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Title LANGUAGE CHOICES AND THE LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPE OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA: A SOCIAL SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC SIGNS

Author(s) TARIQ AMIN

Abstract The linguistic landscape (LL), which comprises of items displaying written language in the public place, is a product of linguistic choices that are made by a myriad of top-down and bottom-up sign-agents. The study explores the linguistic landscape of Pakistan, with a particular focus on the linguistic landscape of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with the view to testing the generally-agreed assumption that the linguistic landscape of Pakistan is dominated by English. The present study attempts to explore different functions that are performed by language choices in different domains in the linguistic landscape of KP, the motives and reasons behind making particular language choices, and the on-lookers’ perceptions of the particular language choices in the linguistic landscape of KP. The study uses mixed-method approach. The data were collected using three methods: snapshots of linguistic signs displayed at selected public places of KP, semi-structured interviews of sign-owners, and photovoice technique. Kress’ (2010) Social Semiotic Theory and a model based on Cook’s (1989) and Finch’s (1997) theories of language functions were applied to the data. The findings revealed that Urdu, English, Pashto, and Arabic are the major languages used in the linguistic landscape of KP, among which Urdu is the most preferred language, and thus refutes the generally-accepted assumption that the linguistic landscape of Pakistan is dominated by English. The language choices perform directive, phatic, poetic, referential, recording, and identifying functions in the different domains in the linguistic landscape of KP. The sign-agents prefer to use Urdu when they have predefined and predetermined addressees, and English when they do not have predefined and predetermined addressees in their minds. The on-lookers positively perceive both Urdu and English languages in the signs in their surrounding linguistic landscape. The study concludes that the linguistic landscape of KP is not a true representative of its real linguistic situation, and is largely the reflection of sign-owners’ motives, perceptions of the on-lookers, and language policies of Pakistan. The study hopes to stimulate interest in linguistic landscape research so that this area, in general, and the linguistic landscape of Pakistan, in particular, can be revisited afresh and established views can be re-examined.

Type Thesis/Dissertation MS

Faculty Languages

Department English

Language English

Publication Date 2021-02-02

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