Abstract

This paper presents a critical discourse analysis of the novel written by an eminent
21st-century female writer Bapsi Sidhwa. The text was analyzed critically in the
backdrop of the checklist developed by the researcher. The findings reveal that a
significantly tough language has been used for the depiction of men and women.
Roles and responsibilities given to them have been found to be assigned on the basis
of gender discrimination. Therefore, it is contended that colonialism still prevails in
the form of social, economic and educational disparities in the third world countries as
compared to the developed and privileged countries. Similarly, power structures have
been found functional in every sphere of life and are decided by the institutions which
hold the utmost power. Racism has also been revealed in the text. Ethnicity, race,
color, culture and language have been found superiority over all the other ethnicities,
cultures, races and languages.

The present study discusses the scope, nature and implication and reasons of code
mixing in Pakistani Post-colonial novels. It draws focus upon the conceptual
frameworks developed by Flower (1996) and Muthiah (2009) and the earlier models
offered by kachru (1983), Baumgardener, kennedy and Shmim (1993). Five post-
colonial novels by Pakistani English novels namely, My Feudal Lord by Tehmina
Durrani, Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie, Home Boy by H. M. Naqvi, An
American Brat by Bapsi Sidhwa, Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid were
selected as a sample of this study. The author has analyzed the characteristics of Post-
colonialism in these novels. In this paper, we have found code mixing in English
novels written by Pakistani writers to a greater extent. The writers while writing
novels have not degraded the local varieties rather they have highlighted the
importance of Pakistani English as English language at times fails to fulfill the
communicative needs of local people. These borrowings from the local languages are
done to fill the lexical gaps of ideological ideas which are not found in English. The
purpose of these borrowings is not the projection of code mixing English as
substandard variety. We conclude that through the use of local words the importance
of local languages has been highlighted as well as question marks upon Lingua franca
have been manifested. The words of daily use which don’t have a substitute in
English are also an area of research for English people. New themes have been
employed in fiction in code mixing techniques in English literature.
Keywords: Code Mixing, post-colonial, hybridization, multilingualism and
bilingualism.

4
Chapter 1 Introduction

Language is closely tied with culture and must be considered when measuring
acculturation (Luna et al., 2008; Marín & Gamba, 1996; Schwartz et al., 2014).
Bicultural bilinguals, individuals who associate themselves with two cultures and
speak both languages, have been found to have “distinct cognitive frameworks” when
speaking different languages (Luna et al., 2008, p. 279). This phenomenon of
switching between frameworks depending on which language is spoken is often
referred to as cultural frame-switching (Benet-Martínez et al., 2002; Luna et al., 2008;
Schwartz et al, 2014). Thus, the language of a test or assessment may activate certain
characteristics, thereby differentiating a bilingual person’s results had they taken the
test in the other language. It is important to consider how bilingual acculturation
assessment is conducted, as it has implications for decision-making when using
normed tests. The most often cited framework for understanding acculturation is
based on Schumann (1978) and John Berry’s (1980) theories of acculturation profiles:
integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization. Apart from the different
roles languages (L1, L2) play (intimacy, subjectivity/ detachment, objectivity), for the
analysis of the code-switches, the researchers considered ideas related to the use and
acquisition of the L2 in a native environment and the possible change produced as a
result of adopting new values and habits when living in a different place from the one
where one is from. According to the above mentioned researchers, the first type
happens when individuals develop social contacts with L2 speakers and get the
necessary input to become a member of this community, but they retain the lifestyle
and the values of their own culture (integration strategy). In the second type
(assimilation strategy), the individuals give a further step toward adopting the lifestyle
and values of the target group (L2).
In this context, this study intends to analyze and deconstruct the text/novel ‘An
American Brat’ by Bapsi Sidhwa in the form of Textual analysis. The text and
characters of the selected novel was analyzed considering the acculturation, code
switching and linguistic content in sociolinguistic perspective. This section of the
study is comprised on brief introduction of the key concepts, terms, study
background, overview of the selected novel/author, rational of the study, statement of
the problem, significance of research, research objectives and questions as under;-

