Introduction of Impacts of Bilingualism

Table of Contents
Introduction

1.1 Background and language distribution

1.2 Background of language
1.2.1 Colonial period education and language system
1.2.2 Language teaching and policy in Pakistan
1.2.3 How Pakistan’s language in education policy has evolved during 70 years
1.3 Statement of the problem
1.4 Aptitude
1.5 Research objectives
1.6 Research questions
1.7 Rationale
1.8 Delimitations of the research

Introduction:

Urdu is used as a Lingua France by the people of different cultural background in Pakistan and it is a

necessary part of the whole education system. 70% of Pakistani population belongs to rural background and

approximately 30 % belong to urban areas. Every age group has its own requirement so teaching and usage of

language should be according to that age group is an important factor for discussion.

In a multilingual society of Pakistan, the attitude of the youth of Punjab are shifting their language towards

Urdu and English language both in pure form of languages and in the form of bilingualism. The pure language

usage is finishing day by day and new languages are formed in the form of bilingualism upon the cost of their
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language and cultural identities. There is a dire need to eradicate the cultural-shame associated with local

languages especially Punjabi language and with the pure language usage. Day by day the number of Punjabi

language users shifted their loyalties towards Urdu and English languages and the mixture of these languages in

the form of code switching. The root causes of these language shifts are numerous for instance, lack of prestige,

linguistic shame, low economic and social value of Punjabi language etc. Therefore, the need is to reconsider the

unbalanced language policies of Pakistan in order to ensure the sustainability of pure regional languages like

Punjabi and Urdu.

1.1 Background and language distribution:

Pakistan due to colonial background and because of being a developing country is following the languages

of the developed countries. English is taught and used at every level of education in Pakistan. For the

communication with the other countries in today’s time, the communication language should be common used

as a Lingua Franca. English plays the role of Lingua Franca in today’s whole world. Due to the development of

the time, maximum of the knowledge and development were done by America and European countries. Due to

that developmental work the knowledge is automatically acquired through their languages. English is used in

America, Britain and some other countries who are pioneer of that development, to get benefit from that

knowledge, English language is going to be followed by the maximum of the developing countries.

The languages used as a first language distribution by population in Pakistan

Language Percentage of population

Punjabi with its dialects ( Punjabi, Saraiki, 49.3%

Hindko, Pahari-Potohari)

Pushto 12.0%

Sindhi 11.7%

Urdu 6.8%

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Balochi 3.6%

Brahui 1.3%

Farsi 0.6%

55 other languages 14%

Table 1.1

1.2 Background of language:

1.2.1 Colonial period education and language system:

India is influenced by Persian and Arabic culture before the British rule. Urdu, Hindi, Sindhi and

Sanskrit were the major languages of the sub-continent. After taking the control of India under British rule,

Urdu and Hindi was the medium of instruction for the masses and English is used as an instruction for Elites.

Sanskrit of Hindus, Punjabi of Muslims in Punjab, Persian and Sindhi lost their contact with educational

background. Therefore, the people related to that language and culture automatically cut the roots of education,

and the population seen Britishers as a ruler and them self as a slave also cut their educational process;

automatically in the practical aspect, these people not only lost cultural progress but also going backward in the

field of education and practical fields like jobs, administration and civil services as well. During that period

Urdu, Sanskrit and English were used as a medium of instruction.

1.2.2 Language teaching and policy in Pakistan:

Pakistan is a multilingual country in which multi systems of education are working. At early levels of

education, English is taught as a subject in normal state schools, while in Elite sector, English is used as a

medium of instruction and mode of communication for Elite and military schools. Higher education is mostly

dependent upon English language especially in science and technology changing the fast growing world.

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 People in Pakistan learn English as a third language having English as a status of an official language. The

students from early level, learn English through GTM and locally created methods of teaching. So their learning

vocabulary, language and structure are more focused but because of being third language, students may not be

able to communicate in English even after graduation.

From the creation of Pakistan, Urdu is used as a lingua franca to keep the whole nation intact and English is

used as an official language of Pakistan. The second main factor to give the importance to English language is

the dependency and importance of Elite class in their routine and official use to that language then local

languages. On the other hand, the religious factors in Pakistan might have been a major cause of difficulty in

learning English because Pakistan, historically, had a strong religious, social and cultural relationship with Arab

and Persian countries and their culture. Urdu is also a driven language from Arabic and Persian languages that’s

why culture and books of studies are also have an Islamic touch in it. The Teaching of English is necessary and

multi methods and policies are used at every level of education.

