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Language Contact, Creolization, and Genetic Linguistics
... (3) Gerarchia di prestito secondo Thomason / Kaufman (1988, 74-76) Intensità del contatto Tipo di prestito Anche la gerarchia di Thomason / Kaufman (1988), tuttavia, non può essere considerata definitiva in quanto non riflette -in parte per ragioni anagrafiche -gli sviluppi più recenti della teoria della grammatica: ad esempio, a partire dagli studi di Booij (1993Booij ( , 1996, la flessione non può essere considerata un sottocomponente monolitico e dunque il prestito flessivo va studiato tenendo presente la differenza tra flessione inerente e flessione contestuale. Come ho dimostrato in alcuni lavori (Gardani 2008(Gardani , 2012, infatti, la flessione inerente è più permeabile al prestito della flessione contestuale. ...
... Sfruttando il capitale, scarsamente utilizzato, dei ricchi fatti empirici delle lingue romanze e in particolare dell'italoromanzo, gli obiettivi che mi prefiggo col presente contributo sono due: il primo è quello di offrire un'ampia panoramica di casi di prestito grammaticale verificatosi in italiano e in alcune varietà italoromanze, venendo così incontro alla necessità di complementare i notevoli studi di stampo sociolinguistico esistenti (per es. Prifti 2014; Rubino 2014) con studi dedicati all'analisi degli aspetti sistemici del contatto linguistico; il secondo obiettivo è quello di presentare, sulla base dei fatti empirici esposti, alcune osservazioni circa la resistenza differenziale al contatto di componenti e sottocomponenti della grammatica, tra le altre cose sottoponendo a verifica le previsioni della gerarchia di prestito di Thomason / Kaufman (1988) elencate nelle sezioni a sfondo grigio chiaro in (3). Le ipotesi che intendo sottoporre a verifica sono illustrate nel prossimo paragrafo. ...
... Possiamo, a questo punto, classificare le situazioni linguistiche inserite nel campione secondo i livelli di intensità del contatto proposti da Thomason / Kaufman (1988). Thomason / Kaufman (1988), però, etichettano i livelli, non ne esplicitano l'intensione. ...
... This is as true of the conceptual structure reflected in the language as it is of structural aspects such as phonology, syntax, and the lexicon. The literature on areal linguistics and language contact has long recognized the ways cognition (including metaphor) shapes language change and grammaticalization in general and contactinduced change specifically (e.g., Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Weinreich, 1953), but work has often focused more on structural patterns without keeping cognition at the center of the discussion. On the other hand, much of the work in cognitive linguistics has focused on individual languages as independent systems, and rarely considers the role of bilingualism and language contact. ...
... In the language contact literature, transfer of lexical material or grammatical patterns happens when a bilingual speaker accesses elements of their repertoire in one language while speaking in the other (e.g., Matras & Sakel, 2007;Thomason & , 1988;Weinreich, 1953). This often results in L1 features appearing in a speaker's L2, but it can go the other way as well. ...
... In the language contact literature, transfer of lexical material or grammatical patterns happens when a bilingual speaker accesses elements of their repertoire in one language while speaking in the other (e.g., Matras & Sakel, 2007;Thomason & , 1988;Weinreich, 1953). This often results in L1 features appearing in a speaker's L2, but it can go the other way as well. ...
This paper discusses spatio-temporal metaphors in three regions in and around China from the perspective of language contact, looking for evidence of areal convergence or transfer of the conceptual metaphors. The approach fits broadly within the framework of Cognitive Contact Linguistics. After a review of spatio-temporal metaphors in the Sinitic languages, I sketch out the relevant metaphors in languages spoken in northwest China (Xinjiang and the Qinghai-Gansu Sprachbund), in and near northeast China, and in south China and Taiwan – many of which have not been discussed previously in the literature on conceptual metaphor. The study reveals evidence for metaphor transfer involving the up-down spatial dimension from Sinitic to Japanese and Korean, contact-facilitated extension of metaphor involving the front-back dimension in Tsou, and possible transfer of front-back metaphor to other languages of Taiwan. Several of the lexical items used in front-back metaphorical expressions in Santa, two Hmong varieties, Japanese, and Korean are borrowed from Sinitic, but these do not clearly represent transfer of the conceptual mapping.
