Abstract

The present research aimed to assess the dynamics involved in the shift and maintenance of Gojri language in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Specifically, it centered on highlighting the role of mothers in language shift and maintenance utilizing Spolsky’s family language planning (FLP) model. The study employed a comparative ethnographic method to collect data from the mothers belonging to the Gujjar community, wherein language shift and language maintenance were examined as two distinct cases in a single setting. Data collected through semi-structured interview and participants’ observations were analyzed thematically. The analysis of data revealed the decisive role of the mothers in the FLP of a family. And consequently, it highlighted the role of family in language shift and maintenance. The findings of the study show that constant parental support, including both parents at home, learning opportunities and empowerment, and providing learning resources to the children in the Gujjar community were essential to maintain the language, at least in the home domain. Furthermore, the study urges the policymakers to acknowledge the pivotal role of mothers in language shift and maintenance and emphasizes the need to provide necessary support and resources to preserve the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity. For instance, if the mothers are encouraged to use their mother tongues with their children, this will help the children to practice their mother tongues not only at home but in the broader community as well. Moreover, mothers transmit to their children the norms and taboos of their culture and can thus help children develop an emotional attachment with their mother tongues and ways of life.