Language Shift – The Case of Punjabi in Sargodha Region of Pakistan

Authors

  • Barirah NAZIR University of Sargodha
  • Umair AFTAB University of Sargodha
  • Ammara SAEED University of Sargodha

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4312/ala.3.2.41-60

Keywords:

Punjabi, Language Shift, Language Loyalty

Abstract

This paper examines the linguistic scenario of Punjabi (second major language in Pakistan after Urdu) in Sargodha and the social mechanism which poses threat to the sustainability of Punjabi on a broader scale. It deals with the attitudes, causes and effects of the language shift from Punjabi to other languages due to prestige, modernity and social mobility issues. Triangulation (Questionnaires from n=80 and In-depth interviews from n=3) was used in order to observe the trends of shift. The findings exhibit that Punjabi speakers are not so loyal to their language, Punjabi language shift is a real not perceived phenomenon and a day may not be far away when Punjabi will be considered endangered language in Pakistan.

 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Barirah NAZIR, University of Sargodha
    Lecturer, Department of English
  • Umair AFTAB, University of Sargodha

    Student BS

    Department of English

    University of Sargodha

  • Ammara SAEED, University of Sargodha

    Student BS

    Department of English

    University of Sargodha

References

Baart, J. (2007). Sustainable development and the maintenance of Pakistan’s indigenous languages.

Crystal, D. (2000). Language Death. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Falk-Bano, K. (1986). Characteristics of Language shift in two American Hungarian Bilingual Communities. Paper presented at 2nd International Conference on Contrastive Linguistics.

Fasold, R. (1984). The Sociolinguistics of Society. New York: Basil Blackwell.

Grimes, B. F. (ed.). 2000. Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 14th Edition. Dallas, TX: SIL International.

Grosjean, F. (2001, March). Late and early bilinguals: Similarities and differences. Lecture presented as part of the Barbara Gordon Memorial Linguistics Series, Florida International University, Miami, Florida.

Mansoor, S. (1993). Punjabi, Urdu, English in Pakistan. Lahore: Vanguard.

Rahman, T. (2003). Language policy, Multilingualism and Language Vitality in Pakistan. http://www.sil.org/asia/ldc/parallel_papers/tariq_rahman.pdf (Accessed 05.05.2012)

Weinreich, U. (1953). Language in Contact. Newyork. Columbia University Press

Zaidi, A. (2010). A Postcolonial Sociolinguistics of Punjabi in Pakistan. Journal of Postcolonial Cultures and Societies. Vol. 1(3,4)

Downloads

Published

9. 12. 2013

Issue

Section

Research articles

How to Cite

NAZIR, B., AFTAB, U., & SAEED, A. (2013). Language Shift – The Case of Punjabi in Sargodha Region of Pakistan. Acta Linguistica Asiatica, 3(2), 41-60. https://doi.org/10.4312/ala.3.2.41-60