An Integrated-Skills Model for Teaching Pronunciation by Ayaz Afsar
In the past, pronunciation has been excluded for sometime from the communicative language teaching because of its non-communicative way of practice in the classroom but it has re-entered into the communicative approach to language teaching and much has been written about it. The aim of this paper is to offer an integrated-skills model of teaching pronunciation in a broader communicative framework. The paper begins with a definition of pronunciation and some key terms related with it, moves on to describe the integrated model of pronunciation teaching, goes on to evaluate teaching pronunciation in the context of Pakistan, turns on to suggest a model of teaching pronunciation, sets on to illustrate the way the teaching of segmental and supra-segmental features can be incorporated in the model and closes with some suggestions about the implications of model for teaching pronunciation. Another purpose of the paper is to raise the awareness of teachers/practitioners about the teaching of pronunciation in English teaching context in Pakistan where pronunciation is either not taught at all or if done so, it is taught consciously by making the rules explicit without proper integration with other language skills. A drawback of this is that the learners memorise certain rules and do some mechanical drills but never acquire competence to speak English fluently or avoid comprehension failure.

The Holy Woman: A Feminist Perspective by Ali Ahmad Kharal
Qaisra Shahraz’s first novel, ‘The Holy Woman’ commands attention and admiration on several accounts. In the course of this research paper, attempt has been made to demonstrate how this captivating powerful tale of love sets in a complex web of religion and passion, results in the production of a truly feminist text. Feminism is described as all those ideas and movements that have as their fundamental aim, the realization of women’s liberation, and the profound improvement in women’s condition by establishing a world which is free of gender biased dominance and hierarchy. The analysis of novel reveals that the female characters pulsate with a will and life of their own, cutting loose the constraints imposed by the gender discrimination, a social construct which has come into existence through centuries of prejudiced, forced and intended orchestration of the aggressive patriarchal postulates. Qaisra Shahraz has successfully contributed to the process of change which requires the reconsideration of women’s rights and status.

The Languages of the Neelam Valley by Raja Nasim Akhtar & Khawaja A. Rehman
The Neelam Valley is home to half a dozen of varieties of languages including Hindko, Kasmiri, Kundal Shahi, Gojri, Shina and Pashto. As there are small communities of speakers of these languages and the speakers of one language frequently interact with the speakers of other languages, it presents a complex linguistic landscape. This paper presents a brief overview of the language varieties spoken in the Neelam Valley. In discussing each variety, the paper takes into account the demographic details of the speakers and the interactional patterns prevalent in each area. The paper also traces the emerging trends in the changing landscape of languages in this valley predicting what kinds of language change are in the offing. Finally, the paper identifies the domains where these varieties are mainly spoken and their respective vitality details.

Object Shift in Modern Standard Arabic by MAMDOUH MUSABHIEN
Modern Standard Arabic (MSA henceforth) is one of the languages that allow the object to move from its base position across another element to a higher position. This phenomenon, which is referred to in the literature as object shift, has been observed by a number of authors in Icelandic and Scandinavian languages such as Danish, Swedish and Norwegian (Holmberg 1986, Holmberg and Platzack 1995, and Thráinsson 2001 among others). According to Holmberg (1986), the process of object shift in Icelandic and mainland Scandinavian is restricted in the sense that it applies only when certain conditions are met. MSA seems to differ from these languages in that the object shift is optional and can principally apply without restrictions. However, object shift must take place in MSA when the object is a pronominal or when the subject contains an anaphor that is coreferential with the object. This paper aims to propose a minimalist account for the object shift facts in MSA. The analysis assumes that the following points hold for MSA structures. First, following Holmberg (1986), object shift must be preceded by the verb movement. Second, vP projects more than one spec position. The number of the spec positions of vP is determined by the number of the arguments of the verb. Third, the external argument of the verb (i.e. the subject) originates in the most inner spec position of vP. Finally, the position to which the shifted object moves is a vacant spec, vP.

The Phonological and Morphological Effects of Pharyngeal Sounds in Arabic Bedouin Dialects of the Arabian Peninsula by NASSER ALHORAIS
This paper seeks to provide a descriptive study of the phonological and morphological effects of pharyngeal sounds in Arabic Bedouin dialects of the Arabian Peninsula. More specifically, the paper attempts to examine the effect of pharyngeal sounds from different linguistic aspects, i.e., changing syllable structure and certain changes affecting the morphology and phonology of these dialects. The reason behind these changes could be due to the fact that producing this kind of speech sounds is, indeed, a complicated process as will be shown in the course of the paper.

Ergativity in Gojri by Raja Nasim Akhtar & Nadeem Haider Bukhari
The focus of this paper is to explore the nature of ergativity in Gojri and look whether there is a relationship between case marking and agreement phenomenon. The paper demonstrates that the case in Gojri is both morphological as well as inherent. The investigation also shows that for Gojri subject to bear the ergative case marker –nε, certain eligibility criteria have to be met including, (a) the verb is a transitive one, (b) it is in either the simple past or perfect form (c) the subject is agentive and (d) volitionality element is present on the part of the subject. Using Minimal Programme framework, the paper argues that the ergative case feature, on the subject is checked only if the [ASP] feature on the little v in the derivation is realized as overt or covert for the perfective aspect or if the verb is marked with the feature [VOL].