TRANSCULTURAL LEXICON: EXPLORING URDU LOANWORDS IN ENGLISH WITHIN PAKISTANI LITERARY NARRATIVES

Abstract

This work investigates Pakistani English as an independent variety influenced by its distinct style, vocabulary choices, and integration of Indo-Pak culture. Focusing on three seminal novel, Moth Smoke (2000) by Mohsin Hamid, it examines the impact of cultural-specific vocabulary on Pakistani English literature. Employing a qualitative descriptive techniques, the study explores how borrowing, hybridization, code-mixing, and word for word translation are utilized to depict facets of Indo-Pakistani culture such as religion, attire, cuisine, history, and societal norms. The sampling for this study is purposive, focusing on postcolonial novel that prominently features Urdu loanwords. The analysis underscores that the novel employs Urdu loanwords to great extent and Punjabi loanwords to some extent, driven by the need to maintain linguistic fluency and to assert the distinctiveness of Pakistani English. The methodology integrates qualitative techniques to analyze the prevalence and function of borrowed words within the texts, drawing on theoretical frameworks by Vinay and Darbelnet for word formation processes and Kachru’s models for understanding linguistic borrowing. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the role of local languages in shaping Pakistani English literature and suggests avenues for future research into the broader linguistic influences within this literary context.