PAKISTANI LINGUISTICS

By

 

Dr. Tariq Rahman

 

National Distinguished Professor

 

            The objective of this course is to (I) introduce students to basic concepts in linguistics so as to enable them to understand other books on the subject (2) make these understand the way Pakistani languages are related to issues of power, politics and education. The course, therefore, has two parts.

Part-I              Theoretical Concepts

The following concepts will be taught at a very elementary level.

(i)         What is linguistics?

(ii)        The development of linguistics

(iii)            Phonetics and phonology

(iv)            Morphology

(v)        Syntax

(vi)            Semantics

 

Readings:          Reading 1 and relevant chapters (1 to 10) of Tariq Rahman, Introduction to Linguistics.

PART-2

LANGUAGE IN PAKISTANI SOCIETY

            This part of the course comprises readings which will help the students use sociolinguistic concepts to the language situation of Pakistan. The readings are identified by numbers.

(a)   History of the languages of the Indus Valley (Readings 2 & 3).

(b)        Description of major Pakistani languages (Reading 4).

(c)   Writing (with special reference to the Arabic script as used in Pakistan) (Reading 5)

(d)   Language planning and politics in Pakistan (Reading 6).

(e)   Language and power in Pakistan (Readings 7 & 8).

(f)    Varieties of Language, diglossia and its occurrence in Pakistan (Reading 9).

(g)        International languages and linguistic domination (Reading 10).

(h)   The minor languages of Pakistan (Reading 11).

(j)    The concept of language death (Reading 12).

(k)   Language and education in Pakistan (Reading 13).

 

Evaluation

         Students will take three tests and two exercises as sessionals. There will be an examination in the end of the course. In some courses students may opt for a brief essay in lieu of two tests.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Readings

Part-1

Rahman, Tariq. 1997. An Introduction to Linguistics Lahore: Vanguard (relevant chapters only).

Harris, Marvin. 1987. Cultural Anthropology New York: Harper Row Publishers.

Culler, Jonathan. 1998. Saussure (chapter 3)

 

Part-2

Rahman, Tariq. 1996a. ‘Languages of the Proto-Histeric Indus Valley’ The Mankind Quarterly XXXVI: 384 (Spring/Summer 1996), pp. 221-246. Also in Language, Education and Culture (Oxford University Press 1999), chapter 2.

Allchin, Bidget and Raymond. 1982. The Rise of Civilization in India and Pakistan (Cambridge University Press) Chapter II.

Zograph, G. A. 1982 Languages of South Asia: A Guide Vol. 3 (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul), chapters 3 & 11.

Grimes, Barbara F (ed). 2000. Ethnologue: 13th edition Entry on ‘Pakistan’.

Rahman, Tariq. 1999. ‘Language Planning and Politics in Pakistan’. In Language Education and Culture (Karachi: Oxford University Press), Chapter. 12.

Rahman, Tariq. 1996b. Language and Politics in Pakistan (Karachi: Oxford University Press), Chapter 1 & 2.

Fasold, Ralph. 1984. ‘Diglossia’. In Sociolinguistics of Society (New York: Blackwell, 1984), Chapter. 2.

Kaye, Alan S. nd. ‘Adaptation of Arabic Script’, Section 62 [Source missing].

Rahman, Tariq. 2003. ‘Language-Teaching and Power’, Indian Social Science Review 5: 1 (2003), 45-6)

Mansoor, Sabiha. 2004. ‘The Medium of Instruction Dilemma’ in Language Policy Planning and Practice (Karachi: Oxford University Press, 2004), chapter 4.

Honey, John. 1997. Language is Power (London: Faber and Faber, 1997), chapter 10.

Skutnabb-Kangas, Tove. 2000. Linguistic Genocide in Education-or Worldwide Diversity and Human Rights (Mahwah; N. J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates), Chapter. 5.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Advanced Reading List

            Books out of this list should be read by the students during the course on their own.

Part-1

Aitichison, Jean. 1976. The Artculate Mammal London.

Aitichison. 1987. Linguistics Kent: Hodder and Stoughton. 3rd ed 1988.

Bloomfield, Leonard. 1933. Language New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Chomsky, Noam. 1957. Syntactic Structures Mouton: The Hague.

_____. 1976. Reflections on Language New York: Pantheon.

Coulmas, Florian. 1969. The Writing Systems of the World Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Culler, Jonathan. 1976. Saussure Glasgow: Fontana/Collins.

Ladefoged, P. 1982. A Course in Phonetics 2nd ed. New York/Harcourt: Brace Jovanovich.

Leech, Geoffrey. 1974. Semantics Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd.

Lenneberg, Eric. H. 1967. Biological Foundations of Language New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Newmeyer, Frederech (ed). 1988. Linguistics: The Cambridge Survey 4 Volumes Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Rahman, Tariq. 1990. Pakistani English: The Linguistic Description of a Non-Native Variety of English Islamabad: National Institute of Pakistan Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University.

Sampson, Geoffrey. 1985. Writing Systems London: Hutchison, 1987.

Saussure, Ferdinand de. 1916. A Course in General Linguistics (trans. From French by Wade Baskim). London: Peter Owen, 1960.

Yule, George. 1985. The Study of Language: An Introduction Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Reading List (Part-2)

Connor, Walker. 1933. Beyond Reason: The Nature of the Ethno-National Bond. In Ethnic and Racial Studies 16:3 (July), 373-389.

Cooper, Robert L. 1989. Language Planning and Social Change Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Haugen, Einar. 1959. ‘Planning for a Standard Language in Modern Norway’, Anthropological Linguistics 1; 3: 8-21.

Phadnis, Urmila. 1989. Ethnicity and National Building in South Asia New Delhi and London: Sage Publications.

Rahman, Tariq. 2002. Language, Ideology and Power Karachi: Oxford University Press.