Competitive Linguistic Research Journal

Bilingual Children and Their Cognitive Development from Sociolinguistic Point of ‎Views

Bilal bin Zarar — 2023-05-30

On tasks assessing executive functioning, bilingual children do better than monolinguals, according to numerous research; nevertheless, some studies have not shown any connection between bilingualism and performance. In this study, three groups of 6-to 7-year-old Sindhi bilingual kids were compared to a monolingual control group. Specifically, we wanted to see if the sociolinguistic context of language use affected the bilingual cognitive advantage. A minority language other than the country's major language—Urdu—was introduced to all three bilingual groups. Three multilingual groups were exposed to three different languages: Sindhi, the language of Punjab, and Urdu, the language of the country. ‎Two verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks as well as two attentional tasks were completed by all of the kids. When it came to selective attention, bilingual kids did better than monolingual kids. In the Sindhi-Urdu group and in a subgroup of migrant children who were quite good in Punjabi, the cognitive impact of bilingualism was most evident. In the Udu-Punjabi sample, the effect was not as strong. A study examining the interference suppression test's response patterns revealed that bilingual kids are more likely than monolingual kids to exhibit the effect of response competition, indicating that they pay attention to distinct elements. There was no impact of bilingualism on verbal or visuospatial working memory.

Morphology of Agglutinative Languages: A Fusional Learning of Under-Resourced ‎Language‎

Aftab Saqib Durrani — 2023-05-30

This study presents a new and efficient method for mechanically breaking down words into their stem and suffixes. Examples of fusional and agglutinating languages are Burushaski and Shina. We employ a modest number of word-pairs as training data instead of corpus counts, which can be especially useful for languages with limited resources. We first learn a tree of aligned suffix rules (TASR) from word pairs in fusional languages. Using suffix rule frequency and rule subsumption, the tree is constructed top-down, going from general to specific rules. It is then executed bottom-up, meaning that the most specific rule that fires is selected. A word form is divided into a stem and suffix sequence using TASR.‎ Learning through generation is crucial for accurate stem extraction in fusional languages. The suffix sequence is then segmented using an unsupervised segmentation algorithm called graph-based unsupervised suffix segmentation (GBUSS). GBUSS makes use of a suffix graph in which node merging produces suffix sequences under the direction of an information-theoretic metric. Experiments on Shina validate the approach, which is demonstrated to be quite successful. For word breakdown in agglutinating languages, only the GBUSS is required. For Burushaski, promising experimental findings are obtained.‎

Regional Languages of Pakistan and Sustainable Developmental Goals: A Systematic ‎Perspective

Zia Ullah Niazi — 2023-05-30

This essay examines the situation of Pakistan's indigenous languages as well as the social and economic systems that jeopardize the rich linguistic legacy of the nation. Indigenous languages and traditions are vanishing at a startling rate on a global scale. The country of Pakistan is home to almost 70 different languages, several of which have subcategories within itself. The survival of numerous distinctive linguistic variations is gravely threatened in Pakistan as well.‎ In the paper, I provide case studies of instances where a native language is being preserved in the face of pressure from a more powerful language, as well as instances where a community's ancestral language is giving way to a more dominant language. These studies aim to identify the underlying causes of the phenomena of language maintenance and loss in Pakistan. Upon closer examination, it becomes evident that these concerns bear a strong connection to the topic of sustainable development. Communities of speakers who also teach the language to the next generation are necessary for languages to survive. ‎Only in areas with a livable environment and a means of subsistence can communities flourish. The socioeconomic struggles small communities experience is linked to the global loss of languages, and these struggles are linked to the methods used by contemporary civilizations to pursue economic progress. One of the paper's conclusions is that local communities' empowerment is a key component of effective, sustainable development, and that rather than displacing local cultures, languages, and the knowledge they contain, efforts made in this direction should strengthen them.‎

Higher Education in Pakistan: A Review of Local Languages‎

Faiza Rana — 2023-05-30

Pakistan, a nation with multiple languages, has many issues with language planning in higher education. There are issues with students' difficulty with English, the restricted role of regional languages, and the absence of necessary materials in Urdu. This study presents the results of a statewide survey that included 2136 students, 121 subject and English professors from public and private colleges and universities in Pakistan's main cities, and 63 parents who filled out the survey. The survey looks at the following topics: the students' backgrounds; their mother tongue and/or regional language proficiency and usage; their attitudes toward languages; the quality and accessibility of materials; the function of regional languages in education; and language and sociocultural results. ‎The findings show a shift in language among regional speakers who exhibit poor mother tongue/regional language proficiency and usage in both formal and informal contexts. Additionally, they have bad attitudes about their native tongues, as evidenced by their propensity to learn in English and Urdu at all educational levels. The report suggests implementing a language policy in schools that supports cultural diversity and gives Pakistani minority languages official recognition.‎

Indigenous Languages and Pakistani Language Policies and their Impacts

Madiha Mohsin — 2023-05-30

Speakers of all languages feel more invested when language planning and policies are thoughtfully formulated. Conversely, its absence could result in unequal power dynamics between multilingual speakers. The purpose of this article is to critically analyze Pakistan's language planning and policy (LPP) and how it affects the country's indigenous languages. The study makes use of secondary data sources, including policy documents, scholarly articles about language planning and policy in Pakistan, and the opinions of language critics.‎ The data indicates that the language policies that Pakistan has developed over the years have not been successful since the country's multilingual linguistic profile has not been given due respect. Opponents contend that national policy practices favor the use of English and Urdu at the expense of native languages. The stance on language planning and policy (LPP) is conflicted; while some provinces addressed it as a delicate issue, others completely disregarded it. Overall, colonial influences can be seen in language planning and policy (LPP). While Urdu led to ethnolinguistic resistance, the promotion of English led to its rise as a symbol of power and status.‎ Thus, through efficient LPP, there is an urgent need to foster unity with all languages, recognize them, and give them equal opportunity for advancement. The research's results emphasize the need to give all indigenous languages equal opportunities for development in practice. It is advised that Pakistan revise its language policy and strategy. There could be disastrous outcomes if the unequal growth scenario continues and the local ethnolinguistic communities' ongoing profound sense of deprivation is not lessened.‎