... La neutralización de clíticos en lo (o, en algunas zonas, en le) ha sido, sin duda, originada, de modo mediato, por la inexistencia en quechua de un subsistema morfológico de clíticos pronominales semejante al que se da en castellano ya que en aquella lengua la persona objeto es indicada en el lexema verbal mediante transiciones o marcas sufijadas internas (Cerrón, Palomino, 1987, 274,275;Cerrón, Palomino, 1994, 104 , 105) y, de modo inmediato, por la simplificación que los hablantes primarios de quechua efectúan, durante el proceso de sustitución (shifting) de su lengua materna por la castellana (Thomason y Kaufman, 1988), en la estructura de clíticos de esta última, dotada de una extraordinaria complejidad interna y, por ello, muy distante tipológicamente del sistema de marcadores de objeto existente en su propio código lingüístico de comunicación (Lozano, 197 5, 301,302;García, 1990; Fernández Lávaque, e.p.). ...
... Es previsible, no obstante, que un estado de cosas como el que acabamos de mencionar no se prolongue en el futuro y ello no sólo, puntualmente, porque haga poco probable ya esa posibilidad el conjunto de datos aportado por el equipo de investigación y, también, por mí mismo al respecto sino también (y sobre todo) por la vigencia actual en el ámbito teórico general (S .G. Thomason y T. Kaufman 1988), en el continental hispanoamericano (G. de Granda 1994b) e incluso en el nacional argentino (l. ...
... Por lo que se refiere a la determinación de la concreta modalidad situacional atribuible, como contexto explicativo, a los hechos que aquí hemos examinado es evidente que la misma debe ser identificada con un claro caso de préstamo (borrowing) (Thomason y Kaufman 1988) originado en la coexistencia de lenguas en una misma área geográfica. ...
Es sin duda un honroso encargo el que nos hizo el doctor Germán de Granda al pedirnos unas líneas de presentación al volumen que se agrega ahora a la vasta y voluminosa obra de su autoría. El libro con el que en esta oportunidad prestigia el Fondo Editorial de nuestra Universidad constituye uno de los últimos aportes del autor dentro de una temática que al presente ocupa su atención de estudioso e investigador experimentado: el fenómeno del contacto lingüístico entre el quechua y el castellano, particularmente, aunque no de manera excluyente, el correspon, diente al área del noroeste argentino, zona hasta hace poco no comprendida entre los estudios de dialectología hispanoamericana dentro de dicho ámbito por razones ideológicas y conceptuales históricamente entendibles aunque no justificables, como el propio autor se encargará de precisar. El presente volumen recoge así un conjunto articulado de estudios aparecidos inicialmente en prestigiosas revistas nacionales y extranjeras, algunas de ellas de difícil acceso en nuestro medio, en los que el autor, de reconocida autoridad en materia de sociolingüística y dialectología del español hispanoamericano, descubre, evalúa, examina (y reexamina también), de manera crítica, con la lucidez y la erudición que lo singularizan, una serie de fenómenos de raigambre morfosintáctica que caracterizan y tipifican el castellano del noroeste argentino, forjado al contacto con la variedad quechua transplantada desde el Perú a dicho espacio por incas y españoles. Tales fenómenos, que no son del todo privativos del área estudiada, y que por ello mismo ratifican su condición de rasgos tipificadores del castellano andino en su totalidad, adquieren sin embargo notoria peculiaridad dentro del territorio delimitado en razón del conjunto de factores sociohistóricos que pautaron de modo especial la configuración dialectal de ambas entidades en contacto.
... This study explored the impact of extra-linguistic factors on grammatical and lexical distances within the iAMGr dialect continuum in Asia Minor. In line with previous research that challenges the significance of geographic distance in language contact situations (Kortmann, 2013), we focused on seven extra-linguistic factors, including geographic distance between the studied communities, which have been examined as potential predictors of linguistic distance in the iAMGr dialectal continuum (Dawkins, 1916;Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Thomason, 2008;Karantzola et al., 2021). Using regression analysis, we created a statistical model to test the influence of these factors on grammatical and lexical distances. ...
