A SOCIOLINGUSTIC STUDY OF CODE-MIXING AND CODE-SWITCHING AMONG THE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS OF JOSEPH AYO BABALOLA UNIVERSITY IKEJI-ARAKEJI AND ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY AKUNGBA

ABSTRACT In language study, sociolinguistics attracts much attention as it examines the use of language by considering social parameter. This field is wide and it encompasses a lot of variables like context of situation, age status as well as other variables in sociolinguistics like code mixing, diaglossia, code switching, and language death among others. Also, for communication to be effective in any human society, the appropriate language must be put into use in the appropriate context. To this effect, this study was conducted to examine the sociolinguistic patterns of code-mixing and codeswitching among undergraduate students of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji, and AdekunleAjasin University, AkungbaAkoko. To collect data, a well self-structured questionnaire was used, focusing on primary data collection. Sample and sampling method was employed to select 100 representative portion of the undergraduate student population from both Joseph Ayo Babalola University and AdekunleAjasin University. This approach ensures that the data collected reflects the broader linguistic behaviors of the student body. The analysis of the collected data involved descriptive statistics on SPSS software using frequency counts and simple percentage. The biodata characteristics of the study sample show that 45% of the participants were male and 55% were female. In terms of academic levels, 48% were in their first year (100 level), while 52% were in higher years (200 level and above). Regarding institutional affiliation, the participants were evenly distributed, with 50% from Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) and 50% from AdekunleAjasin University (AAUA). This demographic breakdown ensures a comprehensive representation of undergraduate students from both universities. The findings shows that the majority of respondents (83%) believed there was no significant difference in code-mixing and code-switching utterances between public and private institutions. Regarding gender, 57% felt there was no difference in usage between male and female students, while 65% of respondents saw no variation based on academic level. However, a noticeable division was found when comparing language use in official versus non-official contexts, with 34% of participants suggesting context may influence switching behavior. Additionally, 87% agreed that mother tongue interference in code-mixing and code-switching was relatively consistent across students. The study recommends further research on the perception of parents and teachers and language context on code-mixing and code-switching. It also suggests effect of code mixing and code switching on learning of English Language for educational and policy initiatives to support multilingual practices and improve understanding of language behaviors in academic settings. Key Words: Sociolinguistics, codemixing, code switching, mother tongue