual resources into ongoing talk in ways that index evaluation, alignment, and investment. These patterns of switching suggest that CS operates as a key stylistic resource through which speakers position themselves in interaction. The relationship between the stance-driven practices observed and the potential emergence of socially meaningful styles is explored, including the construction of queer Irish-speaking personae that may rework dominant associations between Irishness, nationalism, and heteronormativity.