Canto-pop and Code-switching
Often times we are prone to equate code-switching in conversational discourse to that happens in Canto-pop. Canto-pop song lyric is a well-defined genre with distinctive form. In fact, It is a special discourse with a combination of both spoken discourse and written discourse
Unlike the spontaneity found in spoken discourse, lyrics are well-thought-out manipulation of words. With regular stanzas and a chorus, the lines fit into a rhyming scheme which matches the music.
Though Canto-pop sung with Cantonese pronunciation, Standard Written Chinese or Cantonese with high formality are often adopted in terms of grammar and lexis. Insertion of English words into Cantonese lyrics has been gaining popularity in recent decades.
Unlike the spontaneity found in spoken discourse, lyrics are well-thought-out manipulation of words. With regular stanzas and a chorus, the lines fit into a rhyming scheme which matches the music.
Though Canto-pop sung with Cantonese pronunciation, Standard Written Chinese or Cantonese with high formality are often adopted in terms of grammar and lexis. Insertion of English words into Cantonese lyrics has been gaining popularity in recent decades.