Influence of English on Urdu as a Language

Language is the ability to communicate using words, expressions, gestures, and thoughts. A language is a tool that a speaker uses to convey a message or knowledge. There are more than 6909 languages in the world. Every society and community has its own language which determines their values,  norms and culture. English currently enjoys the status of being the international  language spoken across the globe by all and sundry. Currently, it is enjoying the status of Lingua Franca of the world.  English and Urdu languages have been in contact for about four centuries but their constant contact in South Asia has raised a new question regarding the influence of English the Urdu language.

There is no denial over the fact that English is Lingua Franca of the world. A lot of people use English as the medium of communication across the globe. During this process, many words from local languages become part of the English language in specific regions. The English language is having the ability to inculcate new words from other languages. When two languages come in contact with one another, there is a chance of borrowing words from one another.

Like other languages, English has also borrowed a huge range of words but now English is one of the major donor languages. Before the status of Lingua Franca, English language speakers borrowed words from two major languages spoken in the world i.e. Greek and Latin. Every language goes through various changes. It adopts, evolves and expands. As time goes by, English slowly and gradually gained popularity and spread throughout the world, as British people were ruling over the world through advancements, inventions, and discoveries. The English language also gained popularity and influence on different regions like Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Due to the expansion of the English language across the globe, people accepted and started learning English as a native and second language. In due time, it gained the status of the international language. Borrowing affected most of the languages spoken throughout the world, English is one of them. English is directly influenced by more than a hundred languages of the world.

When a language comes in contact with other languages, different varieties and changes occur in the languages. As English and Urdu started to come in contact in Sub-Continent back in the early 1800s, it introduced different non-native varieties of the language. As English is a more established and organized language in comparison to Urdu, it started to influence Urdu. Urdu has borrowed many terminologies from English. Now Urdu is losing its originality due to the influence of English. In Pakistan, most people often use English words while speaking Urdu. As time goes by, Urdu speakers are borrowing plenty of new words from English. Some of the Urdu words are completely replaced by English words.

Pakistan is a multilingual country, there are about more than 60 languages. English and Urdu are the official languages of Pakistan. In Pakistan, people speak English when they interact with educated people and the elite class. Many Pakistani people believe that English should be learned in order to portray attainment of higher social status. English is a global language and is directly influenced by many languages in the world. In the course of time, Urdu has borrowed words from English. In the last 20 years, the Urdu language has borrowed a number of words from the English language.

Pakistani youth is fond of using the English language in every domain of life as we know English is currently a dominant language in the world and accepted internationally. The English language has a great impact on social media and social networking sites. Most Pakistani in Urban areas have been brought up speaking Urdu and English. Instead of conversing in Urdu in local settings, many of Pakistani lapse into English during the conversation. People who have no proficiency or command on English verily try to sneak in the conversation considering it important for their acceptance in the ‘cooler’ crowd. Scholars and writers are still confused to understand where this trend started, but unconsciously and unknowingly people are getting stuck into the trap.

After the independence of Pakistan, the Urdu language was declared as the national language of Pakistan but the English language was given more importance as English got deep-rooted in our socio-political atmosphere that it got the status of an official language of the country. English entered every domain of life in Pakistan whether educational institutions, industry, technology, commerce or business. Pakistani people need to learn English skillfully, so they can have command on the language and be able to compete with the rest of the world. A lot of developing countries have English as their first language. Thus, English can be a great source for maintaining important international relations with the rest of the world.

           The official language of Pakistan is English since its inception. There is military language, boards of shops, indications of roads, business contracts, different companies, and courts use English. English is taught as compulsory discipline everywhere to the students at the primary and secondary levels. Dawn and The News are the major two newspapers of Pakistan that are published in English. Media and press support English on a vast scale. Many channels are broadcasting in English. It performs different functions like the language of Politics, a medium of instruction in universities, colleges, schools and many academies. Pakistani education has a great influence on English because scientific theories used in Pakistan are in the English language.

         It is a well-documented fact that the contact between English and Urdu has impacted Urdu quite a lot. There is no comparison between the vocabulary and literature of both the languages, as English has plenty of vocabulary, literature, and acceptance across the globe when compared with the Urdu language. Urdu is a language that specifically belongs to Pakistan and is spoken in small numbers in a few other countries. Pakistani people have their culture, folk, religion, customs, rituals, settings which is almost in contrast to the traditions and settings of the English language. Urdu means a great deal to Pakistan and deserves to be promoted in all the facets of life within the nation and across the globe. Pakistani leadership has to maintain and develop the Urdu language into the language of Pakistan that defines it in the global arena. It needs to be given a higher status than is currently afforded to it. The Urdu language reflects Pakistani traditions and culture which is very close to the heart of every individual regardless of their religious, social, economic or other biases. So, Pakistani people should be careful to not include the vocabulary of English while conversing in Urdu because the mixing of English words is abolishing the essence and purity of Urdu as language.