LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 11 November 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Exploration of forms and functions of Tag Questions in Pakistani English

Muhammad Asim Mahmood, Ph.D. and Zahida Hussain, M.Phil.

Abstract

The present research contributes in the exploration of the similarity or difference among Pakistani English and the native varieties. The study observes the formal and functional features of tag questions in Pakistani Written English Corpus. It follows the model used and presented by Axelsson for the analysis of tag questions. The results reveal that, in terms of form, Pakistani writers avoid the non-standard tags and follow the set patterns of the native English writers. Most of the tags are used with the declarative anchors; however, imperative anchors are also found, but interrogative and exclamative anchors are avoided. Both constant and reversed polarities are found, however, the latter with higher frequency. In terms of functions, the writers have used to mitigate the intensity of command or the event. Tag questions perform the similar functions as in the native varieties of English. The study reveals that Pakistani English conforms to the native varieties in some features such as in tag questions.

Introduction

The voices of ‘World Englishes’ cannot remain unheard in the present age. Researchers across the world are contributing in this comparatively new-emerging field. Many non-native varieties of English have been acknowledged as separate varieties which have been indigenized in the course of time. The same efforts are in progress in Pakistan where scholars are trying to highlight the linguistic and cultural differences among the native English varieties and the one used in Pakistan. Their remarkable efforts are to bring these differences to the conscious level of common people who may feel at home while using the indigenized variety of English. The present study contributes in this field by exploring the formal and functional features of tag questions found in Pakistani English.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Muhammad Asim Mahmood, Ph.D.
masimrai@gmail.com

Zahida Hussain, M.Phil.
zhussain844@gmail.com

Government College University
Faisalabad, Pakistan
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