Borrowing in the Borrowing in the English LanguageEnglish Language

Words might be taken over from one Words might be taken over from one language and are adopted to the other. language and are adopted to the other.

This process is called This process is called borrowingborrowing..

The reason for borrowing The reason for borrowing a suitable word from a suitable word from another language is the another language is the need to find a term for an need to find a term for an unfamiliar thing, animal, unfamiliar thing, animal, or cultural device. or cultural device.

Moreover, a further, often Moreover, a further, often underestimated reason for underestimated reason for borrowing is prestige.borrowing is prestige.

On the one hand they serve to On the one hand they serve to enrich the language, but on the enrich the language, but on the other hand the words make certain other hand the words make certain stylistic registers more stylistic registers more inaccessible to the masses. inaccessible to the masses.

““Hard words” (Gramley).Hard words” (Gramley).

Amongst the above mentioned Amongst the above mentioned reasons for borrowing from reasons for borrowing from foreign languages, the most foreign languages, the most obvious and maybe also the obvious and maybe also the most profound one is the most profound one is the introduction of new concepts for introduction of new concepts for which there are no suitable which there are no suitable words in the task language. words in the task language.

In the Middle Ages the Arabic In the Middle Ages the Arabic world was advanced in many world was advanced in many

sciences and thus, a lot of words sciences and thus, a lot of words have been passed on during this have been passed on during this time to other languages and also time to other languages and also

to to English. English.

Some of the best known examples Some of the best known examples are alchemy, alcohol, and algebra.are alchemy, alcohol, and algebra.

Direct borrowing is when a language takes over a Direct borrowing is when a language takes over a term directly from another language. The English term directly from another language. The English word omelette is an example for direct borrowing word omelette is an example for direct borrowing because it has been taken over from French because it has been taken over from French (French: omelette) directly, without any major (French: omelette) directly, without any major phonological or orthographical changes. phonological or orthographical changes. In contrast to that, indirect borrowing takes place In contrast to that, indirect borrowing takes place when a certain word is passed on from the source when a certain word is passed on from the source language to another (as a direct borrowing), and language to another (as a direct borrowing), and then from that language is handed over to another then from that language is handed over to another and from this one maybe even to another. This and from this one maybe even to another. This process may go hand in hand with the development process may go hand in hand with the development that the word, each time it is passed on from one that the word, each time it is passed on from one language to another, is adjusted language to another, is adjusted phonologically/orthographically to make it fit to phonologically/orthographically to make it fit to the phonological/orthographical system of the the phonological/orthographical system of the recipient language. recipient language.

Loanwords: they have been Loanwords: they have been imported/adopted from another imported/adopted from another language, either directly or indirectly, language, either directly or indirectly, and might have undergone and might have undergone phonological/orthographical changes. phonological/orthographical changes.

Loanshifts (= loan Loanshifts (= loan translations/calques): the borrowing is translations/calques): the borrowing is done by translating the vocabulary item done by translating the vocabulary item or rather its meaning into the receiving or rather its meaning into the receiving language. (‘Übermensch’ – ‘Superman’) language. (‘Übermensch’ – ‘Superman’)

•the borrowing of a word into another language is always a gradual process which takes quite some time. This gradual might even lead to the result that foreign words which are borrowed become ‘nativised’, in the case of English then ‘anglicised’.