5
1.1 Background of the Study
For few years, there is an expansion of post-colonial work; authors are using
the theme of love, desires, and belonging to elaborate on the larger linguistic and
cultural issues, especially those works that came from Africa and the Indian sub-
Continent. We meet characters who are fighting for their cultural identities in the
wake of colonization or facing the conflicts in establishing themselves in another
nation. Immigration is a person’s dispersal from his homeland which results in
linguistic, cultural and identity problems. The immigration experience tends to focus
on a collective memory of the last homeland, childhood, and cultural identity due to

the trauma of forced dispersion (Naghibi, p. 58). So, when a person migrates to
another territory whether by his own will or forced, he faces some difficulties to relate
himself to the new identity. Uma Parameswaran has defined it as follows; the first one
is nostalgia for the homeland left behind mingled with fear in a strange land. The
second is a phase in which one is busy adjusting to the new environment that there is
little creative output. The third phase is the shaping of diaspora existence by involving
themselves in ethno-cultural issues. The fourth is when they have arrived and start
participating in the larger world of politics and national issues (Parameswara, p. 165).
Various studies have been done by the researchers (Ozer et al., 2021; Blodgett,
2021; Anwar et al., 2020; Naseem et al., 2019; MAHARANI, 2019; Panhwar, 2018;
Vora et al., 2018; Lopez, 2014) regarding acculturation, conceptualization,
bilingualism and code-switching. These researchers highlighted that Sociolinguistics
does not generally focus on the grammatical details of linguistic description but rather
on the description and formalization of the relationship between language and various
social indexes. Spoken language as L2 provides the basic measurement of social
assimilation; however, there are no published sociolinguistic studies which document
the sociological nature of, the extent of, and the function of linguistic diversity within
English. They suggested that the participants use code switching to achieve particular
social goals, such as to construct multiple identities, to express anger and humour, to
discuss taboo issues and for specific textual functions such as recycling, self-repair,
quotation, and idiomatic expressions. In the current study, the motivational extra-
linguistic factors for the use of code-switching are historical-socio-economic factors,
participants’ social networks, conversational topics, and the social status of their
interlocutor(s). The intra-linguistic factors consist of speakers’ expression of their

