THE IMPACT OF THE CHINA-PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (CPEC) ON LINGUISTIC LANDSCAPES AND LANGUAGE PRACTICES IN NORTHERN PAKISTAN: A SOCIOLINGUISTIC EXPLORATION

Abstract

The China-Pak Economic Corridor, or CPEC for short, is an astounding infrastructure and economic project that seems to have changed the social, economic, and even cultural framework of Pakistan, at least where the north of the country is concerned. In this paper, the overall goals are to first examine the effects of the CPEC on the linguistic and language practices in the northern regions of the country, the extent of the introduction of Mandarin and English and the attendant sociolinguistic changes. Research design The study adopts a qualitative research design and focus on the alteration of the language use in public areas, the change of the language practices among local communities, and the socio cultural impacts arising from the changes. The research starts by examining the linguistic environment of regions hosting CPEC’s direct impact, with specific emphasis on Mandarin and English as well as Shina, Pashto, and Balti languages. It is significantly significant that the second language of instruction is Mandarin though the Chinese language as the official language of China is globally recognized since Chinese workers, contractors, and businesses have a crucial role related to CPEC-related projects. That has made people to see Mandarin signs appearing at construction sites, terminals mean of transport and business districts. Likewise, English, which is an official language of Pakistan, has further become more significant in the framework of business, education, and bureaucratic and governmental communications related to CPEC that has led to the processes of multilingualisation of public spheres of the region. The research focuses on how supraterritorial languages have affected local language use with reference to language change. Data indicates that the younger generation, especially in the CPEC areas, is switching Mandarin and English especially due to new employment openings and economic requirements. At the same time, it is made a question of indigenous languages’ subordinate status, which still are actively promoted by indigenous populations in their attempt to persist with language renewal processes. Such result points out the growing contradiction between globalization and localization where Mandarin and Engilsh act as agents of economic mobility and Shina and Balti languages struggle to preserve and find their place. Moreover, the work explores the aspects of the new linguistic culture with the emphasis on language contact and interaction of the global languages with local languages in face-to-face interactions, commerce, and schooling. This is not only a language contact phenomenon but also a form of sociocultural adaptation to the new economic reality. These are pragmatic bilingualisms that have developed to ensure that while the world is going Mandarin and English, indigenous languages are still preserved in social and cultural facets by the local people of northern Pakistan. This phenomenon implies the active relationship between cultural heritage and the process of economic globalization.