3 Linguistic Adaptation Theory and adaptation Model of Code-switching

3.1 Linguistic Adaptation Theory

Belgian pragmatist Verschueren Jef put forward Linguistic adaptation theory officially in Understanding Pragmatics published in 1999. He believes the course of language use is a process that a language user , based on the inner and outside linguistic reasons, continuously choose various languages due to different levels of consciousness which contain the choice of linguistic forms and strategy. In terms of language use, a process of adaptation means: human beings “make negotiable linguistic choices from a variable range of possibilities in such a way as to approach points of satisfaction for communicative needs” (Verschueren, 1999: 61). “Pragmatics, the study of language and social intercourse in the cognitive, social and cultural perspectives. Three core ideas in the Linguistic adaptation theory: variability, negotiability, and adaptability. Among the three properties of language, variability is the one which defines the range of possibilities from which choices can be made; negotiability is the one for the fact that choices are not mechanical but guided by flexible principles and strategies; adaptability refers to the property of language which enables human beings to approach points of satisfaction for communicative needs. These three properties of language, which represent the meaningful functioning of language, are fundamentally inseparable, and their hierarchical ranking serves as a concept tool to understanding pragmatic phenomena(Zhang Xiaolei, 2007: 14).” the choice of languages is driven by adaptation and being adapted decides the survival of human. So does language. It is believed that adaptation to perse context is embodied in code-switching.