Abstract

Pakistani English is (also known as Paklish or Pinglish) is the group of English language varieties that are spoken or written in Pakistan. It was recognized in terms of different varieties and forms first time in the 1970s and 1980s. This paper elucidated the phenomenon of transition that Pakistani English was undergoing in the current scenario because of its contact with other Pakistani languages in general, Urdu and Punjabi in particular. This study attempted to explore and interpret the varieties of Pakistani English in the Military at two different levels i.e. Officers to Officers Communication and Officers to Rank (Soldier). These constantly diverging forms and functions of English may not have reached stability and recognition among its users probably bilinguals or multi-linguals as Pakistan is a multi-lingual state. This study endeavored to use a Qualitative approach and data will be collected through observation from Pakistani English varieties used in the Military. This paper aimed to apply Halliday’s (1960) theory of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) to conduct a comparative study of varieties of English to describe, interpret and explain the forms and functions of Pakistani English at two different levels. The findings revealed that the variations of Military language were unique and distinct from all other varieties of English. In addition, these variations were acceptable by the whole language community shared by individuals in the Military.

Highlights

  • Language is considered one of the most influential possessions which can make or break relations in the world

  • The current study focuses on the varieties in the English language within military hierarchy among individuals of different ranks and its consequences on the meaning in the military language

  • This study demonstrates how Pakistani military officers and soldiers use varieties of English that employ phonological differences regardless of their regions, exposure, educational background, and mother tongue influence

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Summary

Introduction

Language is considered one of the most influential possessions which can make or break relations in the world. Haque (1982) focuses on the significance of English in official working conflicts that “English in Pakistan is more the language of Macaulay than of Shakespeare”. He argues that English is the mode of communication in all functioning of Federal and Provincial governments, court proceedings, and channels in the field of technology, information, business, and industrial sectors. It is sometimes referred to as a “marker of class’ because of psychological and social advantages to those who have rich family backgrounds It is not merely upper-middle-class rather feudal and tribal chiefs from uneducated families sought to give their children education in the English Schools from an Elitist approach (Rahman, 1997). In Pakistan, the significance of English elucidates that fluency in the English language plays a pivotal role for highly-paid jobs regardless of private and Government sectors

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