English Language in Pakistan: A Policy Analysis of Past and Present of Linguistic Contact with Urdu and Pashto

Abstract

The paper revisits the diachronic evolution of the belief, practices, and attitudes of Urdu and Pashto speakers towards English and ascertains the drivers and effects of such changes. The changes are explored at two levels, micro and macro. The macro-level perspective concerns the 'use' interface while the microlevel concerns the 'code'. The study hinges on the theory of contact linguistics' approaches such as language shift, hybridization and domain conquest. In the wake of this study, the scholars revisit the value of 'Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scales' (GIDS) in the assessment of language prospects of survival. The study finds that Pashto and Urdu both underwent substantial changes as a result of contact with the English language. The study also proposes revisiting definitions of some popular terms used in the evaluation of language policy and planning as the proposal to use more discrete terms that can be easily understood and applied by the practitioners of the fields, such as the distinction of language attitude and belief

[Retracted] Analysis and Application of Language Environment Function from the Perspective of English Linguistics

“…When language analysts conduct language research, they will inevitably choose a pragmatic approach to consider language issues [12]. It is difficult to accurately understand the semantics of words, and they do not understand the grammar of sentences, so that scholars cannot master good English learning methods.…”