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Lexical Bundles Employed in IELTS’ Self-Study Textbooks: A Corpus-Based Study Lexical bundles are essential components and building blocks of academic discourse. In the Pakistani context, IELTS students face difficulties in scoring the desired bands in the IELTS exam. Lexical bundles in various academic genres have extensively been studied. However, little investigation has been conducted into the frequency and nature of lexical bundles in IELTS self-studies textbooks. As a matter of fact, Pakistani students are not well aware of lexical bundles and their usage, especially those who appear in the IELTS exam. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate lexical bundles in 10 IELTS textbooks. Corpus linguistics has been used as a methodological framework. A specialized corpus of these books was constructed and analyzed. AntConc software was used to identify and extract lexical bundles. Biber’s model of structures and functions of lexical bundles has been employed as a theoretical framework. Lexical bundles have been characterized according to the structural and functional taxonomies provided by Biber. The analysis revealed the frequent existence of lexical bundles with clear structures and discourse functions in these books. The findings revealed that there are three hundred and fifty-two bundles occurring in selected IELTS books. These bundles are preposition phrases, noun phrases, verb phrase fragments, and so on. Also, these bundles serve various discourse functions like referential expression, organizing discourse, and so on. The study also found some new structures and functions of lexical bundles, which have been added to the selected theoretical framework. The study has analyzed that LBs contribute to the overall effectiveness of communication by ensuring that the reader can follow the logical progression of ideas from start to finish. They also help to establish coherence in the text. This study offers corpus-informed teaching materials (a list of lexical bundles with structures and discourse functions). ELT book writers and material developers can also benefit from this study to write books and design materials. Moreover, the study has potential pedagogical implications regarding the IELTS performance of the students.
Image of IMF in Print Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Pakistani and Sri Lankan Newspapers This study aimed to investigate the linguistic strategies employed by journalists in Pakistani and Sri Lankan newspapers to portray the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and to uncover the discursive practices used in shaping the image of the IMF in these newspapers. The research focused on understanding how these representations reflected and perpetuated dominant ideologies. Employing critical discourse analysis, the study examined how the IMF was represented across various discourses in print media in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Despite limited prior research on the topic, the study delved into how newspapers in these countries depicted and framed the IMF. Through critical discourse analysis, the study analyzed the language, narratives, and metaphors utilized by newspapers in both countries to discuss the IMF, aiming to reveal the prevailing ideologies, interests, and power dynamics at play in the portrayal of the IMF in these media outlets. A descriptive research design was chosen to accurately represent the existing circumstances, deemed appropriate for the study's objectives. Multimodal critical discourse analysis was employed to analyze the data and explore the research questions. The researcher followed Fairclough’s three-dimensional framework for linguistic analyses of news articles, focusing on the ideological representations of the IMF. The research demonstrated that even though news editors aim for impartiality as dictated by professional standards such as objectivity and integrity, the language they use often reveals hidden ideologies and meanings. Specifically, the study revealed that internet news articles tended to present a distorted version of reality by framing events and labeling participants in ways that reflected specific ideological biases, rather than simply reflecting the facts.
"Paracolonialism and Emotive Perspective: A Study of the Judgment of Value in Farah Bashir’s Rumours of Spring and Feroze Rather’s the night of Broken Glass" This research has focused on the critique of Kashmiri fictional narratives in the light of the emotive perspective presented by A. J. Ayer and Charles Stevenson regarding emotional judgment and values of propositions (statements/utterances) in a cultural setting or narratives. The research has formulated a thesis of the Kashmir narratives of Farah Bashir’s Rumours of Spring, and Feroz Rather’s The Night of Broken Glass, through the propositions in the light of categories devised by Ayer. It has analyzed them with reference to impact on emotional meanings of the speakers and hearers as given by Stevenson. The research has also highlighted the occurrences of these propositions under paracolonialism as propounded by Goudie as its necessary precondition. The research has gone to conclude the impacts of the belief system on the native ethical framework and the consequences as given by Charles Stevenson in his interpretation and presentation of emotive perspective. This research has not only provided a springboard to explore the ethical framework of paracolonial victims, it has also furthered the idea of studying and analyzing the pracolonisers response in the value of judgments.