... Some argue that language change is driven by inherent linguistic forces (e.g., Karatsareas, 2011). Others argue that language change is primarily the result of language contact (e.g., Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Janse, 2001Janse, , 2019Melissaropoulou, 2012;Melissaropoulou, 2016aMelissaropoulou, , 2016b. According to this perspective, the main distinction lies in the source of the change. ...
This study investigates the interplay between linguistic and extralinguistic factors in language contact scenarios, focusing on inner Asia Minor Greek (iAMGr), a dialect cluster influenced by Turkish and isolated from other Greek-speaking regions. Using dialectometric techniques, we quantified the dialect distances—encompassing both grammatical and lexical features, many of which reflect foreign interference—between nineteen iAMGr varieties. A regression analysis was then employed to evaluate the impact of geographic, demographic, and other macro-social factors on these distances. The results reveal distinct patterns. The grammatical features show a substantial divergence between communities, linked to structural borrowing and primarily influenced by the dominant group’s population size and degree of contact (low- vs. high-contact variety types). In contrast, lexical features exhibit greater convergence, primarily influenced by geography, linked to the susceptibility of lexical borrowing to casual contact. Unlike previous dialectometric studies that report a strong correlation between geographic and dialect distances, our findings suggest that geography’s influence varies by linguistic level, being more pronounced in lexical distances. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that certain dialect-specific factors previously identified in qualitative studies on iAMGr are statistically insignificant. The study concludes that, while geography remains relevant, macro-social factors often play a more critical role in language contact settings, particularly in shaping grammatical distances. These findings provide new insights into the determinants of dialect distances in such contexts.
... (1) When in a German-dominant linguistic environment, it is rather unlikely that heritage speakers can receive cross-linguistic support in the acquisition of Russian-style aspect (Gladrow, 1998;Müller & Hulk, 2001). Moreover, as a language without a grammaticalised verbal aspect, German as a societal language should be expected to promote attrition or loss of Russian-style aspect in heritage speakers (Weinreich, 1953;Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Odlin, 1989;Wei, 2003). As a result, Russian bi-aspectual verbs lacking morphologically marked aspectual contrasts may show resistance against the baseline trend to their integration in the basic perfective vs imperfective pairs and can, therefore, be used according to the regular trend as prescribed in the Academy Grammar (Švedova, 1980) and other grammars (Hypothesis 0). ...
... Hypothesis 0 stated a rather improbable cross-linguistic support in the acquisition of Russian-style aspect in a German-dominant environment (Gladrow, 1998;Müller & Hulk, 2001). Moreover, as a language without a grammaticalised verbal aspect, German as a societal language was expected to promote attrition or loss of Russian-style aspect in heritage speakers (Weinreich, 1953;Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Odlin, 1989;Wei, 2003). Russian bi-aspectual verbs, which lack morphologically marked aspectual contrasts, were therefore expected to exhibit resistance to the baseline trend of integration into the basic perfective vs. imperfective pairs. ...
Our study investigates language processing in mono- and multilingual settings, focusing on language dynamics in heritage Russian against the background of baseline Russian.
In this context, we explore bi-aspectual verbs as an unstable part of Russian grammar. As verbs without morphologically marked expression of aspectual contrasts, bi-aspectual verbs represent a special case within Russian aspectual morphology and demonstrate significant variations in their monolingual use. Our study examines the use of bi-aspectual verbs in heritage Russian acquired as a home language in a multilingual environment in families with migrant background. In contrast to monolingual speakers, heritage speakers operate with polylingual variation, which can comprise single varieties within the same language or even two or more typologically different languages. These language variation mechanisms in heritage speakers represent notable specifics of their language use and the special dynamics of heritage Russian. Therefore, when comparing the use of a dynamic part of the language system, we aim to shed light on the analogous vs specific language processing in baseline and heritage Russian.
Based on the elaborated production data, we test the use of ten bi-aspectual verbs in heritage speakers (N = 30) with high proficiency in Russian. The control group of the study was composed of monolingual Russian respondents (N = 30). By examining the use of bi-aspectual verbs in monolingual (baseline Russian) and bilingual (migrant heritage Russian) speakers, we focus on the question of the extent to which language dynamics in the core domains of the language system are either similar or dissimilar in heritage vs baseline language. In so doing, we further contribute to the discussion of the primary vs secondary role of the internal vs external mechanisms of language change.
