Submitted to the English Applied Linguistics Study Program in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctoral Program

Code-switching plays a positive role in society by improving communication, conveying complex ideas, and blending cultural elements. In Aceh, however, GAM once banned the use of Indonesian during the conflict, making code-switching a significant topic in the post-conflict era. This dissertation, entitled "Code Switching in Acehnese Songs," explores the phenomenon of code-switching in music specifically within the context of Acehnese songs sung by Bergek in the post-conflict era. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this study examines the type of code switching and its role in Acehnese music. The research addresses three primary objectives: (1) What types of code-switching are present in Acehnese songs by Bergek? (2) Why did these songs, containing code-switching, gain popularity in the post-conflict era? (3) What role does code-switching play in these songs? Data were collected through purposive sampling from ten of Bergek's songs available on YouTube and Smule.com, complemented by interviews with the composer of Bergek’s songs and the head of the Acehnese Traditional Council of Lhokseumawe City. The data were analysed by using Miles, Huberman, and Saldana’s (2014) model of qualitative data analysis technique, which includes data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The results show that there are 134 occurrences of code switching found from the 10 selected Bergek’s Acehnese songs with the classification that intra-sentential switching is the most dominant, with 80 occurrences. Inter-sentential switching follows with 36 occurrences. In contrast, tag-switching is the least common, with only 4 occurrences. Then, the category of "Others" accounts for 14 occurrences, suggesting the presence of unique switching patterns diverge from Pollack’s theoretical framework called Phonemic Fusion Switching, consists of: Phonemic Fusion (Indonesia) Dominates, Phonemic Fusion (English) and Repetition in Phonemic Fusion (Indonesia. And finally, a new role of code switching has been identified that it serves not only as a linguistic or artistic strategy but also as a culturally driven mechanism of national integration. In this context, code-switching functions as a form of cultural nationalization, bridging local and national identities through artistic expression, contributing to the reunification of Aceh Province to Indonesia country after the conflict