Semantic Shifts in Urdu Loanwords in Saraiki: A Cross-Linguistic Analysis

Abstract

Language contact often leads to the borrowing of lexical items, which may undergo semantic changes in the recipient language. This study investigates semantic shifts in Urdu loanwords adopted into the Saraiki language, focusing on how meanings are preserved, narrowed, broadened, or altered in cross-linguistic contexts. Drawing on a corpus of spoken and written Saraiki texts collected from diverse sociolinguistic settings, the study identifies commonly borrowed Urdu words and analyzes their semantic transformations using principles from lexical semantics and cross-linguistic comparison. The analysis also examines sociocultural, regional, and contextual factors that contribute to semantic shifts, highlighting how Saraiki speakers adapt Urdu vocabulary to local communicative needs and conceptual frameworks. The findings reveal that semantic shifts in Urdu loanwords are pervasive, reflecting processes such as generalization, specialization, pejoration, and amelioration. The study further shows that these shifts are influenced by both linguistic constraints (phonological, morphological) and extralinguistic factors (prestige, education, and media exposure). By providing a detailed account of the dynamics of lexical borrowing and meaning change, this research contributes to cross-linguistic semantics, contact linguistics, and the study of Saraiki as a language undergoing lexical enrichment and adaptation. The findings also have implications for language planning, lexicography, and the preservation of Saraiki in multilingual contexts.