Language struggle in a diglossic setting

The purpose of this study is to investigate the phenomenon of code-switching between Standard Modern Greek (SMG) and Cypriot Greek (CG) within the setting of Cypriot court proceedings. Specifically an effort was made to examine the formation of impressions or language attitudes about witnesses by the presiding judges as a consequence of language alternation and dependent on the code in which witnesses chose to express themselves. Furthermore the study aimed at focusing on Critical Discourse Analysis in verbal court interactions in such a way as to illuminate possible intentions or motivations driving code-switching which serve various communicative objectives.