Aurat March 2020 in Pakistan: A Discourse Analysis of the Written Slogans

Abstract

The study deals with the discourse analysis of the written texts on placards as slogans that were used by people in the Aurat March 2020. The study shows the use of language in those postcards and how the women have been represented. The study is qualitative and analyzes the placard through model of Janks' rubrics. The Aurat March is witnessed by many people in the world and the messages given through written texts are very crucial. The linguistic analysis in the Aurat March placards shows that the text employs many features, i.e. lexicalization, lexical cohesion and also the use of euphemism. The study further analyzes the data to unfold the social and moral values of the speakers, and the socio-economic issues they face and also their demand for their liberty to overstep the moral, social and cultural bonds. Also, it highlights the theme of morality, culture, socio-economic issues, religion and desire of women for the fulfillment of basic necessities, and for their rights. In some of these placards, it has been shown that some women also want to overstep the cultural and moral bounds and it indicates relative feminism which questions our moral, cultural and religious values.