Lexical Diversity in Indian Print Media: Perspectives for English Language Education

Abstract

This research examines lexical diversity in Indian English print media and its implications for English language education. Indian newspapers represent a unique linguistic landscape where standardized English intersects with indigenous vocabulary, creating distinctive patterns of word choice and variety. The study investigates how major Indian newspapers employ lexical diversity and what pedagogical insights emerge for English language teaching. Using corpus analysis methodology, five leading Indian English newspapers were analyzed over a three-month period, examining lexical density, word frequency distributions, and type-token ratios. The hypothesis posited that Indian print media demonstrates moderate lexical diversity influenced by regional linguistic substrates and reader demographics. Results revealed significant variation across publications, with broadsheets exhibiting higher lexical diversity than tabloids. Discussion highlights how exposure to authentic Indian English media texts can enhance vocabulary acquisition, cultural competence, and register awareness among learners. The study concludes that integrating Indian print media into English curricula provides culturally relevant, linguistically rich resources for developing advanced language proficiency. Findings suggest pedagogical strategies leveraging media texts to improve lexical competence while acknowledging the legitimacy of Indian English varieties.