Code-switching(hereafter CS),is a unique linguistic phenomenon that commonly occurs in bilingual or multi-lingual situations.And since the late of 1970s,western scholars have begun to conduct lots of profound and extensive studies on this topic.All their studies are made from various linguistic perspectives including grammar,sociolinguistics,conversational analysis,psycholinguistics and pragmatics,and fruitful achievements have been made.In the present study the author conducts a careful investigation of the Chinese/English CS in news headlines focusing on the linguistic adaptation from a pragmatic perspective.The aims of the study are to give a detailed description of the distribution patterns of Chinese/English CS occurring in news headlines and further to make an explanation of the deep motivations for the performance of CS,moreover,the pragmatic functions that CS fulfill will also be explored.Yu Guodong(2001)put forward the Linguistic Adaptation Model for CS in which Yu holds that CS is taken by communicators as a communicative strategy with which to realize or approach their specific communicative goals.The performance of CS is achieved through adaptation to different factors which includes linguistic reality,social conventions and psychological motivations,and the property of adaptability is a manifestation of the dynamics and functionality of CS.In the process of linguistic adaptation,CS fulfills different pragmatic functions in various forms.In terms of linguistic realization,distinct variability manifests in the switched discourse.Based on Yu Guodongs adaptation model,the present study is to conduct a careful investigation of the adaptability and variability of Chinese/English CS performed in news headlines with a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods.The qualitative study attempts to explore the deep-rooted motivations and pragmatic functions of CS,while the quantitative study intends to describe the distribution patterns,that is,the variability manifested in the switched headlines.The results of the study indicate that the variability of Chinese/English CS in news headlines mainly displays in terms of linguistic units and distribution types.The employment of CS in headlines is mainly for adaptation to the linguistic reality of both Chinese and English,to Chinese social conventions and to communicators psychological motivations.Besides,in the process of adaptation,CS fulfills various pragmatic functions as a communicative strategy,such as explaining or emphasizing,creating humor,keeping truthfulness,seeking fashion and convenience,etc.for a better communication.By analyzing the new corpus in detail,the present study,to some degree has confirms Yu Guodongs model in explaining CS,and also does some help to further peoples understanding of CS in media language.