Pakistani categories of school-level of education:

Elite English medium schools

Private non-elite ‘English medium’ schools

Military schools

Government Urdu medium schools

Madrassa System

The usage and teaching of language in Pakistan is important due to colonial background of Sub continent. After

the division of India, Pakistan has moulded its education system according to its needs. The language policy of

Pakistan has been changed throughout the history of Pakistan in different periods of governments. The policies

are created according to the observation of the needs of the country, scope and developments in the whole

world.
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The first development in this respect was done in first educational conference of Pakistan (27 November 1st

December 1947) in which Urdu is used as a Lingua franca and the medium of instruction in Pakistan (Punjab,

NWFP, Baluchistan and Kashmir region). While in Sindh, Sindhi language also takes part as a medium of

instruction in province while the migrated and the mohajir of Karachi have also used Urdu as their first

language. Pakistan is a multilingual country having dozens of languages as a mother tongue in its different parts.

Urdu of mohajirs especially in Karachi and Hyderabad, Sindhi in Rural Sindh and Karachi, Punjabi, Saraiki and

Potohari in Punjab, Pashto, Brahvi and Kashmiri in Pakistani controlled Kashmir and Balochi in Province of

Baluchistan.

In Ayub’s regime, national education commission started to demolish the differences which were created in the

older periods. The prejudice created differences in the nation particularly Sindhi, Balochi and Urdu took in front

as an issue. Ayub’s period could not practically finish that differences and the status of English as an official

language of Pakistan has been strengthened due to strong economy and economic ties with USA a European

nation. It is thought in Pakistan that Urdu is the language of Islam and most relevant language of Islam, while

English due to colonial background of Britishers, and is thought to be an anti-Islamic language. In Nawaz Sharif

education policy of 1998 Urdu was made compulsory for secondary and higher secondary level and medium of

instruction for social studies and Islamic education books. The Musharraf’s period proved to be the period of

science and technology. The most of the developments in that sector were done by Americans and Europeans

that’s why English is more focused and developed in that period. In approximately two decades of 21st century,

the world has undergone huge changes in the field of science and technology having more dependency upon

English speaking nations that’s why English has used as a Lingua Franca of the world in many countries.

Pakistan has to be more dependent upon English due to economic, social, cultural, social, security and

technological developmental situation in the country.

1.2.3 How Pakistan’s language in education policy has evolved during 70 years.

Year Event Policy matter

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Pre-1947 British Colonial Period Urdu medium for masses,
English medium for elite
As policy

1947 Independence Urdu is declared as a national

language and medium for masses, English as a
medium for elite

1959 Sharif Primary and Urdu secondary and

Commission education will be in education higher
would be in English.

1973 New English will be replaced by Urdu within 15 years and provinces
constitution free to develop their own language policies

1977 Coup by Zia-ul Haq English will be taught from Year 4 and schools will be prepared
Islamization and Urdu for complete Urdu development and exams to be held in Urdu
development. from
1989 private English medium schools begin to
grow

1989 Benazir Bhutto’s policy English will be taught from Year 1 Little effective change Urdu
as an effective medium of instruction

1998 New education No regular policy about language development

policy Private English medium schools flourished in
that period

1999 Pervez Regime English will be taught from Year 1 e the teachers
Musharraf’s and an effective change wherare available.

2007 White Paper English will be taught from Year 1;

mathematics and science to be
taught through English from
Year 6
Little effective change in Punjab

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 science taught from through English
Year 10.

2009 National Science and taught through maths will English in be

Education Policy grades
4 and 5, science and
mathematics to be taught
through English from 2014
Punjab declares science to be
taught through English starting in
Year 4 from April 2009

Table 1.2

1.3 Statement of the problem:

In multilingual society of Pakistan, Punjabi language is used as mother tongue having the status of first

language of maximum of Punjabi community, Urdu used as a national language and lingua franca and English

is used as an official language and converting as a medium of instruction with the passage of time from Urdu

to English as well. The emerging issue associated in Pakistani society is the preference’s trend of people about

the usage of national language Urdu or English for their communicative purpose. The young generation of

Pakistan prefers either Urdu or English language in formal and informal situations. Hence, the researcher has

tried to identify the attitudes of youth towards Urdu language as youth is shifting its language from Urdu to

English in order to ensure its modernization. There is a developing trend of using bilingualism or code

switching in Pakistani society.

