Semantic Shift in English Loanwords Used by Pakistani Urdu-Speaking Community on Social Media

Abstract

The use of English loanwords in Urdu communication has increased, particularly in digital discourse where the meanings of these words shift. The way loanwords are understood in Urdu discourse is influenced by social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter), which offer a dynamic environment for linguistic change. Despite extensive research on code-switching and borrowing, limited studies specifically examine the semantic shifts of English loanwords in Urdu within online interactions. This study aims to examine how English loanwords used in informal Urdu communication on social media have changed semantically. It focuses on categorizing the types of semantic changes, identifying the changed meanings, and comparing them to their original meanings. A qualitative approach was used, analyzing 12 X posts and 12 videos from TikTok and YouTube. Data was collected from videos transcripts, captions and public posts to examine the contextual adaptation of those loanwords in Urdu discourse.  Metaphorical extension, broadening, narrowing, pejoration, and elevation were observed as types of semantic shifts under Leonard Bloomfield’s (1933) model of semantic change. The most common type was metaphorical extension which appeaard in four words. Broadening was the joint second with narrowing, each observed in three words. Semantic elevation and pejoration appeared in one word each. The findings show that digital communication accelerates semantic shifts in English loanwords in Urdu discourse. This study highlights the role of social media in reshaping borrowed words’ meaning.