6
emotions and their linguistic competence. The most significant factor involved in the
presence and absence of the use of code-switching is the socioeconomic status of the
participants.
Several studies on the novel An American Brat are also conducted on different
aspects. Chowdhry et al., (Chowdhury & Mahavidyalaya, 2019) conducted a study
under the title of “Migrating towards Identity: A Study of Bapsi Sidhwa’s An
American Brat”. They found that the Feroza’s struggle to approach America, her
internalizing the American spirit and reinventing her religion in the context of
adaptation of Parsi-Pakistani identity with that of the American to find her true self.
Another study was conducted by Mahmood et al., (2020) under the title of
“Cross-Cultural Politeness Perspective of Bapsi Sidhwa’s Novel “An American Brat”.
Their research opens up cross-cultural politeness perspective of the Bapsi Sidhwa’s
novel “An American Brat”. Further, their research endeavours to explore most
preferred polite linguistic strategies utilized by American speakers while interaction
with the people of third world countries. Brown & Levinson’s theoretical framework
of politeness was employed by them as a research instrument for the textual analysis
of the novel. It’s very supportive tool in current research. Their research was
exploratory in nature. Textual analysis of the novel was conducted to deduce the
results. Their research concludes that Bald on- record politeness strategy is much
preferred in most of powerful countries. Since America is a dominating country so
most of Americans use this strategy while dealings with colonized people. Due to
colonizing sub-continent for a long time they still consider themselves powerful and
superior to others. Therefore, they think that they have privilege to dominate and
control the social behaviors, cultural values and language of the people of sub-
continent countries even after post colonization. The findings of their research are
helpful for linguists, sociolinguists and educationists in understanding the real nature
politeness.
Akhter, (2020) analysed his study under the title “Towards Cultural Clash and
Hybridity, An Analysis of Bapsi Sidhwa’s An American Brat”. He analysed the novel
An American Brat and explores the differences of cultures that existed between East
and West by introducing the character of Feroza. Feroza belongs to Pakistan and goes
to America. She finds the culture of America different from the culture of her native
country. The undertaken research is an attempt to reveal the description of cultural
differences and hybridity through the character of Feroza.
7
 Another study also was conducted by Imtiaz, (2011) under the title of
“Speaking in Tongues; Conceptualizing Femininities in Sidhwa’s An American Brat”.
She concluded that Sidhwa’s novel An American Brat is significant because it unveils
the diasporic identities of the women, in contrast with the traditional gender roles of
the women in Pakistan. Interestingly, the novel problematizes the concept of the fixed
identity, indicating the valences of the representations of the women in the novel. Her
study analysed the responses of the marginalized, when incorporated with the center.
She analysed the novel using the model of Pessar and Mahler (2003) concluding that
Sidhwa has presented the multiple representations of women of colour, in contrast
with the fixed, monolithic colonial representations, which render them incapable of
reacting to the oppression. Such fixed politicized representations result from power
relations and are highly motivated.
An investigation was also done by Mariam, M. et al., (2021) under the title of
“A Critical Discourse Analysis of ‘An American Brat’ by Bapsi Sidhwa”. This paper
presents a critical discourse analysis of the novel written by an eminent 21st-century
female writer Bapsi Sidhwa. The text was analysed critically in the backdrop of the
checklist developed by the researcher. The findings reveal that a significantly tough
language has been used for the depiction of men and women. Roles and
responsibilities given to them have been found to be assigned on the basis of gender
discrimination. Therefore, it is contended that colonialism still prevails in the form of
social, economic and educational disparities in the third world countries as compared
to the developed and privileged countries. Similarly, power structures have been
found functional in every sphere of life and are decided by the institutions which hold
the utmost power. Racism has also been revealed in the text. Ethnicity, race, colour,
culture and language have been found superiority over all the other ethnicities,
cultures, races and languages.
In the light of the above mentioned studies, it can be observed that a huge gap
is found regarding the linguistic analyses of An American Brat. The selected novel is
still need to be studied and analysed under the lens of acculturation, language, code-
switching in sociolinguistic perspective which is going to be studied in this paper. The
above mentioned previous studies provide a crystal clear literature background to the
researcher to explore new potential horizons which are tried to be presented in An
American Brat by Bepsi Sidhwa.

8
1.2 Overview the Selected Novel and Author
The dream of going to America and adopting a first world lifestyle is a very
common wish of the middle class families of the Indian sub-continent. The place
appears to them as an alluring utopos and becomes the imaginary space, where all the
problems of their present existence will be solved and they will be able to achieve all
that are wanted for a sophisticated, tech-friendly and easy life. Bapsi Sidhwa’s An
American Brat also showcases such a decision of the Parsee family. Cyrus and Zareen
Ginwalla plans to send their only daughter Feroza to U.S. to save her from the rising
fundamentalisms in Pakistan, as the latter was reacting to the Parsi liberal lifestyle and
in some way or other supporting the dictates of the mullahs. The Ginwallas thought
that America will open her views and widen her thoughts. But Feroza approaches the
country, experiences many social and cultural clashes and slowly but steadily
assimilates it within her. Her relationship with an American Jew again disturbs her
parents, who wanted their daughter to have a liberal outlook, within their created
boundaries of religion and society. As inter-community marriage is not approved in
the Parsi community, Feroza’s parents break up their relation. But Feroza never
returns back to her country and her community. She not only accepts America, but
reinvents her religion from a broader perspective, which will ever remain in her and
help her to find her own identity.
Pakistani feminist, post-colonial and linguistic writer, Bapsi Sidhwa (1938)
the author of An American Brat is widely recognized as one of the most prominent
Pakistani-Anglophone novelist(s) writing today. An American Brat, written after
Sidhwa Immigrated to America, follows sixteen years Old, a Parsi girl named Feroza
Ginwalla. Alarmed by the rising antisocial attitude of Feroza, her mother, Zareen
decided to send her to America to stay with her uncle. After an initial culture shock,
she realizes that “America is not all Saks and skyscrapers” (Sidhwa, 81). However,
Feroza decides to remain in America as a college student, where she falls in love with
a young Jewish man. Feroza becomes much politicized about the issues like gender,
sex, and global relations. Zareen, Alarmed by Feroza‟s newly, Americanized attitude,
traveled to the U.S.A to retrieve her daughter, who Zareen believes has become An
American Brat (Sidhwa, 279).
Comparability, Kiran Desai (b.1971) also belonged to the same territory that
Sidhwa belonged. She is Indian- American post-colonial writer, widely, recognized

