MULTILINGUALISM IN PRACTICE: LANGUAGE CHOICE AND CODE- SWITCHING AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN WEST ACEH

Multilingualism is a defining feature of higher education in West Aceh,
where students navigate complex linguistic environments across academic
and social domains. Understanding how these students manage language
choice and code-switching offers insight into the dynamics of
communication in multilingual contexts. This study aims to examine the
code-switching practices and language preferences of multilingual students
in a university setting. Employing a qualitative case study design, data were
gathered from five English department students through semi-structured
interviews and classroom observations. Thematic analysis was used to
identify patterns in language behavior across different contexts. The
analysis revealed that tag switching, particularly the insertion of Bahasa

Indonesia phrases into English discourse, was the most frequent code-
switching strategy during classroom interactions. Outside the classroom,

Acehnese was predominantly used in domestic settings, while Bahasa
Indonesia and English were commonly used in peer communication.
Participants indicated that lecturers' use of code-switching between English
and Bahasa Indonesia facilitated comprehension of complex academic
content. These findings underscore the strategic and context-dependent
use of multiple languages among students, reflecting the dynamic and
adaptive nature of multilingual practices in West Aceh's higher education
landscape.