Ecosystem of English Language Learning: A Study of Anxiety Among University students in Pakistan ABSTRACT Thesis Title: Ecosystem of English Language Learning: A Study of Anxiety among University Students in Pakistan English language learning anxiety is an extensively researched area in ESL. However, the multifaceted nature of language learning anxiety has not been sufficiently explored from the perspective of ecology in Pakistan, a framework suitable for exploring complex systems. Exploration of English language learning as an ecosystem is likely to shed more light on the issue and consequently can provide better understanding and thereby help provide better solutions to the problem. This study takes advantage of the Nested Ecosystem Model based on Ecological Systems Theory (1979; 1993) to explore classroom anxiety among university students in Pakistan. The additional perspective of the Engestrom model of Activity theory (1999) has been employed to enrich the analytical power of this model. For the sample, the study uses purposive sampling to take two universities from Islamabad and two universities from Faisalabad. The students in these universities are administered with the help of Horwitz et al. (1986) Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale to reach the required sample i.e., the highly anxious students. To explore the reasons for anxiety among these students, the study uses the tools of interviews based on the Mwanza Model Activity Theory, Diary writing, and taking the teacher’s perspective. The data is coded and analyzed with the help of NVivo 11 software. The findings of the study indicate that a constellation of factors from all four levels of the environment contributes to the language learning anxiety of the students. At the micro level, cognitive, affective, linguistic factors and classroom environment emerged as important anxiety-causing factors. At the mesolevel, previous language learning experience, social and academic background, and extracurricular activities; at the exo-level, the institutional policies and environment were found responsible for anxiety, whereas, at the macro-level, the societal norms, provincial educational policies, and global challenges, such as COVID-19, contribute to the language anxiety of the students. The research emphasizes the need to consider the multifaceted nature of language learning anxiety in dealing with this issue.
Proverbs and Cultural Linguistics: A Stylistic Analysis of Balti and English This study investigates the similarities and differences between Balti and English proverbs and impact of culture on proverbs of these languages. It also conducts Stylistic analysis of proverbs to explore Parallelism as a Stylistic aspect of these proverbs. For this purpose Theory of Cultural Linguistics by Farzad Sharifian (2017) and Palmer (1996) have been used to investigate the cultural significance of proverbs. Qualitative and textual analysis methods are employed on 50 randomly collected proverbs from both English and Balti languages. The Balti proverbs are collected from Ghulam Hassan Hasni’s book Tam Lo (2004) while the English proverbs are collected from two online sources namely The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs by Jennifer Speake & John Simpson and A Handbook of Proverbs by Henry G. Bohn. The results show that proverbs of both languages use cultural conceptualizations and cultural objects to produce proverbs and they are significantly affected by the native cultures. The English and Balti proverbs are similar with respect to Stylistics and Semantics. The collected proverbs in both languages have common themes. Moreover, parallelism has been explored in proverbs of both languages as a Stylistic device which enhances rhythm and beauty of proverbs. This research contributes to the field of Linguistics, Stylistics, Anthropology and Paremiology. Future researchers can carry out researches using other perspectives and other regional languages.
Syntactic and Pragmatic Function of Code Switching in Undergraduate ESL Classrooms: A Survey Study The study explores the impact of code-switching on the second language learning of the students in the ESL undergraduate classrooms in the universities of Peshawar city. In an ESL classroom, all of the students belong to diverse linguistic backgrounds, and they are learning the non-native language in a shared environment, as a result of which code switching is unavoidable. The research is qualitative, and a non-probability convenience sampling technique has been used to prepare a sample of forty classes from five universities of Peshawar city which are running BS English programs. The study used a two-pronged approach, classroom observations and teacher interviews, for data collection and using the theoretical framework tailored from Myers-Scotton (1993) and Poplack (1980) theories of code switching, the researcher analyzed the data using quantitative and qualitative techniques. The findings of the study revealed that the classroom participants practiced code switching actively and it hampered their second language learning efficiency in various areas of the second language such as grammar, vocabulary, self-expression, confidence. Moreover, the teachers have diverse views about the practice of code switching in the classroom with some in favor of it while other are against it. It needs to be made sure that code-switching is not practiced unnecessarily in the classroom and future research may be conducted on other aspects of code switching and their impact on second language learning.
