Interdisciplinary Journal of Linguistics

Department of Linguistics

University of Kashmir

Print ISSN: 0974-3421 Online ISSN: 0974-3421

NIl

This paper investigates taboo words, euphemisms, and blasphemy in the Dari language. Dari language falls under the Indo-Iranian subgroup of the Indo-European language family, which is a variety of Persian (Farsi) language spoken by approximately 50 percent of the population in Afghanistan and functions as the lingua franca of the country (Illinois University, 2022). Language, as we know, functions as a bridge among human beings to communicate and build social relations. Languages contain items considered shameful in public and polite interactions, complicated to draw a clear meaning from, or prohibited from being used. Such words are considered taboos, and cultural and religious values define them in a society and they exist in all languages. In the Dari language and Afghani culture, certain words, phrases, and practices are taboo or offensive and avoided in public or polite conversations. Instead, euphemisms are used to express the same meaning without violating the norms or values of society. Some words are also forbidden by religion and are never uttered as they are considered blasphemous. To investigate taboo words in the Dari language, a qualitative ethnographic approach is used to find out different levels of taboos and the strategies people use to avoid them.

The land and people of Afghanistan have been continuously exploited by power structures which continue with the onset of the Taliban autonomy after the last troop of the United States of America returns after ending their longest war. The idea of peace in Afghanistan has been trashed with constant wars and conflicts that took many lives for decades. This research paper re-reads The Kite Runner (2003) by Khaled Hosseini for its representation of human life in Afghanistan, migration, and the present scenario of becoming refugees in one’s own land. With reference to the textual content and the secondary sources that project the situation of the present scenario of the Taliban led government rule in the land of Afghanistan, the study explores the psychological existence of the people who are either forced to leave their country or stay within the boundaries being in the state similar to refugees. The conclusive findings of the paper highlight migration as shift from the idea of freedom and rights to a condition of suppressed identity.

Bodos and Tiwas are the major tribes of Assam and important ethnic groups of north-east India. Racially, both, are of Mongoloid origin and linguistically they belong to the Bodo-Naga sub-group of Tibeto-Burman group of Sino-Tibetan language family. Bodo language is one of the scheduled languages of India. It is spoken mainly in Assam and its adjacent areas of North Bengal, Nepal and Bangladesh. Tiwa is mainly spoken in the districts of Nagaon, Morigaon and Kamrup. They are also found in small scattered areas of Karbi Anglong, Lakhimpur and Jorhat districts of Assam and some areas of Meghalaya. Tiwa language is found only in oral form. Gender is a part of morphology. Gender is not grammatically marked in Bodo and Tiwa and so it does not affect the grammatical pattern of the language. Gender distinction in Bodo and Tiwa is determined on the natural recognition of sexes. In this paper, an attempt will be made to highlight the gender distinction of both Bodo and Tiwa languages spoken in Assam in a comparative manner.

The paper is a survey analysis to acknowledge the significance of language in constructing a school curriculum involving sex education. The incorporation of sex education as a study subject in school is a need of the hour. However, little attention has been given to language used in formulating this curriculum as it is addressing the school children and with the advancement of technology children have access to everything at their fingertips. Everything enclosed in the internet world might not be in the ethical form, notably language. A survey study was conducted online which was circulated through various social media platforms. Responses were marked from people of various age categories and from both Keralites and non-Keralites, to understand the need of introspecting the potentiality of language in designing the school syllabus for sex education. As the Government of Kerala has moved forward with the decision to bring gender-inclusive school educational programs, this study would lead a pathway to understand, whether language plays any crucial role in this social learning and to look into the need for having a curriculum committee that includes language experts while drafting the modules of sex education. Drawing insights from the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, the results of the survey are probed, to understand the current language dynamics within society revolving around the concepts of sex education, and the missing links in the system, are evaluated.

In Rajasthan, every year thousands of students appear in JET exam to get admission in BSc Agriculture courses in agricultural universities of Rajasthan. This exam is conducted by any one of the agricultural universities of Rajasthan. Candidates who have passed 12th class in Science (PCB/PCM) subjects with a minimum score of 50% can appear in this test. The JET exam is conducted both in Hindi and English languages. Therefore, in these agricultural institutes, we have a large number of students who are very competent in their science subjects, but lack proficiency in basic English. Moreover, in states like Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, English is not a compulsory subject at the secondary level and the students are mostly groomed and taught in vernacular languages. Therefore, the students who are otherwise very competent in the science subjects face acute language challenges which affects their learning very badly. In addition, there are a number of other factors accounting for poor English language proficiency among students in agricultural institutions. The agricultural books are published in Hindi also, and the students are allowed to write BSc agriculture exams in both Hindi and English language. Moreover, some teachers prefer to teach in Hindi or other vernacular languages. This paper tries to analyse those factors and also see how the teachers of various subjects address and respond to these language challenges with innovative teaching methodologies, pedagogies and strategies and motivate the students to learn English.

