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- Title
English and Mandarin: The Question of Linguistic Capital and the Emerging Language in Pakistan.
- Authors
Nasir, Munaza Hasan
- Abstract
This research examines parental attitudes towards various languages used in urban Punjab, Pakistan with a specific focus on school-going children. The findings of the research are viewed through the lens of Bourdieu's linguistic capital theory and the study's outcomes hold relevance for educational policymakers. It is a qualitative study that is based on 26 semi-structured interviews of urban Punjabi parents of students who go to elite private English medium schools. In-depth interviews revealed data that was subjected to coding and thematic analysis. The findings reveal that parents consider English the most important language for their children's success, both nationally and internationally. English emerges as the preeminent linguistic capital for better career opportunities, job promotions, better social standing, and for exerting symbolic power. It was noted that despite Punjabi being the mother tongue of these parents, the majority of the Punjabi parents interviewed did not want their children to learn Punjabi. Owing to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, job opportunities for Pakistanis who know Mandarin have increased which has resulted in interest in learning Mandarin. Mandarin is the new emerging language in Pakistan followed by German, French, and Arabic in the order of their significance. Nevertheless, this research underscores that despite Mandarin's emergence, English remains the dominant linguistic capital within the nation. These findings not only contribute to our comprehension of language attitudes but also bear implications for the design of educational policies that reflect the prevailing linguistic landscape.
- Subjects
PAKISTAN; PUNJAB; PARENT attitudes; ENGLISH language; ATTITUDES toward language; SOCIAL status; SOFT power (Social sciences); NATIVE language
- Publication
Kashmir Journal of Language Research, 2023, Vol 26, Issue 1, p41
- ISSN
1028-6640
- Publication type
Article