THIS is with reference to the letter ‘The vivid language that Gen Z speaks’ (May 27). The language patterns of Pakistani youth, particularly what is also known as Gen Z, have undergone significant changes in recent years, with many observers noting an alarming increase in the casual use of profanity and crude expressions in everyday conversation.

This shift represents a departure from traditional Pakistani communication values that emphasised respectful, formal language as a reflection of good upbringing and moral character.

The primary drivers of this linguistic transformation include heavy exposure to uncensored international media content through streaming platforms and social media where profanity is normalised and often used for emphasis or humour. Unlike traditional Pakistani media with stricter language standards, global digital content exposes youth to unrestricted linguistic patterns that they subsequently adopt in their daily interactions.

Digital communication platforms have created informal linguistic environments where abbreviated speech, slang and cuss words have become commonplace. Pakistani youth spending extensive time across these online spaces absorb these patterns and carry them into face-to-face conversations, blurring the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate language use.

The phenomenon is most pronounced in urban centres like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad where Western cultural influences are the strongest. However, it is gradually spreading to smaller cities and towns as internet access expands.

Among certain youth circles, using profanity has become associated with being ‘modern’, ‘confident’ and ‘socially accepted’, creating a lot of peer pressure to adopt such language patterns. Educational institutions report increasing difficulty in maintaining formal communication standards, with students struggling to code-switch between casual and academic language.

Teachers note that many young people use the same informal, profanity-laden speech in classrooms as they do with friends, showing diminished awareness of contextual appropriateness. The worst part is that it is considered something that makes them ‘different’ and ‘cool’ compared to the older generation. This is actually not ‘cool’ at all.

This linguistic shift has created signi-ficant intergenerational communication gaps. Parents, teachers and elder family members often feel alienated by young people’s communication styles, which they perceive as disrespectful or inappro- priate. The traditional respect accorded to formal communication in Pakistani culture is being challenged by these changing patterns.

The consequences extend beyond social interactions into professional environments, where employers express concerns about young employees’ inability to maintain appropriate workplace communication standards. This can limit career advance-ment opportunities and create workplace tensions.

The degradation also raises questions about cultural identity preservation, as language has traditionally been a crucial component of Pakistani heritage. The incorporation of excessive profanity challenges the linguistic traditions that have helped define Pakistani cultural values.

While some view these changes as natural linguistic evolution in a globalised world, others see them as a concerning erosion of important cultural values. The challenge lies in helping young Pakistanis develop linguistic flexibility to communicate appropriately in different contexts while preserving respectful communication traditions.

Addressing this issue requires balanced approaches, including media literacy education, communication skills training in schools, and reinforcing cultural values that emphasise respectful dialogue.

The goal should be to enable the young to navigate through both contemporary communication styles as well as traditional standards of respect, ensuring that they have the capacity to function effectively in both modern and traditional contexts.

Maryam Naveed
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2025