1.4 Aptitude:

Carroll & Sapon (1963) created the Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) which was designed to predict

success foreign language learning, provides us with the following four types of abilities that constitute

aptitude:

i. Phonemic coding ability (discriminates and encodes foreign sounds) ii. Grammatical sensitivity

(recognizes functions of words in sentences) iii. Inductive language learning ability (infers or
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 induces rules from samples) iv. Memory and learning (makes and recalls associations between

words and phrases in L1 and L2).

For Language-learning, aptitude can not be differentiated from general cognitive abilities, as described by

intelligence tests but it is far from the same thing. Moreover, aptitude can only predict success in second

language acquisition; it cannot explain the reasons behind it (Skehan; 1989).

1.5 Research Objectives:

The purpose of study is to analyze.

1. Identify the perception/ attitude of youth towards usage of Urdu language.

2. The usage of code switching or mixture of language and its preference in the society

3. The effects of bilingualism upon Urdu language in the society

4. To discover the current status of Urdu, Punjabi and English language in youth of Punjab

5. To figure out the factors affecting Urdu language usage among youth

6. To identify the reasons of language shift occurring within the Punjab

7. To highlight the significance of national language Urdu in promoting linguistic and cultural diversity and

multilingualism

8. To identify the attitude of youth towards Urdu and English using as a mix language

9. To identify the attitude of youth towards Urdu and Punjabi using as a mix language

1.6 Research Questions:

1. What is the attitude of youth towards usage of Urdu /language?

2. What are the preferences of language use in Punjab?

3. What are the effects of bilingualism upon Urdu language in the society?

4. What is the current status of Urdu, Punjabi and English language in youth of Punjab?

5. What are the factors affecting Urdu language usage among youth?

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6. What are the reasons of language shift occurring within the Punjab?

7. What is the significance of national language Urdu in society?

8. What is the attitude of youth towards Urdu and English using as a mix language?

9. What is the attitude of youth towards Urdu and Punjabi using as a mix language?

1.7 Rationale:

“Attitude of the language is a trend of using the language in communication belongs to different societies or

language varieties of their own society” (Richards et al. 1992)”.

The rationale of conducting this research work is to identify the behavioral attitudes of youth of Punjab

towards Urdu, English and Punjabi and the mixture of either of the both languages. Recent researchers on

Urdu language movements have explored the decline of Urdu language and the purity of Urdu in Punjab. This

research study will investigate the current status of Urdu, English and Punjabi languages in Punjab and further

explore the root-causes of status of Urdu in Punjab, Pakistan. The study will also find out the factors affecting

Urdu, English and Punjabi language usage among youth and the pure usage of Urdu language in Punjab. The

study will emphasize the significance of national language in promoting linguistic and cultural diversity and

its role as Lingua Franca in the society. The study finally will suggest the situation of sage of English or Urdu

or the mixture of both languages in the form of code switching at provincial level for the promotion of national

language in the society.

1.8 Delimitations of the research:

1. Only students of universities were made a part of this survey. The diversity of the student’s background is

the main reason for selecting the sample from the institutes of Lahore because students for higher education

in Punjab came to Lahore for their education. Therefore, only educated persons from youth were taken as

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 a sample of this research study. The results may be changed if uneducated persons of youth were included

in the survey too.

2. It is a cross-sectional study and the data was collected in a limited period of time. The result could have

been more accurate if that study had been in longitudinal way rather than cross-sectional. The longitudinal

study can give a result of deeper insight into the language trends/attitudes of the sample persons. The

longitudinal study gives the analysis of language attitudes becomes more accurate as it can provide the

extent to which attitudes have changed and the extent to which the attitudes may change.

The anticipated obstacles and hindrances were:

i. Volunteers might withdraw from the study by filling half questionnaire. ii.

Respondents might show non-serious attitudes filling up the questionnaire.

iii. As the age group was restricted from 15-35, respondents who do not fall in this age group might fill up

the questionnaire as the researcher could not ask each and every respondent his/her age

These problems were sort out by not including the questionnaires with mal-responses in the survey.

Moreover, respondents who did not fall in the selected age group were also excluded from the survey To

find out the factors affecting Urdu language usage among youth.

3 To identify the reasons of language shift occurring within the Punjab.

4 To highlight the significance of national language Urdu in promoting linguistic and cultural diversity and

multilingualism.

5 To identify the attitude of youth towards Urdu and English using as a mix language.

6 To identify the attitude of youth towards Urdu and Punjabi using as a mix languages

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