Speaking, among the other language skills, seems to be the most significant skill. For many language learners, speaking a foreign language perfectly with good pronunciation and fluency is one of the most complex tasks to achieve. Because of this observation, the paper aims to present a brief description of foreign language speaking skills and their recent status. It seeks to clarify the factors that affect students' speaking abilities, with specific expressions of the common dilemmas teachers face while trying to address the issue of verbal skills. The paper also covers some aspects that need to be tackled when dealing with speaking as it shows the necessary activities that must be designed by the teacher in the classroom.

Understanding the role of rhetoric in election campaigns is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it provides insights into how political leaders craft their messages to engage and mobilize voters. Secondly, it sheds light on the ways in which language is used to frame political issues and shape public discourse. Finally, it highlights the importance of critical media literacy among voters, enabling them to better analyse and interpret the messages they receive during election campaigns. This paper examines the rhetorical strategies employed in election campaign speeches by political leaders in contemporary India, focusing on how these techniques influence voter perception and behaviour. By conducting a detailed rhetorical analysis of speeches from various political parties and leaders during recent Lok Sabha election, the study identifies key rhetorical devices and persuasive tactics used to engage and mobilize the electorate. Various themes are explored to understand their prevalence and impact within the political discourse. Additionally, the research evaluates the effectiveness of these rhetorical strategies in shaping public opinion and electoral outcomes. By bridging the gap between rhetoric and political action, this study provides insights into the role of persuasive communication in Indian democracy, highlighting the power of language in shaping political realities. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of political rhetoric's function in elections and its broader implications for democratic engagement in India.

The advent of social media has fundamentally altered our communication methods, with Facebook, boasting 2.9 billion active users each month, playing a significant role. This platform serves as a major stage where language continuously evolves to adapt to the nuances of online interaction. One intriguing phenomenon in this linguistic evolution is the merging of words. This involves fusing segments from two distinct words to forge entirely new expressions. Facebook's linguistic landscape is perpetually expanding and transforming. This research paper delves into the innovative use of language on Facebook, a dynamic social media platform where language is in a constant state of evolution. It investigates the phenomenon of word blending on Facebook by analysing the language used in comments and posts.

This research paper provides a comprehensive overview of existing linguistic studies on Angika, a language spoken predominantly in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, and also in parts of Nepal. The linguistic classification of Angika remains a subject of ongoing debate; some scholars classifying it as a dialect of Maithili (Grierson in the Linguistic Survey of India), while others advocate for its recognition as an independent language. This review systematically examines scholarly literature to map the current state of Angika linguistics, analysing its phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, and historical development. The analysis identifies key research themes, highlights existing gaps in our understanding of the language, and critically evaluates the methodological approaches used in previous studies. This work is based on online available resources and few offline Angika books. Furthermore, it explores the influence of socio-political factors on the research landscape, considering Angika's endangered status (UNESCO, 2009 in ‘The Atlas of Endangered Languages’) and the ongoing controversies surrounding its classification. The paper concludes by proposing avenues for future research, aiming to fill the identified gaps and foster a more complete understanding of Angika's linguistic structure and its position within the Indo-Aryan language family.

The translation process involves more than just the conversion of words from one language to another; it is a complex endeavour that requires a deep understanding of the cognitive processes underlying language comprehension and production. Pragmatics, the study of language in context, plays a crucial role in translation, as it helps translators navigate the nuanced and contextual nature of communication. (Triki, 2015). Translators must not only be proficient in the linguistic structures of the source and target languages but also be adept at recognizing and conveying the pragmatic aspects of language. Translating cultural terms, as discussed by Adhikary (2020), is a prime example of the importance of pragmatic awareness in translation. Certain words or concepts that are common in one culture may not have direct equivalents in another, leading to a loss of meaning during the translation process. To overcome this challenge, translators must possess a deep understanding of the cultural context of the source text and the target audience, allowing them to make appropriate adjustments and adaptations. This paper aims to discuss the key pragmatic considerations, challenges and strategies for effective translation.

Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field (Brian Tracy). We always learn, even if we think we know a lot. Similarly, trainers of English language teachers need to update themselves with the new innovations and developments in the field of English language teacher training. The current study was conducted in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir to explore the perceptions of English language teacher trainers regarding the professional development programs they attend. These training programs are organized by various teacher training institutes in the Kashmir Valley. Data was collected through a well-designed questionnaire, and after coding, analysis was carried out using SPSS 25. The results show that English language trainers have positive perceptions regarding their continuous professional development and the training programs they attended. It was also found that there is no significant difference between the perceptions of different groups based on various demographic variables. However, for some items, a significant difference in perception was observed between gender categories.

Education in the modern world seeks to enhance a person's abilities in communication, decision-making, creativity, and critical thinking for the development of their total personality. In this accord, NEP 2020 also envisions holistic, flexible, and inter/multidisciplinary learning to develop human potential in all domains—intellectual, artistic, social, physical, emotional, and moral. Thus, it proposes to evolve such pedagogy that designs education to be creative, enjoyable, experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centered, discussion-based, flexible, and multidisciplinary in approach. The STREAM encourages students to participate in interdisciplinary learning and encourages instructors to use interdisciplinary thinking. Teachers may carry out interdisciplinary instruction based on the STREAM educational philosophy in an efficient manner with project-based learning, problem-based learning, or inquiry-based learning. The diversity of India is also visible in its multilingualism. The academic performance of learners is significantly influenced by the medium of instruction, and a lot of research has been done in this area globally. Teachers as well as learners face lots of challenges in the teaching-learning process in a multilingual setup. Additionally, adopting the English language as a medium of instruction prevents students from fully gaining the information, abilities, and attitudes needed for their academic pursuits. The advanced learning approach known as STREAM education has the potential to transform Indian education completely. This paper seeks to understand how STREAM can be helpful for the teaching-learning process in the multilingual classroom and also proposes an intervention programme based on its philosophy to guide teachers and educators to use it in the multilingual classroom setup.

This paper delves into the process of causativisation in Maithili, presenting a morpho-semantic analysis that unveils the mechanisms governing the formation of various causative forms. Building upon the work of linguists like Comrie, Dixon, and Shibatani, the study explores the interplay between morphological and semantic elements in creating causative constructions. The analysis classifies distinct patterns observed in intransitive, transitive, and ditransitive verbs, with a comparison to Hindi. The paper provides explanation for the verbs in Maithili that cannot be causativised morphologically, and also discusses the formation of false causatives in Maithili with regard to the default form of causative verbs.

The world of audition is intriguing. Although we view the sense of hearing as a routine activity, there are many mysteries involved in the act of hearing which are yet to be explored. Humans perceive speech and language through a complex process that remains only partially understood. It is significant that we comprehend the nuances involved in speech perception as it is very crucial for human existence, survival and social relations. Adding to this complexity is the fact that the sense of hearing is often susceptible to many illusions. Of significance to this paper is the McGurk effect – an auditory-visual illusion that occurs when conflicting visual and auditory speech cues are presented simultaneously, causing the brain to perceive a different sound than what is actually spoken. The discovery of McGurk effect has fundamentally shifted our understanding of speech perception from a purely auditory process to a multimodal one, highlighting the integration of visual and auditory information. This paper gives an overview of the robustness of McGurk effect using a three-fold approach: 1) tracing the beginnings of the McGurk illusion, 2) underscoring the robustness of the McGurk effect, and 3) reviewing its impact and relevance in the domain of speech perception.

Urdu has borrowed a large number of words from standard Arabic without any morphemic substitution. Some of the loan words are used with the same meaning as in standard Arabic while others have undergone semantic shift. This research paper deals with the lexical analysis of Standard Arabic words borrowed in Urdu with meaning shift and how they are perceived by Urdu speakers when they come across those words in parent language. Selected sentences from Arabic have been used for collecting the data. The data has been collected through a questionnaire distributed to two groups of native speakers of Urdu not having madrasa education. The researcher analyzed the lexical aspects of Arabic borrowings in Urdu and its use in semantically different context leading to a different type of perception among the masses. Throughout this paper ‘L2’ refers to Standard Arabic and ‘L1’ refers to Urdu.The present paper is different from the previous studies in the area of ‘borrowings’ because in the present study, Arabic loan words’ perception of native speakers of Urdu has been tested.