... From a diachronic perspective, mixed languages offer a unique window into the dynamic processes of language contact and evolution, as they appear to exhibit intact systematic divisions of linguistic components originating from their source languages. Traditionally, this meant that classifying mixed languages using binary tree models was challenging owing to their inherent "genetic ambiguity" (Thomason and Kaufman 1988). As a result of this dual-linguistic heritage, phylolinguists have traditionally created a miscellaneous 'mixed language' category to account for this language type (see e.g., categorizations in Glottolog (Nordhoff et al. 2023) & Ethnologue (Eberhard, Simons, and Fennig 2020)). ...
... Dat dog bin baitim dat olman la fut. Translation 'The dog bit the old man on the foot.' (Stewart and Meakins 2022, 74) Before Thomason & Kaufman's (1988) foundational publication, mixed languages were not recognized as autonomous systems but rather as instances of previously documented contact phenomena (e.g., codeswitching or creolisation. Subsequently, a series of seminal works has consolidated our understanding of mixed languages; notable among them are edited collections by Thomason (1997), Bakker and Mous (1994), and Matras and Bakker (2003). ...
This chapter examines eight criteria used to define mixed languages through both their diachronic development and resulting structures. Through a thematic analysis of these criteria, involving 13 contact languages, it becomes apparent that no single criterion definitively categorizes a language as 'mixed'. Rather the 'mixed language' designation is better understood as a descriptive term based on the accumulation of criteria that places a language near the extreme end of a language contact continuum. This perspective supports Thomason's claim that mixed languages are extraordinary outcomes resulting from ordinary processes of language contact.
... This study employs Language Contact Theory to explore the impact of English loanwords on Finnish drug slang. Language contact occurs when speakers of different languages interact, leading to borrowing and lexical innovation (Thomason & Kaufman, 1988). In Finnish, the influence of English is evident in slang, where foreign terms are borrowed, calqued, or phonetically adapted. ...
Slang serves as an essential "social dialect" for various communities, reflecting their experiences and cultural characteristics. This study examines Finnish drug slang, a largely understudied phenomenon both nationally and internationally. The research analyzes the formation of Finnish drug slang, the influence of the English language in creating terms, and the differences between the slang for recreational drugs and pharmaceutical substances. The analysis is based on a corpus of messages posted on the Tor network's Torilauta (2017–2020), where slang terms were categorized into five main groups: cannabis, stimulants, psychedelics, MDMA & ecstasy, and pharmaceuticals.
The findings suggest that Finnish drug slang is predominantly influenced by U.S. drug culture. Many terms are loanwords or calques adapted to Finnish, often with an "-i" suffix to fit Finnish phonology. Recreational drug slang is typically more descriptive and ironic, whereas slang terms for pharmaceutical products relies more on trade names or generic names that reveal the active substance of the drug. The results also indicate minimal regional variation in Finnish drug slang, possibly due to the influence of the internet on drug trade and linguistic communities.
This study provides new insights into the linguistic and cultural dimensions of Finnish drug slang, highlighting the importance of global cultural exchange and the digital age in shaping slang. Slang is dynamic and evolves rapidly, making this study a time capsule for the prevalent drugs and terms of its era. Drug slang is not merely a collection of words but a complex web of social and cultural interactions.
Although the dataset was limited to drug trade advertisements, future research could incorporate discussion forums and examine similarities between Helsinki slang and Finnish drug slang. This study not only advances the scientific understanding of slang but also offers valuable insights for professionals working with drug users, aiding in harm reduction efforts at both individual and societal levels.
... Its findings were presented for the first time in the 2021 model of knowledge on fortified wines (Nagórka 2021), a work subjected to analyses for the presence of unassimilated borrowings from Iberian-Romance languages into English, with their results already published (Nagórka 2023). The borrowing process, resulting from changes to human communication systems induced by (interpersonal) contact between representatives of different language communities, can be understood as the adoption of foreign features into a community's native languages by their speakers, or as the transfer of features from the language system distinctive of a given community to the communication system distinctive of another community as a consequence of contact between these communities' representatives (Thomason andKaufman [1988] 1991: 21;Alvanoudi 2018: 4-5). The language from which elements of any kind are borrowed is typically referred to as the donor (or source) language. ...