"Reading The Khmer American Identity: A Feminist Analysis of Gender in Anthony Veasna SO’S Short Fiction" Khmer American identity refers to the distinct cultural, ethnic, and traditional identity of individuals descending from Cambodia and residing in America. Khmer American identity is a performance-based identity therefore the present research explores the performance of gendered identity in Khmer American society as well as the punishment faced by individuals for not performing their gender as expected by the society. It further explores how this performance brings forth culturally reinforced kinds of discrimination against women to highlight the plight of women who are treated as inferior beings because of their gender. The study uses selected short stories from Anthony Veasna So’s short fiction titled Afterparties: Stories as its primary text to explore these phenomena and bring forth an understanding of the construction and reconstruction of gendered identity in Khmer American society that carries the weight of its bleak history in the form of genocide. The theoretical position has been formulated in light of the feminist lens of Judith Butler and Susan Moller Okin (1988; 1999), primarily focusing on the performance of gendered identity, culturally reinforced kinds of discrimination against women, and the enforced punishment for deviating from the expected ways of performing. Through this feminist research, one gains deeper insights into the patriarchal and traditional values and belief systems of Khmer American society, leading to the subjugation and entrapment of women. It also sheds light on the stronghold of Khmer cultural values on the lives of second-generation Cambodian immigrants in America. The research is, thus, a significant piece of writing for its contribution to Cambodian American and Southeast Asian literature as well as its role in highlighting a fresh piece of work published posthumously.
"Objectivity and Veracity: A Forensic Discourse Analysis of White-Collar Crime First Information Reports" This research attempts to linguistically analyze the FIRs written against White-Collar Crimes to highlight the features which demonstrate objectivity, on the basis of reality representation, and reflect veracity in them. The research is qualitative and follows descriptive research design. The sample for this research was comprised of 10 FIRs related to white-collar crimes collected by purposive sampling technique. The data was analyzed using a conceptual framework integrating Forensic Statement Analysis by Olsson (2008) and Transitivity System Network (TSN) by Halliday (2014). Numerous studies in the domain of Forensic Linguistics have endeavored to describe the linguistic features of various forensic texts at multiple levels including grammatical, stylistic and discourse. However, a gap was left in research regarding the influence of linguistic features in determining reliability and truthfulness of forensic texts. This research gap hinders the discernment of truth or falsity of a forensic text and the type of reality demonstrated by it, objective or subjective. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze how the linguistic features of FIRs impart or deprive them of veracity and objectivity. The research findings demonstrate that FIRs were structured to incorporate all the mandatory details and reflected objectivity owing to the extensive presence of material processes. Moreover, use of impartial language, passive structures, author’s distancing from the text and references to legal provisions reflected veracity in the data. At few instances ambiguities and gaps with respect to time, place and tense usage were also observed. On the whole, the linguistic analysis of white-collar crime FIRs reflected significant evidences for the presence of objectivity and veracity in them. The research revealed the importance of lexico-grammatical features in ascribing objectivity or subjectivity and veracity or falsity to a forensic text. The analytical dimensions introduced in this research could be applied to other researches in the domain of Forensic Linguistics aiming to look for truth or falsity and objectivity or subjectivity in forensic texts. Key Words: Forensic Text, Veracity, Gaps, Ambiguity, Objectivity, Subjectivity
"Structure of Noun Phrase in the Head-Last Languages of Pakistan: A Syntactic Analysis" Although noun phrase holds immense significance in a language, the structure of noun phrase in the head-last languages of Pakistan has remained unexplored. This study is an attempt to analyze the structure of noun phrase in the three head last languages of Pakistan, namely: Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto with the help of X-bar theory while taking the structure of noun phrase in English as reference. The theoretical framework selected for the study is Principles and Parameters (P&P) theory by Chomsky (1981). The study is exploratory and qualitative in nature. Forty-Five noun phrases are collected from the grammar books of the three selected languages through purposive sampling. In order to make the selected phrases of the study comprehensible to the speakers of other languages, syntactic gloss has been incorporated. Side by side analysis of noun phrases (NPs) of the three selected languages is performed and a comparison is drawn with the structure of English NP. The findings of the study reveal that in the noun phrases of the three selected head-last languages, the position of adjuncts