This research paper explores the relationship between morphology and syntax collectively known as morphosyntax in Dhundhari. Morphosyntactic features pertain to the ways in which morphemes and syntactic structures interact within a language. The paper aims to examine key morphosyntactic elements such as noun gender, number, case, agreement, and tense, aspect, and mood in Dhundhari. Furthermore, this paper addresses the syntactic structure of the language, including word order, word typology, and the interaction between morphology and syntax. The paper highlights how Dhundhari morphosyntactic system contributes to the language’s overall linguistic structure and meaning. Findings show that Dhundhari has the dominant SOV word order with agglutinating and fusional features in the word constructions. The language has two genders, two numbers, and three persons. The gender differentiation can be seen in [-animate] objects too. The case marking is majorly of three types- nominative, objective or oblique, and post positional. Nominative case is covertly marked; whereas other case markers are overtly marked that follow the nouns and pronouns. Dhundhari expresses tense, aspect, and mood through verb inflections. The language has three tenses-past, present, and future. Aspect and mood is also distinguished in the verb forms. Subject-verb agreement is very clearly distinct in the vowel at the word final position of the copula verb. The copula verb ‘chə’ is the identifying feature of Dhundhari that distinguishes this variety from the other varieties of Rajasthani.

This study investigates the current status of Brajbhasha (ISO 639:3, Language Code: bra), an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Braj region of North India, with a focus on language use, attitude and vitality. The research is based on the fieldwork conducted by the author in May 2024 across Mathura City and the nearby regions of Mahaban, Baldev, Raya and Govardhan within Mathura district.Using a combination of a sociolinguistic questionnaire, informal interviews and observations, this research examines the patterns of language use across various social domains and the attitudes of Brajbhasha speakers towards their language and the superstratum language Hindi. The vitality of Brajbhasha is assessed using UNESCO’s ninefactor parameters, providing a comprehensive understanding of its sustainability.The results show that there has been no significant shift towards Hindi and that Brajbhasha remains rather prevalent in the informal and home domains. Brajbhasha has positive sentiments from its speakers despite Hindi’s high prestige. The central dialect of Brajbhasha, specifically from the Govardhan area, has been described as the purest and best variant. In addition, Brajbhasha is transmitted through generations in a robust manner. However, speakers acknowledge that knowing Hindi is essential for broader opportunities outside their region.The study emphasizes the significance of language attitudes in the reception and usage of mother tongue, highlighting Brajbhasha speakers' favourable attitudes about their linguistic heritage. Despite the limited sample size, the qualitative findings have important implications for the long-term viability of Brajbhasha. These findings contribute to the larger discussion of bilingualism and linguistic identity by underlining the survivability and cultural value of regional languages in a multilingual society

The COVID-19 pandemic revolutionized the educational practices globally, which brought forth a trend toward digitalization, especially in humanities disciplines. Although online learning provided a crucial lifeline during the pandemic, its aftermath continues to present significant challenges for both students and educators in the post-pandemic landscape. The present study investigates the impact of digitalization on humanities teaching, with a particular focus on English Language Teaching, examining the hurdles encountered during the transition back to in-person education. This study adopted a mixed-method approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data. A structured questionnaire was administered to 60 undergraduate students from the 2nd, 4th, and 6th semesters and 20 experienced teachers. The study draws attention towards the issues such as reduced student engagement, diminished academic performance, and the erosion of essential skills. The research explores the measures implemented by educators to overcome these challenges and reestablish effective learning environments. It emphasizes that, while digital tools hold considerable value, they should complement rather than replace traditional teaching methods. A sustainable model for humanities education requires a balanced integration of digital innovations with conventional practices to meet the distinct demands of the discipline.

Applying the framework of moraic theory proposed by Hayes (1987, 1995), the paper analyses theoretically non-specific Bangla genitives with monosyllabic and disyllabic stems. The primary objective here is to offer some insights into the patterns of vowel syncope and other forms of reduction induced by the case marker /er/ ‘of sth/sbd’, when affixed to Bangla open stems (mono- or disyllabic). Interestingly these strategies involving reduction and syncopation can affect the phonological structure of either the stem coming under inflection or the case-marker itself, but never both simultaneously. While glide-formation (that is another phonological process triggered by the non-specific genitives) never affects the structure of stems, syncope mostly affecting the disyllabic word-final vowel perfectly maintains the preferred trochaic pattern. But the problem arises when the stem-final vowel is /o/, because its syncopation or preservation is highly context-dependent, even regulated by morphology, vowel harmony, input-output parity etc. The paper has done a thorough analysis of different cases of Bangla non- specific genitivization, and with the help of theories of prominence and moraic syllable weight has explained the prosodic motivations behind phonetic reduction often realized as vowel syncopation.

