Exploring Vietnamese–English Code-Mixing among EFL Studenat Can Tho University

Abstract

"This paper examines Vietnamese-English code-mixing among EFL students at the School of Foreign Languages, Can Tho University, from first-year students to seniors. Although code-mixing has become ubiquitous students' communication, research in the Mekong Delta remains limited. The study aims to identify structural patterns, examine awareness and attitudes, and investigate underlying issues. A mixed-methods design was employed, with a questionnaire distributed to 140 students and eight semi-structured interviews conducted to provide deeper insights. Data were analyzed using Muysken’s typology and the Matrix Language Frame model to classify structural types, and the Markedness Model to explain social motivations. Results indicate that the insertion of English words or phrases into Vietnamese grammatical structures is more frequent than alternation, especially in classmate conversations and educational communication. The findings hold meaningful implications for language teaching. Recognizing the role of code-mixing in authentic communication enables educators to develop instructional approaches that are more inclusive, adaptive, and reflective of real-life language use"