SILENCE, SPEECH, AND SUBJECTIVITY: A PSYCHOANALYTIC DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF LINGUISTIC EXPRESSION IN CONTEMPORARY PAKISTANI FICTION

Abstract

This study examines the complex interplay between silence, speech, and subjectivity in contemporary Pakistani fiction, challenging the assumption that language functions as a transparent medium of expression. Specifically, it addresses the problem that existing scholarship largely overlooks the psychoanalytic and discursive dimensions of linguistic expression, particularly the role of silence as a meaning-producing element. The study aims to analyze how silence and speech operate as complementary discursive strategies in constructing subjectivity, while also exploring how psychoanalytic concepts such as repression, desire, and lack are embedded in linguistic patterns. The study is grounded in an integrated theoretical framework combining Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and psychoanalytic theory, particularly Freudian and Lacanian perspectives. Data were drawn from selected contemporary Pakistani fictional texts and were analyzed qualitatively using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of discourse analysis alongside psychoanalytic interpretation. Linguistic features such as pauses, ellipses, and fragmented dialogue were systematically examined. The findings revealed that silence functions as an active discursive strategy rather than a passive absence, and that speech and silence operate interdependently in shaping subjectivity. Furthermore, linguistic patterns reflected unconscious processes, including repression and lack, while also revealing socio-cultural constraints and forms of resistance. These findings have contributed to bridging the gap between discourse analysis and psychoanalytic literary criticism. In conclusion, the study establishes that silence is a productive element of discourse that plays a central role in identity construction. It recommends further interdisciplinary research integrating discourse analysis, psychoanalysis, and corpus-based approaches to deepen understanding of linguistic subjectivity.