Negotiating Cultural Identities: Sociolinguistic Analysis of English Use among Pakistani University Level ESL Learners

Abstract

The current qualitative case study explores the theme of negotiation of cultural, academic, and professional identities by Pakistani ESL students in BS English classes at Superior University in an English-Medium Instruction (EMI) context. Based on sociolinguistic identity theory, a notion of investment presented by Norton and the theory of translanguaging, the study position sees identity as dynamic, interactive, and the result of classroom talk. The main aim was to test the ways in which students utilize English and multilingual resources to place themselves in institutional and peer hierarchies and how the norms of EMI determine their linguistic investment. The data were gathered by only non-participant observations in the classroom in several BS English classes including about 20-25 undergraduate students with diverse schooling backgrounds. The thematic analysis and interactional discourse analysis were used to analyze the data to determine the patterns of stance-taking, code-switching, positioning of the identity, and alignment of power. Results indicate that English is a symbolic capital in the aspect of academic legitimacy, professional aspiration and institutional authority and Urdu is a resource of cultural authenticity, peer solidarity, and emotional expression. Students would have a balance between the two languages strategically in order to cope with the risks and opportunities of identity. The paper demonstrates the interplay between the power, language, and belonging in Pakistani higher education.