A Survey Of Phonological Characteristics Of Pakistani English

Abstract

The study is an attempt to investigate and describe the phonological features of Pakistani English, an emerging variety of non-native Englishes. The study analyzes the pronunciation patterns concerning its phonemes, borrowed from indigenous languages, and stress patterns. English holds a de-facto official status in Pakistan, along with Urdu, which is also the national language of the country. The data is collected from students of BS English, University of Sargodha. The participants are purposefully selected and divided into three groups based on their mother tongues, i.e. Pushto speakers, Punjabi speakers, and Urdu speakers. The study attempts to iden[1]tify key phonetic peculiarities of Pakistani English, exploring how these idiosyncrasies are manifested in speech. Specifically, the study examines tendencies towards assimilation with indigenous languages, including the softening and reduction of certain sounds, the emergence of retroflex articulations, and substitution of interdental consonants with dental occlusives. Moreover, variations in stress patterns are analyzed, shedding light on the influence of linguistic and socio-cultural factors shaping the phonology of Pakistani English. Through descriptive-analytical method, the study provides an understanding of the essential mechanisms driving phonetic adaptation in Pakistani English.