Title: Language and Education: English is the Linguistic Capital and Mandarin the Emerging Language in Pakistan
Stream: Foreign Languages Education & Applied Linguistics (including ESL/TESL/TEFL)
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Munaza Hasan Nasir, Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan
Abstract:
This research aims to find out the emerging linguistic landscape and the attitude of parents of school going children toward various languages used in urban Pakistan. The results of this research can be used by policy makers concerned with language in education. It is a qualitative study that is based on 26 semi-structured interviews of urban Punjabi parents of students who go to private English medium schools. In-depth interviews revealed data that was later analyzed by coding and deriving themes. It was shown that parents consider English as the most important language for success of their children, both nationally and internationally. They believed that English is the required linguistic capital for better career opportunities, promotions, better social standing and for exerting symbolic power. Parents are willing to spend a significant amount of their salary to ensure that their children are fluent in English. It was noted that majority of the Punjabi parents interviewed did not want their children to learn Punjabi that is the L1 of these Parents. Mandarin is the new emerging language in Pakistan followed by German, French, and Arabic in the order of their significance. Owing to China Pakistan Economic Corridor job opportunities for Pakistanis who know Mandarin has increased that has resulted in interest in learning Mandarin. The results of this research show that although Mandarin is the emerging language in the country, English is still considered the most significant linguistic capital.
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