THE EFFECT OF LINGUISTIC INSECURITY ON ESL LEARNING: A CASE STUDY OF L1 PUNJABI SPEAKERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitude of linguistic insecurity among Pakistani L1 Punjabi speaking  intermediate students. ‘Linguistic insecurity’ refers to ‘a set of language attitudes in which speakers have negative  feeling about their native variety’ (Trudgill 2003). Due to linguistic insecurity the speakers try to use a  variety/language enjoying higher status in their speech community. Thus the speakers’ perception about their own  language develops the attitude of linguistic insecurity among them. The major aims of this research were to find out  L1 Punjabi speakers’ linguistic insecurity and then the relation between linguistic insecurity and gender and the relation between linguistic insecurity and English as second language learning. This study is quantitative. Data  collection was done through questionnaire having 13 close ended questions. After careful inquires 30 L1 Punjabi  speakers of intermediate level were randomly selected from the three institutions of Sheikhupura. Among these 30  participants 15 were male and 15 were female. English Proficiency Test comprising all the four skills was designed  by the researcher to check ESL proficiency of the participants. The results collected through the gathered data  revealed the presence of linguistic insecurity among Pakistani L1 Punjabi speaking inter students for their mother  tongue. The results also showed that the attitude of linguistic insecurity was much more among women as compared  to men. The results of English proficiency test and questionnaire revealed that the linguistic insecurity for Punjabi  leads L1 Punjabi speakers towards better ESL learning.