ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI ENGLISH IN ACADEMIC WRITING AT THE TERTIARY LEVEL

Abstract

 This study explores the unique characteristics of Pakistani English (PakE) as it is manifested in the academic writing of Pakistani tertiary level students. Pakistani English can be described as an institutionalized and localized form of English that is influenced by the linguistic influence of Urdu and local languages, cultural and educational practices of Pakistani society. A qualitative descriptive method was used to analyze a hundred essays and assignments across different disciplines. The purpose of this study was to determine the lexical aspects of PakE, the grammatical structures, and the analysis of the differences in the discourse patterns of PakE and Standard English. The results indicate a wide usage of localized words, Urdu influenced phrases, and hybrid lexical forms that do not conform to the native English standards. Article variation, tense simplification, unnecessary prepositions, and inconsistency of subject-verb agreement were also notable. On the discourse level, students tended to use elaborate introductions, reflective commentary and circular organization. On the whole, the research shows that PakE is a contextually based systematic type and emphasizes the necessity to consider it in the context of the World Englishes framework and help students to achieve the global academic writing standards.