is fixed; all the adjuncts appear before the head noun. Moreover, the distinct category of articles is missing in the noun phrase of all the three selected head-last languages. In the NPs of the three selected languages, adjectives as adjuncts intervene between the head and the complement, which does not comply with the generic structure of phrase proposed by X-bar theory. Finally, in the prepositional phrase as a complement/modifier of the head noun, a peculiar irregularity is observed in the case of pre- and post-positions in the prepositional phrase of Pashto language while the other two languages (Urdu and Punjabi) have only post-positions. Besides delving into an unexplored area of research, the study hopes to foster cross-linguistic understanding by comparing the structure of NP in English with the same in the three head-last languages spoken in Pakistan. By highlighting both the similarities and differences in the structure of NP across these four languages, this study promotes a deeper appreciation for linguistic diversity in general and syntactic variations in particular. Keywords: noun phrase, head-last languages, x-bar theory, principles & parameters, universal grammar
Exploring Childhood Trauma in Alex Michaelides’s The Silent Patient and the Maidens: A Cognitive Poetics Analysis This study explores childhood trauma, especially perpetrator trauma, and its delineation in the novels The Silent Patient and The Maidens by Alex Michaelides. This research focuses on the cognitive poetic analysis of the characters from the selected novels offering a multidimensional perspective on how readers process and engage with traumatic texts. In order to make sense of the trauma narratives, this research focuses on cognitive poetics strategies such as foregrounding, image schema and parabolic projection to delve into emotional, and aesthetic dimensions of trauma representation in literature which ultimately helps in understanding the pertinent reasons that turn childhood trauma into perpetrators’ trauma. This study undertakes the psychoanalytical perspectives of Cathy Caruth and Leonard Shengold to explicate that trauma due to social disruption results in the ‘Soul Murder’ of the child that leads to the fragmentation of the soul and a loss of essential vitality and authenticity. The selected novels feature a diverse cast of characters from various backgrounds, each narrating the story, with certain events recounted from multiple viewpoints. This narrative strategy demands persistent cognitive engagement from readers as they grapple with the intricate and perplexing details emerging from the fictional world of the novel. Utilizing a cognitive framework in the analysis of the selected texts yields insights into the behavioral patterns of the characters experiencing trauma and the profound effects of abuse on their cognitive processes, consciousness, and sense of identity. Furthermore, this method provides a perspective on how the narrative actively involves readers cognitively, facilitating their understanding of the connection between personal trauma and its transformation into perpetrator trauma.
Campus sustainability discourse: A multimodal analysis of Pakistani higher education institutions’ websites Thesis Title: Campus Sustainability Discourse: A Multimodal Analysis of Pakistani Higher Education Institutions’ Websites This study inquires into the way in which different types of multimodal text have been utilised on the websites of Pakistani universities to communicate campus sustainability discourse. The study is exploratory in nature. In it, the static and dynamic data have been explored in terms of the verbal and visual signifiers of the text from both the public and private sectors through a mixed-methods approach. The methods have been used to see the signifiers used most frequently as ‘frames’ that connote the three selected themes of campus sustainability discourse. Multimodal discourse analysis was the main method used for analysing the data that was explored through the techniques of qualitative and quantitative content analysis. The content analysis was done qualitatively through describing and analyzing data by focusing on the framing of verbal and visual data according to the selected themes of campus sustainability discourse while the quantitative content analysis was done through quantifying the frequencies of the most used verbal and visual signifiers in different modes and outlining the most frequent signifiers as ‘frames’ used in this discourse. It was found that different mode combinations were used in the static and dynamic text for creating such discourse. At least 20 visual (verbal and nonverbal) signifiers were common in both types of text in the public and private sectors. The most frequent verbal signifiers framing the campus sustainability discourse were also outlined. The highest frequency of visuals was found to be under the category of ‘Nature’ used more in the public sector text of static nature, while it was the private sector in the dynamic text that used it more. The key word 'research’ was the most used in the verbal signifiers of both static and dynamic text in both sectors. The study revealed different types of verbal and non-verbal signifiers used in both public and private sector and also the highly frequent common signifiers in these sectors which highlight the trend of using them on the websites of Pakistani higher education institutions to communicate their campus sustainability discourse.
