Code-Switching and Cultural Identity: A Linguistic Analysis of Urdu Expressions in English Novels Set in Hyderabad

Abstract

This paper examines the presence of Urdu expressions in English novels, specifically in Zeenuth Futehally's Zohra (1951) and Jeelani Bano's Aiwan-e-Ghazal (1976). Urdu, with its rich vocabulary inherited from Persian, Arabic, Sanskrit and local influences, has been interspersed throughout English novels. The study classifies eighty Urdu words culled from these two novels under the headings of marriage, clothing, food, poetry and music, and religion and customs. Each term is analyzed according to its linguistic category, semantic field, and cultural function.

The findings reveal that most of the words are nouns denoting culturally specific realities, such as rituals, clothing and cuisine, with a minority of idioms and interjections. Religious and ritual lexicon is prevalent, with food vocabulary next in line, whereas interjections recreate the rhythm of actual Urdu discourse. The paper points to these insertions serving a variety of functions: they intensify authenticity, mark identity, express emotional value and strive to preserve cultural integrity by full assimilation into English.

The novelists refrained from translating the Urdu words lest they lose the distinctiveness of the linguistic heritage. At the same time, this deliberate strategy enriches the expressive capacity of English. The study concludes that such practices exemplify postcolonial hybridity, contribute to the growth of South Asian English, and offer valuable insight into the interplay of language, culture and literature.