REIMAGINING PAKISTANI ENGLISH IN THE AGE OF GLOBALIZATION: FROM POSTCOLONIAL LEGACY TO AN EMERGING GLOBAL RESOURCE

Abstract

This study explores the evolving status of Pakistani English in the contemporary globalized context, investigating how it is shifting from a postcolonial inheritance toward a recognized global linguistic resource. Using a qualitative, document-based approach, ten peer-reviewed academic articles and ten national newspaper editorials were systematically analyzed through thematic, discourse, and comparative textual analysis. The research was guided by a hybrid theoretical framework integrating Kachru’s World Englishes model and Giddens’ theory of globalization, allowing the study to link linguistic structure with broader sociocultural and ideological processes. The findings reveal that Pakistani English has undergone extensive localization and nativization, developing distinct grammatical, phonological, and lexical features that differentiate it from inner-circle varieties. At the same time, it embodies complex sociocultural dynamics: English remains a marker of class and access in education, yet it also serves as a medium of creative expression and digital identity, especially among younger speakers. Evidence from both academic and editorial sources demonstrates that hybridization and code-mixing have become natural strategies of linguistic innovation in Pakistan’s multilingual environment. However, the legitimacy of Pakistani English remains contested due to persistent standard language ideologies and the dominance of British and American norms in educational policy and pedagogy. Overall, the study concludes that Pakistani English represents a vibrant and expanding variety that reflects both the historical legacies of colonialism and the contemporary forces of globalization. Recognizing it as a legitimate variety could enhance linguistic equity, educational inclusivity, and Pakistan’s contribution to the global community of Englishes.