A Mixed Method Study: Reframing the Impact of Postcolonial Linguistic Attitudes on Socioeconomic Crisis in Pakistan through Selected YouTube Videos and Google-form Responses

Abstract

This research paper explores the language attitudes prevalent in Pakistan and their impact on evolving socio-economic crisis in Pakistan. For this purpose, three YouTube videos about the use of languages were selected randomly as qualitative data. And, the quantitative data was collected through a google-form comprising 20 questions. The responses were collected by employing the snowball sampling technique. Thus, mixed method approach was followed for the collection and analysis of the data. The responses received through google-form added quantitative reliability to qualitative analysis. The findings of this research exhibit that in Pakistan English language is prioritized and promoted as a more prestigious language as compared to native and other international languages. The pretended language attitudes in Pakistan are connected with British colonization and the absence of planning and policy further proliferate them. Therefore, the selected YouTube videos and google-form responses are analyzed qualitatively from post-colonial perspective. The mixed method analysis explored that the colonial and discriminatory language attitudes exist commonly among Pakistani people and an inclusive language planning and implementation of an appropriate policy are urgently required for the promotion of indigenous and other international languages to moderate Pakistani peoples’ attitudes and to foster socioeconomic stability in Pakistan.