A DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI ENGLISH MEMES: LINGUISTIC CREATIVITY AND CULTURAL HUMOUR

Abstract

This study examines Pakistani English memes as a form of digital discourse, focusing on linguistic creativity and cultural humour. The research adopts a qualitative approach using discourse analysis and multimodal analysis to explore how meaning is constructed through the interaction of language and visual elements in memes. A dataset of fourteen memes collected from social media platforms was analysed to identify recurring linguistic features, humour strategies, and cultural themes. The findings reveal that Pakistani memes frequently employ code-switching between English and Urdu, informal language, and concise sentence structures to enhance relatability and audience engagement. Humour in these memes is primarily generated through incongruity, sarcasm, exaggeration, and cultural references, often reflecting shared social experiences. The study also shows that memes function as tools of social commentary, addressing issues such as national identity, Pakistan–India relations, media representation, gender roles, and everyday life. Furthermore, the multimodal nature of memes highlights the importance of the interaction between textual and visual components in producing meaning. The study concludes that Pakistani English memes are not merely humorous artefacts but significant communicative practices that reflect cultural values and social realities in contemporary digital spaces. This research contributes to the fields of discourse analysis and digital linguistics by providing insights into the evolving nature of language use in online communication.