Code-Switching in Pakistani TV Talk Shows: A Corpus-Based Investigation of Patterns, Functions, and Sociolinguistic Implications

Authors

  • Asma Waseem MPhil English (Linguistics), Department of English Language and Linguistics, University of Sargodha
  • Rabia Faiz Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Sargodha.
  • Hafiz Ahmad Bilal Professor of English, Higher Education Department Punjab.
  • Naveed Nawaz Ahmad Assistant Professor, Department of English Language and Linguistics, University of Sargodha.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the frequency patterns, practical value, and sociological implications of code switching as indicated in Pakistani TV talk shows. The research aims to focus on integrating corpus-based techniques into a sociolinguistic framework to develop empirical bases for data analysis and systematically examine the frequency of intersentential and intrasentential code switching (Poplack, 2001) and the role of marked and unmarked linguistic choices (Myers-Scotton, 1994) in relation to social variables. A specialized corpus was compiled using Pakistani talk shows with varying themes, namely Off the Record, Jirga, Report Card, Dunya Kamran Khan k Sath, and Mazaaq Raat. These episodes were selected through careful and systematic stratified sampling. The corpus analysis tool AntConc 3.5.9 was used to generate word lists and concordance lines to evaluate frequencies and linguistic patterns and to observe pragmatic roles. This study provides a detailed empirical analysis and contributes to the broader discussion of the role of bilingualism and multilingualism in Pakistani media.

Keywords: Code-switching, corpus analysis, TV talk shows, AntConc

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Published

2026-06-06

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): Liberal Journal of Language & Literature Review

Section

Articles