THE SOCIAL AND PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS OF ADDRESS TERMS: A SOCIO-PRAGMATIC INVESTIGATION OF PAKISTANI WOMEN’S EVERYDAY INTERACTION

Abstract

The current research analyzes the way in which Pakistani women make a strategic use of an address term Bhai as a tool for communication different interactional contexts. Being influenced by gender roles, norms of politeness, and worries about one’s personal security, women utilize this address term as a means to regulate interpersonal distance, express politeness, and manipulate social relationships. Quantitative research approach is employed; data has been gathered from female students enrolled in universities using a Likert scale questionnaire that included 29 items evaluate social and pragmatic aspects. Findings designate that its significance of its use in terms of politeness, respect, and affection seems to be relatively high, whereas the significance of its usage in exercising power control is relatively low, indicating that it serves more as a means of protection than authority. The research is based on the theoretical principles of pragmatics and sheds light on the complexity of what initially appeared to be a simple address term in gender discourse.