Oldal 55 [55]
OPTIMALITY THEORY IN ANALYZING BILINGUAL USE
In this conversation, a first generation Hungarian-American immigrant
in his mid-thirties speaks about his job as a real estate vendor. He recalls
an episode which he sets as an illustration of what he finds strange in his
American colleagues’ attitude.
Example [5]
1 A “Azaz nem hülyeskedek. Nekem volt a haz, amikor adtam
2 el, és ki volt égve a körte, és azt mondja, azt mondta, azt
3 mondta az inspector, hogy call electricians, a licensed
4 electrician, a certified electrician. HA mondom, hogy, put
5 a fucking lightbulb in it. Es azt mondja azt mondja nekem
6 a másik agent, hogy az nem, mert nem azt írták neked
7 föl.... És ez nekik teljesen normális.
(‘That’s right, I’m not kidding. I had a house, when I was selling, and a
light bulb was burned out, and he says, he said, the inspector said, "call
electricians”, the "licensed electrician", "certified electrician”. Well, I say,
"put a fucking light bulb in it". And he says, the other agent says to me, "no,
[you cant do it] because thats not what was written down for you lon the
paper]”. ... And this is completely normal to them.)
(source: data collected by Kovács in 2008—2009)
The switch to English in line 4-5 (put a fucking lightbulb in it) illustrates how
the speaker “constructs a commanding identity for himself”!*’. By switching
to English, the speaker intentionally and directly puts himself into the recalled
situation and into a position superior to the American inspector by using an
imperative. The propositional force of the imperative is accentuated by the use
of a swear word, which also indicates the speaker’s high level of frustration with
the situation. The switch to English complies with the principle of Perspective
as well. It enables the speaker to leave the role of a narrator and to take on
his own role in the recalled episode. The switch to English fulfils a two-fold
function: it places the speaker into a superior position in relation with the other
inspector, as well as enabling him to shift roles (perspectives) between being
a narrator of the episode and a participant of it.
By switching, the speaker intentionally fulfils two socio-pragmatic functions:
he gains the position of authority expressing his frustration with the situation,
and he places himself in the recalled situation as a participant. The switch to
English is a more economical expression, as it fulfils a two-fold socio-pragmatic
132 Bhatt — Bolonyai, Ibid., 530