A Cross-Linguistic Study of Grammatical Nominalization in Pakistani Languages

Abstract

This paper analyzes the nominalization system in four Pakistani languages: Urdu, Pahari, Punjabi, and Hindko, using Shibatani’s (2017) framework. The study examines data from native speakers to identify the specific morphological features of each language, highlighting their similarities and differences. The findings reveal that Urdu employs the “-waalaa” marker, while Punjabi, Pahari, and Hindko use “aalaa” markers, each with distinct phonetic and morphological forms. In terms of relative features, Urdu uses “jo,” whereas Pahari, Punjabi, and Hindko utilize “jairha,” which varies according to gender and number. Notably, Pahari and Hindko exhibit relative-correlative constructions. All four languages use participles for nominalization and share similar genitive constructions. Urdu uses the genitive markers “ka, ki, kay,” Pahari uses “na, ni, nay,” and both Punjabi and Hindko use “da, di, day.” These genitive markers agree in gender and number across all languages. Additionally, appositives are generally similar, though Pahari uniquely employs two forms: “kay” and “khay.” The study concludes that while there are distinct morphological features in each language, there are also significant overlaps. The interchangeable use of “waalaa/aalaa” markers and genitives for nominal expressions across these languages underscores the intricate nature of their nominalization systems.

Keywords: Nominalization, Urdu, Pahari, Punjabi, Hindko, Markers