9
and praised throughout Asia. Her book inheritance of loss (2006) won the Man
Booker prize, as well as the 2006 National Book critics circle fiction Award.In The
inheritance of lossas a diasporic writer, Desai presents the characters who fail to
assimilate new culture or give up rigid class systems that exist in India and abroad
amongstIndians, and the struggles that the people face after colonialism. This study
focuses on how themind affects and shapes the behavior of individuals and how this
behavior causes class discrimination and identity crises. And the person who
experiences this sense of alienation becomes a diaspora identity. This is what in the
case of Feroza in American Brat. The conflicts are between Feroza, her mother, and
her uncle. It is the Id of her mother and afterward her uncle‟s that causes her
migration and then stay in America. Her ego always keeps her in a conflict that what
is wrong and what is right, what she should adopt from American culture and what
should not.
Her ego is defeated by Id when she adopts American culture forgets her own
and loves Jewish While she is Parsi, the Diasporic notion is there in this state when
she isolated herself from her own culture. In the end, her superego drives her to return
to her own origin. The same is the context of inheritance of loss, As the characters are
in the dilemmas of a displacement for-reaching, an agonizing process of alienation
and psychological dislocation when may create an imbalance that can greatly affect a
person’s mind, thought, and feelings. And that person could be stated as a diaspora
identity. From the psychoanalytical perspective, we can compare Sai to Feroza as they
have undergone the same dilemma of identity and mental conflict. It is her Id that she
feels isolated from her own origin her diaspora is because of her own mental
phenomenon. She prefers western culture whereas belongs to eastern. She falls in love
with a boy of the lower class but afterward, her superego makes her guilty and she
recognized her privileged life she becomes aware that being a westernized Indian is
difficult and dangerous. In the end, her ego mediates her mind eventually she tries to
find how to leave Kalimpong.
1.3 Statement of the Problem
The present study investigates the bilingual acculturation and
conceptualization in Sidhwa’s An American Brat. This sociolinguistic approach
highlights the power and cultural identity of Pakistani society through the use of code-

10
mixing in the novel. It highlights the process of culture blending. It investigates the
effects of language acculturation on a language and culture.

1.4 Significance of Research

The aim of study is to analyze the bilingual acculturation and
conceptualization in Sidhwa’s An American Brat. The study will evaluate
representation of acculturation through the language used by the author. The study
will be helpful to understand the ideas of the writer imposed in the selected novel. The
research will be very beneficial for the culture explorers to understand the relationship
of language and culture. It will be helpful to understand that how bilingualism effects
the culture. It will also be very beneficial for Pakistani as well as foreign community
to analyze the culture of Pakistan.
1.5 Objectives of Research
The objectives of the research are as under:
 To explore the relationship between code-switching attitudes and cultural
identities.
 To bring forth the impacts of bilingualism on the culture of a specific area.
 To identify the writer’s conceptualization about bilingual acculturation in “An
American Brat”.
1.6 Research Questions
The research questions are as under:
1. How social and psychological variables of acculturation represented trough
code-mixed language used by the writer?
2. What identities are constructed and represented through the language used by
the writer particularly regarding cultural constraints?

11
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