A Corpus-Based Investigation of Linguistic Commodification in Pakistani Online Travel Discourse

Abstract

This study investigates the linguistic commodification of tourism discourse in Pakistan’s digital landscape. It draws on Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Linguistic Commodification Theory (Heller, 2010), and Word Frequency Analysis (Baker, 2006) to examine how English dominates tourism branding and shapes national identity. The analysis utilises a 10,000-word corpus from government and private tourism websites to examine how language constructs narratives of place, culture, and identity. The findings reveal that English functions as a language of prestige, reinforcing linguistic hierarchies that marginalize Urdu and regional languages. Additionally, tourism branding employs romanticized and commodified portrayals of landscapes, history, and culture, often prioritizing Western validation and market-driven narratives. These strategies contribute to a neoliberal tourism economy that packages experiences for elite consumption, while local voices and authenticity are diminished. The study calls for more inclusive linguistic practices in tourism branding to ensure equitable and diverse cultural representation in Pakistan’s digital tourism discourse.