It is important to look into different lexical items, which are used, in different registers. Besides the native words, a large number of borrowed lexical items of Perso-Arabic sources and English are used in the registers of administration, law, business, religion and science & technology. Most of these borrowed lexical items used in different registers are common in Punjabi. The Persian language has remained in use in administration, courts and in education for a long period of time. It is due to its use in the above spheres, it has largely influenced the development of registers of administration, law and business. The Perso-Arabic lexical items are used in the religious registers of Muslims. The English language has emerged another dominant language, which has influenced the development of registers of administration, law, business and science. Besides its use in administration, English is widely being used as the medium of instruction at the higher level of education for all the subjects of science and technology. It is due to its role in education and administration. English borrowed lexical items are widely used in Punjabi as in other Indian languages in different registers.

Registers of Administration and Law:

The language used in administration and in law courts directly influences the register of administration and law. Persian has remained the language of administration and courts of law during the Mughal period for a long period of time. This language was primarily responsible for the development of registers of administration and law in Punjabi. A large number of vocabulary used in the day-to-day affairs of administration and the terms used in law courts are borrowed from Persian. During the British rule, English was introduced as the language of administration, courts and in education. The use of English has continued in the administration, higher courts and medium of education even after the independence of the country. The use of English in administration and in law has resulted in a wide use of English borrowed lexical items in the register of administration and law. Here are some examples of common lexical items used in the register of administration and law from Persian and English.

 

∂rj	'request '	∂rzi	'petition'
∂dal∂t	'court'	∂sṭam	'stamp paper'
Agá	'informed'	abkari	'excise'
Ijlas	'meeting'	k∂l∂m	'pen'
kudrat	'nature'	k∂sba	'town'
j∂vab	'reply'	z∂midar	'landlord'
zila	'district'	bIan	'statement'
∂tharIti	'authority'	∂j∂'ḍa	'agenda'
ej∂'si	'agency'	r∂jIstrar	'registrar'
j∂j	'judge'	b∂j∂ṭ	'budget'
Voṭ	'vote'	Haikoṭ	'high court'
Paspota	'passport'	k∂mpni	'company'
p∂rI'sip∂l	'principal'	pεnṣ∂n	'pension'
Relve	'railway'	Steṣ∂n	'station'
Praj∂kṭ	'project'	Bil	'bill'

Register of Business:

The register of business is developed as a result of the use of language in the day to day business transactions. This register is primarily influence by the language used in administration and the language or languages spoken by the business communities and the common masses with whom the day-to-day business transactions are made. The Persian has made a dominant influence on the development of this register. Most of the lexical items or terms used in the business transactions are of the Persian origin in Punjabi. It is very recently that this register has come under the influence of the English language, due to its use in administration and education. Some of the examples are:

 

 k∂raIa	'rent'	k∂rIana	'grocery'
k∂rza	'loan'	gák	'customer'
gIņti	'calculation'cU'gi	'octroi'
t∂kṛi	'scale'	t∂ksim	'division'
Thok	'whole sale'than	'role of cloth'
dUkan	'shop'	d∂rj∂n	'dozen'
n∂fa	'profit'	b∂kaIa	'balance'

There are some of lexical items borrowed from English most commonly used in the register of business in Punjabi. Most common English borrowed lexical items used in the register of business in Punjabi.

 

∂ḍvãs	'advance'	adIṭ	'audit'
Aḍ∂r	'order'	Ink∂m	'income'
Inc	'inch'	∂kṭ	'act'
Koṭa	'quota'	kIllo	'kilo'
g∂r∂'ṭi	'guarantee'	Ziro	'zero'
ṭ∂n	'ton'	ṭ∂ks	'tax'
M∂sain	'machine'	rIkarda	'record'
miṭ∂r	'meter'	dipu	'depot'

Register of Religion:

The register of religion is developed on the basis of the language of the religious scriptures, the language used for propagation of a particular religion, this language used in saying prayers and the language used in performing religious rituals etc. Various religious registers have developed in Punjabi related to different practising religions of Sikhism, Hinduism and Islam. The religions scripture of Sikhs, The Adi Granth Sahib worshipped as Guru Granth Sahib, is written in Punjabi in Gurmukhi script.

These scriptures are recited on all the religious congregations while performing ceremonies and rituals. Most of the vocabulary used in this register is greatly influenced by Sanskrit borrowings and Persian borrowing as well. Some of the very common terms used in the religious register of Sikhs are given.

 

∂rdas	- 	Prayer			∂m∂r	-	immortal 
∂mrIt	-	nectar			atma	-	soul
∂kh∂'ḍpath -	continuous recitation of Guru Granth Sahib.      
kirt∂n		-religious hymns		k∂rpan -	sword
karseva	-	voluntary manual work
k∂ráp∂rṣad -	holy offerings		khalsa - pure Sikh disciple
k∂rtar		-the creator 
gutaka	-	a small edition of five Guruvanis
gUrpUr∂b	-	Guru's birthday
n∂g∂r kirt∂n -	singing of religious hymns in procession 
l∂g∂r		 -common kitchen for devotees 
váegUru	 -	God Almighty	
S∂rov∂r	 -	holy pond 
S∂t sIri ∂kal	 -The truth is immortal (a greetings)
gUrd∂vara	 -	The Sikh temple 			

Register of Science and Technology:

The use of Punjabi as a medium of instruction in schools and colleges necessitated the development of register of scientific and technological terms in Punjabi. The glossaries of technical terms prepared in different branches of science, physics, chemistry, botany, engineering, medicine etc. reveal a dominant use of English lexical items used in their original form. Only a limited number of new terms have been coined in Punjabi for such terms of science and technology. The terms used from English are enorousmly numerous that it would not be necessary to present examples from all the areas of science and technology. Couple of typical examples is given:

 


 k∂mpIuṭ∂r		'computer'		imel	'e-mail'
homIopεthi		'homeopathy'	injεks∂n	'injection'
harḍ ve∂r		'hard ware'		ṣ̂fṭ ve∂r	'soft ware'
fεks		'fax'		ṭεliphon	'telephone'
ṭεligram		'telegram'		K∂ndε's∂r	'condenser'
Kεlṣiam		'calcium'		kibord	'keyboard'
volṭej		'voltage'		mobail	'mobile'
aṭaomεṭIk		'automatic'		diz∂l	'diesel'