SINDHI LANGUAGE VITALITY IN URBAN SETTINGS: INVESTIGATING PATTERNS AND SPEAKER CHOICES

Abstract

This study examines the intricate dynamics of language maintenance and shift among young Sindhi-speakers in Sanghar. This qualitative research explores the ways in which community attitudes, institutional practices, and intergenerational language transmission affect language choices and patterns. The survey data reveals a clear shifting from Sindhi to Urdu and English in a number of social strata and focus group findings add to this effect. Though Sindhi language continues to be commonly used language in homes; due to social pressure, urban migration and official status, its use in the public sphere is restricted. Patterns of contextual code-switching, emotional attachment to Sindhi, and growing concerns over its waning intergenerational transmission are revealed by thematic analysis. The participants’ strong desire to maintain Sindhi as a cultural identity marker in spite of the dominance of Urdu and English highlights the necessity of inclusive language policies and community-driven revitalization initiatives. In addition to providing insights for maintaining linguistic diversity in the face of sociocultural change the study advances an understanding of language practices in multilingual societies.