Voices on the Wheels: A Semiotic Analysis of Vehicular Discourse in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

This research examines the inscriptions that are printed on the vehicles in different cities of Punjab. Using Ferdinand de Saussure's theory of signs, it analyzes the manner in which these messages function as semiotic signals, thereby revealing deeper meanings that are embedded in the local, social, political, cultural, and religious contexts.  The sample size consisted of inscriptions on fifteen vehicles across multiple highways, and were analyzed to identify recurrent themes, symbols, and cultural narratives that represent the values and identity of the local population. The findings reveal that these mobile inscriptions go beyond mere decoration or humor, and they reflect drivers' identities, express spiritual beliefs, voice socio-political grievances, and challenge societal norms. By transforming ordinary vehicles into mobile billboards of public emotion, this research demonstrates how individuals engage in public environments to generate meaning. This research is interdisciplinary in nature as it bridges between sociolinguistics, discourse studies, and cultural semiotics by emphasizing vehicle discourse as a primary but understudied form of popular discourse in Pakistan as well as urban South Asia.