Code-Switching Practices in Digital Communication: A Case Study of EFL Learners in Southwest Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

This study investigates the digital code-switching practices of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sorong, Indonesia, across three prominent social media platforms: WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook. Using a qualitative case study approach, the research draws on naturally occurring digital interactions and semi-structured interviews with eight purposively selected participants. Through an interactive analytical framework, the study identifies systematic patterns of inter-sentential and intra-sentential code-switching that function as intentional communicative strategies rather than indicators of linguistic inadequacy. The students employ code-switching to convey emotions, construct personal and social identities, enhance narrative expression, and manage audience relationships within digital environments. English commonly indexes prestige, global orientation, and emotional emphasis, whereas Indonesian maintains cultural resonance and interpersonal closeness. These practices reflect a translanguaging process shaped by the affordances of social media platforms and the multilingual ecology of Eastern Indonesia. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on digital multilingualism by emphasizing code-switching as an essential element of digital literacy and intercultural communicative competence.