Language, Power and Prestige: A Sociolinguistic study of attitudes among Pakistani University Students towards English language

Abstract

This research looks into how university students in Pakistan see English and what they think it means in terms of its status as a formal means (thus associated) of being superior to others because of superiority to them, or how much better they are than them on an academic level. Students perceive that when they do not have an adequate command of English (due to low or inadequate levels of education) it consequently has a negative impact on their social status, academic performance and professional qualifications when compared to other students. Using Bourdieu's theory of ‘linguistic capital’, the research has established that proficiency in English within higher education in Pakistan is a significant factor in forming one's identity, developing self confidence through academic success and creating barriers to entry into social hierarchies that exist within Pakistan's many cultural and linguistic populations. The research used a quantitative methodological approach by using a structured (22-item) Likert scale, questionnaire distributed (100) to students attending public and private universities across the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. Overall, there was a significantly positive response (mean approx. 4.5–4.7) regarding the importance of the English language on academic success and (approx. 4.5–4.7) on providing a pathway to professional opportunity, and (mean approx. 4.0–4.5) regarding social prestige. However, there were also ways for this to be negatively impacted by the English language such as having psychological barriers to success established by students with poor English skills (e.g., students feel inferior to their peers, they feel shame due to their accent and they experience a conflict between their own cultural identity with their level of proficiency in the English language). In conclusion, the finding indicates that those who attend English-language schools (whether public or private) have a significant and systematic advantage (in terms of educational attainment and educational attainment compared to those who attend Urdu-language schools) over those who attend Urdu-language schools. Further, there was nearly universal agreement among students of English-language schools on the existence of linguistic discrimination and structural inequity. While there is awareness among participants of the inequalities that exist in Pakistani higher education with respect to English and other regional languages as a result of colonialism, the consensus among participants was that institutions should implement plans to achieve greater levels of linguistic equity (mean score: 4.3 to 4.6). Overall, this research adds to existing knowledge of the interrelationship between language, power, and identity in post-colonial Pakistan by demonstrating that there is still a colonial legacy of linguistic hierarchies within higher education settings today. The outcomes of this research will assist policymakers with creating language policies that encourage balance between the instrumental value placed on English and the value of promoting linguistic diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education in Pakistan.