Lexical and Semantic Features

[Audio] Features of Pakistani English Lexical and Semantic Features.

[Audio] Theoretical Background As in other areas of language, these differences are attributable to interference which, according to Weinreich, takes place as follows:- The ways in which one vocabulary can interfere with another are various. Given two languages, A and B, morphemes may be transferred from A into B. (Weinreich 1953: 47). Thus, according to Weinreich, words can be borrowed (b) semantically changed (c) translated (d) hybridized..

[Audio] Borrowing Borrowing is from (a) the register of Islamic culture and religion (b) the concepts and historical experiences of Pakistani culture (c) Pakistani languages (d) Arabic and Persian Borrowings from these languages express culture-bound concepts. However, since Arabic is the language of Islam and Persian that of elitist Muslim culture, borrowings from these languages also fall under the category of Islamic culture and the language of polite society respectively..

[Audio] (a) Islamic Culture and Religion Borrowing from the register of Islam Explanation Maulana is a Muslim Priest and the Khutba is the ritual sermon in Friday’s prayers. Special prayers said at funerals. School meant to teach the Quran and basic Islamic studies. Examples Maulana Tahir ul Qadri … used to deliver the Khutba … [V, 1 June 1989: 11) A namaaz-e-Janaza … was offered … [ M, 12 Oct 1990] He made a madrasah here [M, 12 Oct 1990].

[Audio] (b)Pakistani Culture Examples ‘Hathora Group kills Two More’ [D, 15 Nov 1986] [Hathora [Urdu]= hammer) ‘As for the increasing biradari politics … [Herald, Oct 1990] (biradari [Punjabi, Urdu)= clan). ‘… is almost entirely mohajirdominated’ [Herald, Oct 1990: 122] (Mohajir [Arabic; Urdu] = emigrant. Explanation This group was supposed to murder people with a hammer between 1983- 1986. The kind of politics in which voting is influenced by kinship affiliations in parts of Pakistan. Uses for Urdu-speaking people who came from India as an aftermath of the Partition.

[Audio] (c)Pakistani Language Jirga imposes Rs. 2000 Fine On Air Firing [FP 04 Nov 1986. Quoted by Baumgardner 1987: 242] (Jirga = the Pushto word for a council of tribal elders). ‘Sain’ he said [‘Billo Dada’ by Ayaz Qadri, V 18 May 1989: 17] (Sain [Sindhi] = Sir). Clerks had ‘gheraoed’ the National Assembly building [V 01 Jan 1989: 11] (Ghera [Urdu] = circle—used with the English-ed verb ending for surrounding somebody or something in order to get grievances redressed)..

[Audio] (d)Arabic and Persian Five years R. 1 10 stripes for committing Zina. [D 26 Aug 1986. Quoted by Baumgardner 1987: 242] (Zina [Arabic] = fornication). Mushaira & Mehfil e Samaa [Persian].

[Audio] Semantic Change According to Weinreich ‘if two languages have semantemes, or units of content, which are partly similar, the interference consists in the identification and adjustment of the semantemes to fuller congruence’. However, in the examples below, the semantemes of English and indigenous languages are not always similar. PE Semantic Change from BSE Black (money) Used for illegal gain or buying something through unlawful means. Healthy Used for fat or overweight people in Varieties C and D but not in B. Hotel Used for a restaurant and not only for a place of lodging. Ticket Used for stamps as well as bus and train tickets..

[Audio] Translations Simple and compound words may be translated verbatim (loan translation proper). Furnish a model for reproduction of similar units of meaning (loan renditions) or stimulate the creation of neologisms (loan creations) (Weinreich 1953: 51). PE BSE Original Source (Urdu unless otherwise indicated) Keep fasts fast Roza rakhna (=fast keeping). Four-twenty Scoundrel, cheat or swindler The section 420 of the Indian Penal code used to refer to cheats etc. also used in IE (see Nihalani: 85)..

[Audio] Hybrids Weinreich distinguishes between those in which ‘the item is transferred and a derivative affix reproduced’ and those in which, ‘the stem is indigenous and affix transferred’ Kachru classifies these as hybrids with ‘South Asian item as head’ and as ‘modifier’ e.g. Lathi-charge (an attack by police with batons); police thana (police station); zamindari system (system of ownership of land and collecting revenue on it); Hybrids used only in PE refer either to Islam or to distinctive aspects of Pakistani culture e.g. Ushr tax (an Islamic tax on land); * Zakat ordinance (a law meant to impose an Islamic tax); Nikah ceremony (the narriage irtes according to Islam); * Bismillah ceremony (a ceremony at which a child starts learning how to read the Quran); Aqiqa ceremony (a ceremony at which a child is named); *Ittar bottle (a bottle containing a special type of scent); Eid card (a greeting card sent at the festival of Eid); *Goonda tax (illegal extortion of money through force)..

[Audio] Innovations Some lexical items are created in non-native Englishes. These are not always like the loan creations defined by Weinreich as created ‘by the need to match designative available in a language in contact’ (1953: 51). Certain words are also coined through affixation (-ism, ation such as mullahism or Islamization) as explained by Baumgardner (ET, Jan 1990: 60-62) For Example Cantonment Ladies’ fingers Dickey Bed-tea Stepney Peon Tiffin Playback (singer).