Gender Stratification by Variants /n/ and /ɽ/̃ in Lahore city: The Labovian Paradigm

The study is an investigation of language within the social context of the community in which it is spoken, carried out in 2019 in a region with a particular linguistic background, Lahore, the capital of Punjab, Pakistan. This research investigates the stratification of nasal variants /n/ and /ɳ/ in the Lahore city, relating parameter of gender. This research was intended to determine the male and female use of the nasal variants /n/ and /ɳ/, indicates that gender-based differences in male/female linguistic behavior in the Lahore speech community. A structured interview was administered in order to examine this issue of social stratification by language. In this regard, this study becomes a Labovian methodological replica in the present context. The results show several statistically significant differences in linguistic usage among different groups of people residing in Lahore city. This research was intended to determine whether men and women were different with respect to the use of nasal variants /n/ and /ɳ/. Moreover, an examination of the social class and regionality (urban/rural) is also under consideration in the present research.


Introduction
This research was intended to determine whether men and women were different with respect to the use of nasal variants /n/ and /ɽ̃ /. To conduct the study, R. Lakoff's (1975) and Labov's (1960) ideas concerning linguistic differences between males and females were taken into account. This research investigates and examines the stratification of nasal variants /n/ and /ɽ̃ / in the Lahore city, relating social parameter of gender. The study is concerned with presence or absence of /ɽ/a retroflex nasal flap that frequently occurs in the speech communities of various parts of rural and urban Punjab.
Variant /ɽ/ is socially stigmatized in all of the speech community in Lahore, it has been studied to date, with subjective evaluation tests and self-report tests supporting this view. For example, some interviews conducted in various areas of Lahore and found that the standard (n) variant produced by educated women and conscious speakers, the lower he or she was rated who used this stigmatized variant in these areas.
The following study is a sociolinguistic study carried out in 2017 in Lahore, Pakistan. This is a region with a particular sociolinguistic context which stems from the area's sociolinguistic, political and economic history. This study is an investigation of language within the social context of the community in which it is spoken. The focus of this study is to know the objective pattern of language usage in different social contexts in a speech community. More specifically, this examines the relationship between linguistic and gender factors and how men and women distinguish themselves from one another in a whole range of social behaviors including the type of language they use. In this regard, Lakoff's (1975) ideas concerning linguistic differences between males and females were taken into account for justifying her claim concerning the standard linguistic form than menfolk in a speech community. ijel.ccsenet.

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Research Questions
(1) Is there any significant difference between the groups (male & female) under study on the use of retroflex nasal flap /ɽ/?
(2) Is there any significant difference between educated and uneducated women on the use of /ɽ/?
(3) Is there any significant gender difference among social groups (low, middle & high) on the use of /ɽ/?
(4) Is there any significant difference between urban and rural women on the use of /ɽ/?

Methodology
There were 10 questions divided into two parts in this way, 6 questions representing independent variables were the profile questions about the subjects. The content of the interviews covers very specific phonetic information regarding their pronunciation of nasal variants. The main items of demographic information and relevant background data that is very much essential for the linguistic research. These demographic features include gender. The structured interview was administered for eliciting desired data. In this connection, some questions are prepared in advance in the form of MCQs with only two choices. The responses were keenly recorded for further analysis. During the interview the participants were unaware that the researcher was interested in their speech patterns especially in their pronunciation of /n/ in the word final and postvocalic position (occurring immediately after a vowel), rather than the content of the interviews. All 72 subjects were selected by random stratified sampling representing all dependent variables including gender.

Sample & Sampling Technique
In order to draw the desired sample from the population, stratified random sampling technique was applied for this study. The sample was selected in such a way that the identified subgroups (e.g., urban vs. non-urban speakers) in the population were adequately represented in the sample. For subgroup comparison, equal-sized samples from each of the subgroups were selected. The stratification of the sample will be based on age, sex, region, education and social class membership. The sample would be further divided into three age groups (15-30, 30-45, & 45-60).
A Sample consisted of 72 Subjects and the composition of the sample was as follows

Data Analysis
The data were coded and turned into numerical data as appropriate. It was then submitted to statistical analysis using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). The statistical techniques included frequencies, t-test, and analysis of variance. The choice of statistical techniques was based on the research question to be answered.

Quantification of Data
It is very important step in calculation for the analysis. The basic information and the simple characteristics were tabulated and calculated the frequencies and percentages and analyzed.
Scoring scheme of the study: Scoring is necessary for the measurement of the variables.
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The Gender Factor
The results do not show any kind of linguistic differences of men and women. On the contrary, Labov (1990, p. 205) presents the most consistent results about the linguistic differences of men and women. In this context, as for as the present variants are concerned, there is no sociolinguistic stratification between men and women in Lahore. In this way, a sexual pattern of differentiation does not emerge, which is found in Western ideology that females are more prone to prestige pattern than males.

Conclusion
The aim of this thesis was to look closely into the variants /n/ and /ɽ/ gender differentiators in the speech community.
The following brief conclusions were formulated on the basis of the finding of this study:

Gender Differences
There is no sociolinguistic stratification between men and women in Lahore, as for as /ɽ/ is concerned. The results do not show any kind of linguistic differences of men and women. On the contrary, Labov (1990, p. 205) presents the most consistent results about the linguistic differences of men and women. In this context, as for as the present variants are concerned, there is no sociolinguistic stratification between men and women in Lahore. In this way, a sexual pattern of differentiation does not emerge, which is found in Western linguistic ideology that females are more prone to prestige pattern than males.