Pragmatics of Code-Switching in Pakistani Comedy Talk Shows: A Corpus Based Analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the pragmatic functions of Urdu–Punjabi code- switching in the Pakistani comedy talk show Khabarhar (خبرہار) using Relevance Theory (Sperber & Wilson, 1986, 1995) as the analytical framework. Adopting a corpus-based mixed-methods approach, the study analyzes how code-switching operates at the levels of cognitive effort, cognitive effects, and audience-oriented pragmatic impact in televised humorous discourse. A spoken corpus was compiled from selected recent episodes of the program, systematically transcribed, and annotated. The data were manually coded and analyzed using MAXQDA, combiningqualitative pragmatic interpretation with frequency-based patterns of code-switching functions. The findings demonstrate that Urdu Punjabi code-switching serves as a strategic pragmatic resource that enhances humor by reducing processing effort, increasing contextual relevance, and activating shared cultural schemas. Code-switching frequently occurs at punchlines and evaluative moments, generating humor through linguistic contrast, unexpected shifts, and localized cultural resonance. This study contributes to the growing body of research on bilingual humor and media pragmatics in South Asian contexts by empirically demonstrating how code-switching functions as a relevance optimizing strategy in televised comedy discourse. The findings offer implications for pragmatics, media linguistics, and humor studies, particularly in multilingual broadcast settings