"Spatial Politics of Dominance and appropriation in Karachi Vice by Samira Shackle and A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry" This thesis explores production of space, spatial politics of dominance and appropriation and its implications on power structures and spatial discourses about modern city in the novels Karachi vice: Life and Death in a Contested City (2021) by Samira shackle and A Fine Balance (1995) by Rohinton Mistry. The thesis uses the Spatial Triad by Henry Lefebvre as theoretical lens to study production of space through social processes of informality and violence and further triangulates it with de Certeau‟s concept of Strategy and Tactics and Chattopadhyay‟s Unlearning the City to study the implications of this spatial production on power structures and dominant spatial discourses on modern city. This thesis attempts to problematize Lefebvre‟s romantic envisioning of the revolutionary potential of subversive actions of the urban poor in producing informal spaces. The study acknowledges Lefebvre‟s take on state‟s complicity in producing abstract space, but it also sheds a sceptical light on an anarchist ideal of Lefebvre and suggests to struggle in the direction of a welfare state. The study is significant as it contributes to the spatial turn in humanities recognising the social and political nature of space and its implications for power dynamics within contemporary fiction. The research, being qualitative in nature, uses textual analysis as a research method, to delve deeply into the research questions.
"Hyper-mediated City Spaces: A Study of Phantasmagoria and Mythic Consciousness in Selected South Asian Fiction" The research studies the hyper-mediated South Asian Cities and their representations in literature. It aims to analyze Rohinton’s Mistry A Fine Balance and Kamila Shamsie’s Kartography by invoking the theoretical positions of Nadir Lahiji, Walter Benjamin, Ernst Cassirer, and John Eric Bellquist. They have enunciated their concepts like ‘hypermediated city,’ ‘phantasmagoria,’ and ‘mythic consciousness’ respectively in the works “Phantasmagoria and the Architecture of the Contemporary City,” “Paris, Capital of the Nineteenth Century,” The Philosophy of Symbolic Forms (Vol. 2), and “Mythic Consciousness: Cassirer’s Theories and Strindberg Practices.” I use these concepts to study the South Asian cityscapes. The central argument of this study is that South Asian cities exhibit features of hyper-mediation. I postulate that phantasmagoria and mythic consciousness of people in the contemporary cityscape have been significantly altered due to the omnipresence of media in the city spaces. The way people, living in cities, conceive, perceive, imagine, and experience cities is mediated by media and is, therefore, different from previous historical makeup. It is a qualitative research and Catherine Belsey’s textual analysis is used as a research method. This research examines the selected novels for their representations of Bombay (Mumbai) and Karachi because they have been largely ignored in the available urban studies, especially in the Western critical scholarship. The study, therefore, is likely to contribute in the production of knowledge in the domain of South Asian Urban Literary Studies.
Re-Orientalism or Transnationalism: A Textual Analysis of Sonya Lalli’s Grown Up Pose and Sabaa Tahir’s All My Rage This study embarked on a comprehensive exploration of Steven Vertovec’s concept of ‘Transnationalism’ within the context of South Asian Diasporas, while also engaging with the prevalent concept of ‘Re-Orientalism’. The primary focus of this research is to delve into the literary works of Sonya Lalli’s ‘Grown up Pose’ and Sabaa Tahir’s ‘All My Rage’. In an era characterized by heightened global interconnectedness and cultural exchange, the conventional frameworks of literary analysis necessitate thorough reconsideration and expansion. Through textual analysis, the objective was to unveil the intricate layers of narrative construction embedded within these works. By scrutinizing how these texts negotiate and, at times, intentionally challenge existing Orientalist conventions, the research aimed to make a substantial contribution to the ongoing discourse on cultural representation and transnational perspectives. The examination of these literary works facilitated a broader exploration of the nuanced interplay among culture, identity, and globalization woven into the fabric of these narratives. By dissecting and interpreting these elements, the research sought to provide valuable insights contributing to a deeper understanding of the role of literature in shaping and transforming perceptions of diasporic experiences within transnational social fields. At its core, transnational diasporic spaces emerge as catalysts for the empowerment of South Asian diasporic characters, equipping them with the means to redefine their identities. The study elucidated how these spaces offer enlightening experiences that serve to broaden perspectives and contribute to a more inclusive and interconnected global narrative. Furthermore, the study delved into the concept of Habitus, as proposed by Bourdieu, and its application to transnational perspectives. It shed light on the intricate nature of these perspectives and advocated for a more nuanced discussion on how literature can play a transformative role in shaping diasporic perceptions, thereby enriching scholarly discourse in the field.