Constraint-based Analysis of Persian Loanwords in Saraiki

Abstract

This paper analyses Persian loanwords in Saraiki using Optimality Theory. It also attempts to determine linguistic relationship between Saraiki and Persian. Phonological changes occur in loanwords due to constraints which demand either wellformedness or faithfulness to L1, which are satisfied at the cost of faithfulness to the input. Insertion, deletion, substitution, lenition, devoicing, vowel lengthening, stress shift, etc. are observed in Persian loanwords in Saraiki. The study confirms the emergence of the unmarked in loanword grammar of Saraiki. Those marked phenomena which are acceptable in indigenous Saraiki grammar are not acceptable in loanword grammar. Such examples confirm that there are two parallel grammars for indigenous Saraiki lexicon and loanwords. On the basis of examples of substitution of unmarked sounds with their marked counterparts, it is claimed that Persian has also been getting loanwords from Saraiki which means the process of loanword adoption is bidirectional, rather than unidirectional. Overall the study negates the idea of some indigenous linguists that Saraiki is closer to Persian than Indo-Aryan languages.