MATCHING LEMMAS IN A BILINGUAL LANGUAGE COMPETENCE AND PRODUCTION-MODEL - EVIDENCE FROM INTRASENTENTIAL CODE-SWITCHING

Data from naturally occurring code switching (CS) are presented as evi dence for certain types of congruence between languages. The paper mak es arguments about constraints on intrasentential CS and the viability of the ''matrix language frame model'' (Myers-Scotton 1993a) for expl aining CS. Its major goal, however, is to discuss implications of CS d ata regarding the nature of language competence and production, most s pecifically about the nature of lexical entries in some universal sens e. This information becomes available from CS data because the existen ce of different patterns in sentences containing CS seems to depend on compatibilities between the languages involved regarding three levels of structure: lexical-conceptual structures, predication-argument str uctures and morphological realization patterns. The playing out of the se compatibilities in CS provides a uniquely available ''empirical win dow'' on the viability of key theoretical claims about the structure o f language.