A Comparative Analysis of Ra'ūf Pārekh and Qāsim Ya‘qūb's UrduSlang Dictionaries (From a Semantic Perspective)

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the Urdu slang dictionaries authored by Ra'ūf Pārekh and Qāsim Ya‘qūb, focusing specifically on their semantic approaches. Slang represents an evolving aspect of language, reflecting social, cultural, and linguistic shifts within a society. Both Pārekh and Ya‘qūb have contributed significantly to the documentation of Urdu slang, providing insights into its dynamic nature. This study explores how each author approaches the semantic aspects of slang, including their methods for defining, categorizing, and contextualizing slang terms. The research delves into the scope and depth of each dictionary, comparing how effectively they capture the nuances of meaning associated with Urdu slang. Selected entries from both dictionaries are analyzed to highlight differences in semantic interpretation, word usage, and cultural relevance. The study also examines how each author’s work contributes to the broader understanding of Urdu slang within the linguistic landscape, particularly in terms of its richness and diversity. By identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each dictionary, this research contributes to the ongoing discourse on the importance of slang in linguistic studies and its role in the evolution of the Urdu language.