LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS USED BY THE MAIN CHARACTER IN A MAN CALLED OTTO ( 2022 ) MOVIE

This study examines the types and motivations of code-mixing in the multilingual dialogues of the film Everything Everywhere All at Once, focusing on the Wang family’s transitions between English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Using a qualitative descriptive textual analysis of the movie script, the research identifies 46 instances of code-mixing categorized through Muysken’s (2000) typology and Hoffmann’s (1991) motivational framework. The findings reveal that alternation is the most prevalent structural type (31 data), followed by insertion (15 data), while congruent lexicalization was not observed. Regarding sociopragmatic drivers, talking about a particular topic emerged as the primary motivation (16 instances). Ultimately, the study concludes that code-mixing serves as a strategic linguistic bridge for the characters to navigate their complex bicultural identities. By switching languages, the characters effectively intensify emotional depth, clarify specific cultural nuances, and express interpersonal urgency. These linguistic shifts highlight how the family manages the tension between their heritage languages and their predominantly English-speaking environment, using fluid speech patterns to maintain familial bonds and cultural authenticity across generational divides.