’’میری ذات ذرہ بے نشان‘‘بطور لسانی استعماریت

“Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishaan” As a form of linguistic imperialism

Abstract

In the popular novels of Umera Ahmed, there is frequent use of English words, which is not having a positive impact on the Urdu language and Pakistani society. This linguistic imperialism is not only introducing the English language but also transferring their cultural, social, political, and economic ideologies to our younger generation. As a result, a sense of inferiority is developing within our nation, and we are becoming subservient to them in every sphere of life. We begin to consider our religion, social values, and culture as inferior. Urdu is our identity, and the English nation seeks to erase that identity. Linguistic imperialism in language and literature is weakening the very roots of our culture. In Pakistani society, especially in Urdu literature, there is a significant use of English words in contemporary literary works. Umera Ahmed, in her novel "Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan", extensively uses English vocabulary. In this novel, she incorporates English words into the text in various ways — not only by writing them in the English language but also by rendering them phonetically in Urdu script. One of the distinctive features of her style is that she narrates the story using the everyday language spoken in Pakistani society. In Pakistani culture, the Urdu and Punjabi languages commonly used in daily conversation are heavily infused with English vocabulary. Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishan presents a form of Urdu that reflects this linguistic reality, blending numerous English terms into the narrative.