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Abstract The main purpose of this study was to investigate or inquire the external factors affecting the process of English Language Acquisition (ELA) that is second language in regards to Pakistani context. For analysis purpose, quantitative approach was applied and data was collected from 40 learners of intermediate in context of Pakistan by administrating the proposed questionnaire and the writing test of the same learners. The questionnaire inculcated 10 items about socio-economic external factors to be investigated and discussed while the writing test included the item types guided by the Punjab Textbook Board. The collected data was analyzed and presented statistically with the help of Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of this study reported significant effect of the said external factors, moreover correlation between questionnaire and the marks of the written test discussed variation between positive or negative and more or less impact of the said factors: Mostly social and economic factors have negative impact on Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Keywords: external factors, second language acquisition, English language acquisition, Punjab textbook

Abstract The focus of the research study is to analyze the concept of existentialism in Shafak’s The Forty Rules of Love (2009), for in this piece of literature the characters are found in search of meaning of life. This research aims at unveiling the search of meaning in one’s life and applies Existentialism to elucidate the burden of hardships and sense of betrayal in a person’s life. It also deals with the plight of modern man in Kierkegaard’s existential perspective as it is suitable for achieving the proposed research objectives. It also highlights the lives of the people who face existential angst in their lives. This novel shows Kierkegaard’s conception of leap of faith as it enables the characters of the novel to find meaning in their lives. This research concludes that the characters stuffer from existential angst but as long they do not take some decisions by making some choices and taking a leap of faith, they are unable to add essence in their lives and understand true meaning of their existence. This self-recognition not only helps them to find meaning in their lives but also happiness which it results in. Keywords: Existentialism, Leap of faith, Meaninglessness, Mystery, Existential Angst

Abstract This research study has been conducted to study the phonological deviations made by native Punjabi speakers while speaking English. Specifically, this study is concerned with the articulation of consonant clusters on the onset position in a syllable. Contrastive Analysis Approach has been applied for this research study in which the phonology of Punjabi and English languages has been compared to find the root of the error. The sample of the study consists of 20 undergraduate native Punjabi participants of Sargodha by using a mixed sampling technique. 10 participants from 2 colleges had been taken from each college by using purposive sampling technique to ensure that they were native speakers of Punjabi. English Sounds Pronunciation Passage (ESPP) given by Akinsola and Olaosebikan (2019) has been used in the study to answer the research questions. The findings of the study show that the female undergraduate native Punjabi speakers of Punjabi language do commit errors when they articulate consonant cluster on onset position in a syllable under the influence of the native language of the speakers (Punjabi). Keywords: native language, purposive sampling technique, ESPP, Contrastive Analysis Approach

Abstract The advancements in the field of technology have led to a shift in the learning techniques of students and the different formats of electronic books are accommodating traditional printed books. This study investigates how the new paradigm of e-learning is assisting university students through the use of smart gadgets such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops. The reading preferences of 62 undergraduate students were examined based on the compatibility and ease of using either e-books or printed books for their academic purposes. The data were analyzed in light of the Attributes of Diffusion of Innovations Theory by E. M. Rogers (1962). The results of the study show that due to more advantages, compatibility, observability, and no issues regarding trialability and complexity, students prefer printed books over electronic ones. Keywords: E-learning, electronic books, traditional books, printed books, observability, complexity, compatibility

Abstract This paper explores the dynamics of poetry to reveal how poets of the Saraiki language invest cultural and historical metaphors in the process of rewriting the history of the Saraiki Region. This phenomenon of exploration takes Socio-cognitive discourse studies as a framework of analysis while choosing Saraiki poetry as a matrix of examination. The poetic symbols serve as a guide and allow us to observe how cultural traditions are enriched with history. This quality directs us to travel back into the past to see the antiquity of the region. The paper concludes with the idea that the aesthetic form of poetry contains broader implications. It identifies that the poets of indigenous languages are consciously rewriting the history of the Saraiki region. Keywords: Dynamics of poetry, Saraiki Region, Poetic symbols, Cultural traditions, Indigenous languages