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ABSTRACTThis work is a sociolinguistic investigation of code-mixing and code-switching in a market setting using the Oshodi main market located in Lagos state Nigeria as our case study. The aim of this study is to examine why buyers and sellers code-switch and code-mix, it set out also to examine the nature of language by sellers and buyers in a multilingual/bilingual setting.Data analyzed in this research were collected through direct observation method and recording of real situation of interaction between the Oshodi market sellers and buyers. The researcher employed the discourse analysis as theoretical framework; makes use of sociolinguistic approach, in which ethnography of communication was adopted as the theory. for analysis ,ethnography of communication was proposed by Dell Hymes(1981), the theory states that the study of language must concern itself with describing and analyzing the ability to the native speakers to use language for communication rather than limiting itself to describing the potential ability of ideal speaker or listener to produce grammatically correct sentences (linguistic competence).The findings of this research reveals that the Oshodi market is made up of sellers and buyers from diverse linguistic backgrounds.it is noteworthy however, that both code-mixing and code-switching are not only found among the Yorubas in the market but are equally prevalent among the Igbos and Hausas in their bid to communicate effectively with one another .thus, code-mixing and code-switching is a common phenomena among Oshodi market sellers and buyers.
