Language Shift: A Case of Punjabi Language in Sahiwal District, Pakistan.

Abstract

This study inspects the Punjabi language speakers’ attitude which constitutes a threat towards their mother tongue Punjabi in the district of Sahiwal, Punjab where the native users are shifting from their mother tongue to the other language. Questionnaire and observation were used to trace out the trends of shift in this scenario. The results of the study demonstrate that Punjabi speakers are not so much faithful with their native language. This scenario poses a threat to Punjabi language and such speakers’ perceptions have brought the major language of the country at a point where new directions and accords are spreading very rapidly in the speech groups and within a few generations this language can die a disastrous death.

Key words: language, shift, maintenance, loyalty.

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/71-06

Publication date: September 30th 2020