This article serves several purposes. First, it aims to consolidate the view that knowledge models make effective diagnostic tools that terminologists can use in their attempt to find answers to research questions about communication in professional fields. Secondly, the article serves to demonstrate the results of preliminary research into professional communication in the sparkling wine industry, with the working English-language model showing the presence of borrowings from French, the industry’s leading language. Notably, the percentage of French borrowings in the sparkling wine industry, an integral part of the domain of special wines, has been found to be greater than the percentage of loanwords from Portuguese and Spanish, leading languages in the fortified wine industries representing the same industrial domain (OIV 2022: I.1.4-1). This finding bears out the view that communication in a professional field may be typified by more than one leading (national) language. Moreover, outcomes of the study of encyclopaedic knowledge on sparkling wines, when combined with the results of the study into communication in the fortified wines sector (Nagórka 2021, Nagórka 2023: 94–105), indicate that the history of commercial ties between pertinent language communities (English-speaking community with French-, Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking communities) may be reflected in the scale of borrowing into English for professional purposes. The rise in borrowing from leading languages seems inversely proportional to the intensity of (amicable) trade relations between the communities concerned, a hypothesis that may contribute to explaining the observed differences in borrowability.
... A fundamental question in linguistics is what properties of language are more or less likely to diffuse from one language to another under conditions of language contact (Weinreich 1979;Moravcsik 1975; Thomason and Kaufman 1988;Matras 2009). A commonly used term for the likelihood of diffusion is borrowability, which reflects the idea that some linguistic items, categories, or properties (e.g., sounds, word classes, word orders) are more readily borrowed than others. ...
This study provides two mathematical formalizations of borrowability. These operationalizations allow us to quantitatively evaluate the borrowability of phonological segments and to make predictions about the likelihood that speech sounds will be borrowed in language contact situations. Our approach departs from traditional borrowability hierarchies based on qualitative observations and instead provides empirically motivated models based on probability theory and statistics. Our study uses as input two large crosslinguistic segment inventory databases, and our results show that segments have markedly different borrowability profiles, highlighting their different diffusion patterns through space and time.
... This shortcoming has been emphasised by the most recent studies on the application of Construction Grammar to contact linguistics. In what can be considered a manifesto for the implementation of Construction Grammar in language contact, Boas & Höder (2018: 10-11) rightly observe that the rigid partition of structural levels (lexicon, syntax, morphology, etc.) adopted by traditional models (e.g., Thomason & Kaufman 1988) proves inadequate for describing complex situations in which different levels interact. Recognising the validity of Clyne's (2003: 76-79) enlargement of the classification of types of borrowing to include all the possible combinations of structural levels (e.g., lexicon + morphology, lexicon + syntax, morphology + syntax, etc.),17 they take one step further claiming that, rather than formulating discrete categories, "it would be more adequate to describe and analyze such contact phenomena in an integrative, non-modular approach." ...
In this article the interpretation of the Armenian verb karem ‘be able’ as a borrowing from Parthian kar - ‘do’ is discussed. It is argued that the verb was borrowed into Armenian with the meaning ‘be able’ assumed by Parthian kar - in the so-called “potential” construction. Then, some reflections are offered on the theoretical issues raised by this peculiar case, claiming that it can be effectively described in the framework of Diasystematic Construction Grammar. Finally, some remarks are added on the Iranian origin of Arm. bawem ‘suffice, be enough’ and kari ‘strongly, very much’, claiming that, despite being derived from the same roots involved in the “potential” construction, these words did not follow the same borrowing path as karem .
... This phenomenon often occurs over generations and can lead to the decline or even extinction of the original language. Factors contributing to language shift include migration, economic, social, and political pressures, and the perceived prestige of the dominant language over Indigenous or minority languages (Thomason & Kaufman, 2023). In the context of Mayan languages in the United States, language shift is often accelerated by the pressures of assimilation and the dominance of English in educational and social spheres. ...
This dissertation explores innovative approaches to preserving and revitalizing the linguistic and cultural heritage of Mayan-speaking youth of Guatemalan descent in rural Nebraska. It delves into the intersection of technology, artistic expression, and cultural practices, emphasizing the revitalization of Mayan languages in Abya Yala (the Americas), particularly emphasizing the Guatemalan and the Mayan diasporas in Nebraska.
