Abstract
The present study explores the role of language as a tool for liberation in Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s diasporic fictions, Sister of My Heart and Queen of Dreams. While analysing literary language within a text is central to stylistic studies, examining the use of bilingualism offers deeper insight into cultural intimacy, identity and also challenges monolingualism in literary discourse. This research investigates bilingualism through the framework of Relevance Theory, as proposed by Sperber and Wilson, which claims that communication is the process of inferring meaning driven by the aim of achieving optimal relevance. By applying this theory to bilingualism, it becomes clear that writing is a creative act, enabling authors to incorporate their mother tongue or first language into English discourse, thereby blending linguistic systems, infusing cultural nuance, and creating “mutual cognitive environment” that connects readers across borders. Additionally, writers transcend monolingual constraints and use language as a means of liberation. However, this research analyses the concept through three elements of bilingualism, i.e., pragma markers, code-switching, and plural markers, demonstrating how language facilitates liberation for writers. Hence, adding a new perspective enriches literary bilingualism, deepens narrative depth, preserves cultural memory, and enhances understanding of language as an aesthetic device in literature.