LEXIS OF PAKISTANI ENGLISH: A STUDY OF LEXICAL BORROWING IN PAKISTANI ANGLOPHONE LITERATURE

Abstract

Pakistani English, an institutionalized variation of English, developed as a result of language contact between English and the Pakistani language. One of the most notable features of this variant is the significant creativity in the lexis. In this study, based on Shah's, A Season for Martyrs (2014), and Mueenuddin's, In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (2009) the researchers explored the language's vocabulary through the lexical borrowings of single words and their assimilation in Pakistani English. They used qualitative content analysis method to analyze lexical borrowings of single items and their level of integration into Pakistani English, on a three-fold grade-ability scale, in the selected works. The study’s findings posit that Pakistani English frequently borrows lexical items from Pakistani languages either to fill the lexical gaps or to transmit various shades of meaning, which reinforces the notion that this variety has its own distinctive lexicon. In addition, the study endorsed the notion that Pakistani English should be considered an independent variety since it represents the linguistic and cultural characteristics of English speakers in Pakistan and is widely used in Pakistani Anglophone literature. Keywords. Pakistani English; Lexical Borrowing; Contextual Areas; Lexical Integration.