English Verb Switching in Balochi: Patterns, Functions and Sociolinguistic Implications

Abstract

This study investigates the phenomenon of English verb switching into Balochi, a growing sociolinguistic trend in Balochistan. The objective of this research is to examine the intensity, patterns, and sociolinguistic motivations behind the use of English verbs in Balochi discourse. Data were collected from seven districts of Balochistan, Quetta, Hub, Turbat, Gwadar, Jafarabad, Sibi, and Lasbela representing diverse sociolinguistic contexts. A total of 1,050 participants (150 from each district), aged between 12 and 50, were interviewed in different educational institutions, language centers, and marketplaces focusing on situations where English verb switching was most likely to occur. The English verb switching was transcribed and analyzed to gauge the influences of verb switching. The results of the Chi-square software specified a considerable number of English verbs switching into Balochi in the urban areas than the rural ones. This is very alarming for a language which has already been ignored and marginalized.