Section outline

  • The course introduces students to the ways in which one language takes words and expressions from another. It explains what borrowing is, how it differs from code switching and code mixing, and the main types of borrowed items.

    Objectives

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    By the end of the course, learners will be able to:

    • Clearly define language borrowing and distinguish it from code switching and other forms of language contact.

    • Identify and classify different types of borrowings (e.g. loanwords, calques) in authentic examples from their own linguistic environment.

    • Describe how borrowed items are integrated into the phonological and morphological system of the recipient language.

    • Explain the main reasons why speakers use borrowed words (need, prestige, precision, cultural influence, etc.).

    • Discuss the effects of borrowing on vocabulary, language change, and language attitudes in their speech community, using appropriate linguistic terms.