A Diachronic Study of Political Press Reportage in Pakistani Print Media: A Multidimensional Analysis

Abstract

This diachronic study examines the political press reportage in Pakistani print media over a decade (2009-2019), applying Douglas Biber's multidimensional (MD) analysis model to uncover the distinct characteristics of Pakistani English, a non-native variety shaped by cultural, social, and postcolonial influences. The research aims to establish the independent identity of Pakistani English through an in-depth linguistic comparison with British English, focusing on the political journalism register.

The study draws on a comprehensive corpus of 4810 political news articles from six leading newspapers, three from Pakistan and three from the UK. Data collection entailed a meticulous process of selecting texts to ensure a representative sample of political reportage, capturing variations across different years and sources. The analysis focuses on five textual dimensions identified by Biber, examining co-occurring linguistic features and their evolution over time.

Key findings reveal that Pakistani political press reportage exhibits significant linguistic variations compared to British press reportage. The Pakistani texts show a higher degree of informational content, especially in the earlier years of the [1]study, aligning with the needs of a less educated audience. However, this trend demonstrates a decline in later years, suggesting an improvement in readership standards and a shift towards more sophisticated reporting. Conversely, British newspapers maintain a relatively stable level of informational content, reflecting a more educated audience and consistent reporting standards.

The study also highlights the impact of external factors, such as cross-cultural interactions, and internal factors, like audience literacy levels and socio-political contexts, on the linguistic features of Pakistani political press reportage. These influences contribute to the dynamic and adaptive nature of Pakistani English, underscoring its divergence from British English.

This research makes a significant contribution to the field of World Englishes by providing empirical evidence of the distinctiveness of Pakistani English through the lens of political press reportage. The findings underscore the importance of register variation studies in understanding the multifaceted nature of language evolution across different cultural contexts. The study calls for further exploration of other registers within Pakistani English to fully capture its unique characteristics and ongoing development as a distinct variety of English.