Code-Switching and Pragmatic Meaning in Multilingual Pakistan: A Socio-pragmatic Study of Indigenous Languages in Urban and Rural Settings

Abstract

Pakistan is a linguistically diverse country characterized by the coexistence of multiple indigenous languages alongside Urdu and English. In such a multilingual ecology, code-switching—the alternation between two or more languages within a single interaction—has emerged as a central communicative strategy. This study investigates code-switching not merely as a structural linguistic phenomenon but as a socio-pragmatic resource through which speakers construct identity, negotiate power, signal solidarity, and manage interpersonal relationships. Specifically, the study examines how speakers of indigenous languages such as Punjabi, Saraiki, Sindhi, and Pashto alternate with Urdu and English in urban and rural settings of Pakistan. Adopting a mixed-method approach, the research draws upon 48 hours of recorded natural conversations, 30 semi-structured interviews, and 120 survey questionnaires collected from urban centers (Lahore, Karachi, Multan) and rural communities in Punjab and Sindh. The data were analyzed using interactional sociolinguistics, the Markedness Model, and socio-pragmatic theory to identify patterns, motivations, and pragmatic functions of code-switching. Findings reveal significant differences between urban and rural speakers in both frequency and function of code-switching. Urban speakers display frequent integration of English into Urdu and regional languages, often indexing modernity, education, and global affiliation. Rural speakers primarily alternate between indigenous languages and Urdu, using code-switching for accommodation, clarification, and institutional alignment. Social variables such as age, gender, and educational background strongly correlate with switching behavior. The study concludes that code-switching in Pakistan functions as meaningful social action rather than linguistic deficiency and calls for pedagogical and policy recognition of multilingual repertoires.