This study conducts a comparative examination of non-nominative subjects (NNSs) in Kannauji and Hindi-Urdu, questioning the traditional reliance on nominative case and verbal agreement as exclusive indicators of subject-hood across diverse languages. Utilizing data gathered through extensive fieldwork in villages around Karhal in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the research specifically delves into Kannauji, a lesser known non-scheduled Indo-Aryan language that has received very less attention in linguistic studies. The non-nominative subjects in Kannauji are scrutinized in comparison to those in Hindi- Urdu using several subject-hood tests to prove whether the nominals under study are subjects or not. Therefore, the primary objective of this research work is to show that in some languages like Kanauji and Hindi-Urdu subjects can also be formed by other non-nominative case markers and postpositions. Approaching the issue through a comparative framework, this study contributes to the broader comprehension of non-nominative subjects in languages characterized by unique syntactic structures. This approach advocates for a more nuanced and language-specific perspective in delineating the concept of subjects.

This study investigates the morphological processes underlying the use of Person, Number, and Gender (PNG) markers in Kannauji, a dialect within the Western Hindi cluster predominantly spoken in Uttar Pradesh, India. In Kannauji, PNG markers play a critical role in verb conjugation, noun inflection, and the overall grammatical framework, thereby shaping the language's syntactic and semantic properties. The research work aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the rules and patterns that govern the formation and usage of PNG markers in Kannauji. This includes analyzing verb conjugation patterns, noun inflection rules, and the influence of these markers on sentence structure. By delving into these linguistic features, the study offers valuable insights into the unique grammatical mechanisms of Kannauji. Data for this research work were collected through fieldwork conducted as part of the partial fulfillment of a Master's program at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The study employs both descriptive and analytical methodologies, utilizing primary data from surveys conducted with native Kannauji speakers, alongside secondary data from existing literature on the language. The findings of this research highlight the morphological processes in Kannauji, demonstrating how PNG markers function to convey grammatical relationships and meaning. By documenting and analyzing these markers, the study not only preserves linguistic knowledge but also provides a foundation for further linguistic and grammatical research in the region.

This study investigates the morphological processes underlying the use of Person, Number, and Gender (PNG) markers in Kannauji, a dialect within the Western Hindi cluster predominantly spoken in Uttar Pradesh, India. In Kannauji, PNG markers play a critical role in verb conjugation, noun inflection, and the overall grammatical framework, thereby shaping the language's syntactic and semantic properties. The research work aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the rules and patterns that govern the formation and usage of PNG markers in Kannauji. This includes analyzing verb conjugation patterns, noun inflection rules, and the influence of these markers on sentence structure. By delving into these linguistic features, the study offers valuable insights into the unique grammatical mechanisms of Kannauji. Data for this research work were collected through fieldwork conducted as part of the partial fulfillment of a Master's program at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). The study employs both descriptive and analytical methodologies, utilizing primary data from surveys conducted with native Kannauji speakers, alongside secondary data from existing literature on the language. The findings of this research highlight the morphological processes in Kannauji, demonstrating how PNG markers function to convey grammatical relationships and meaning. By documenting and analyzing these markers, the study not only preserves linguistic knowledge but also provides a foundation for further linguistic and grammatical research in the region.

This paper presents a unified perspective on adjectival and adverbial participles in Indo-Aryan languages, exploring their historical development, morphosyntactic characteristics, and typological implications. Participles play a crucial role in the morphosyntactic framework of these languages, acting as a link between verbs and modifiers. The study examines the evolution of participial systems from Old Indo-Aryan origins to the diverse structures found in New Indo-Aryan languages, highlighting the loss of gender and agreement markers in some languages like Bengali, and the retention of tense-aspect-mood (TAM) distinctions in others such as Kashmiri and Nepali. The paper also investigates the expansion of participial functions, especially in connecting clauses through conjunctive participles. The morphosyntactic features of participles, including inflectional processes, reduplication, non-finite nature, and TAM constraints, are analysed across various Indo-Aryan languages. The study further explores the functional overlaps and divergences between adjectival and adverbial participles, emphasizing their shared morphological origins but distinct syntactic purposes. The typological generalizations of participial systems in Indo-Aryan languages are discussed, aligning with Lehmann's desententialization scale and highlighting the variations in TAM systems and the effects of negation. The implications of this comprehensive approach for historical linguistics and linguistic typology are examined, contributing to the understanding of the historical development and typological diversity of participial systems in Indo-Aryan languages.