The research investigates the roles of digital humanities, culture-based education, and poetic expressions in language preservation/revitalization efforts among Mayan youth and unaccompanied minors in transnational educational settings. Central to the study is an academic initiative for transnational Mayan high school students integrating poetry and language arts instruction in English, Spanish, and two Mayan languages, specifically K'iche' and Qʼanjobʼal.
Employing a narrative-based qualitative approach and Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), the study captures the experiences of Mayan youth reconnecting with their linguistic heritage. Data collection methods included interviews, collaborative poetry sessions, and focus group discussions on language preservation efforts. The research leverages advanced AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, DALL-E, LeonardoAI, and Ideogram for translation services and content generation.
The Kematz’ib’ project’s outcomes, including student-created digital poetry and multimedia narratives, were not just creative expressions, but also valuable contributions to more inclusive educational curricula, promoting cultural and linguistic diversity. A co-designed digital pathway supports the preservation of indigenous languages, while the research findings, which inform strategies for incorporating innovative learning technologies in classrooms, are particularly enlightening. In multiple presentations they have sparked interest and curiosity in the audience, leaving them more informed and aware of these important issues in an increasingly globalized world.
This dissertation actively demonstrates the transformative potential of digital media, poetry, and translanguaging in preserving and promoting Mayan linguistic and cultural heritage. It provides valuable insights into language revitalization efforts and, importantly, the empowerment of Indigenous youth in transnational educational contexts. Moreover, it contributes to the broader discourse on endangered language preservation and cultural sustainability, making the audience more informed and aware of these important issues in an increasingly globalized world.
... En el capítulo "Spanish-Quechua Symbiosis in Northern Ex pan sion Varieties: Mixed Word Forms in Peruvian Amazonian Spanish and Colombian Inga", Pieter Muysken analiza la interacción compleja entre el español y el quechua en la Amazonia peruana y colombiana, a partir del marco teórico de Thomason y Kaufman (1988). Estos autores plantean la existencia de una jerarquía social entre lenguas, y la existencia de situaciones de desplazamiento y mantenimiento lingüístico. ...
... As previously stated, the relationship of Creole languages to lexifiers remains a topic of intense debate. For this work, one relevant hypothesis, as explored by Chaudenson (2001), suggests that the accumulation of the defining characteristics occurred over several waves of second language acquisition, as opposed to being the result of a complete break in transmission of syntax, as suggested by McWhorter (2018) and Thomason and Kaufman (1988). Another line of inquiry explores the extent to which "foreigner talk", which is to say a particular kind of simplified register that people adopt when they feel their interlocutors do not have sufficient competence in the language, may have contributed to certain developments in Creole morphology and syntax (Ferguson, 1981(Ferguson, , 1975. ...
... It occurs that Runyaruguru is not a variety of one language -Runyankore, but a mixture of languages: Luganda, Runyankore, and Rutooro, although it bends more towards Runyankore than Luganda and Rutooro. Based on its speech melody and other phonological features discussed in this chapter, Runyaruguru can still be regarded as a language given the fact the difference between a language and a dialect is still fluid (Thomason, 1988). However, at this stage, it would be premature to claim that Runyaruguru is an independent language before a detailed study of its structure is conducted. ...
... Language contact can occur at language borders between adstratum languages or as a result of migration with an intrusive language acting as either a superstratum or a sunstratum. In some cases, when speakers of different languages interact, a new contact language may be created such as a pidgin, creole or mixed language (Hickey R., 2010;Thomason & Kaufman, 1988). ...
The structure of a learner’s first language affects his acquisition of a second one, especially a foreign one like French. This paper presents a segmental contact between French and Gbari languages, with a view to empirically ascertain their points of convergence and divergence, using the Lado’s Contrastive Analysis model. It bridges the gap created by lack/inadequacy of academic validation in the French-Gbari segmental contact, hinging on secondary sources of data as well as on quantitative and qualitative analyses of data. Given the 68%-24% segmental difference ratio (SDR) French has over Gbari, such as /y/, /œ/, /ø/, /ʁ/, /ɲ/, /ɔ͂/, /œ͂/, /ɑ͂/, /ǝ/, /ɥ/, /ɛ/, /ɛ͂/, etc., coupled with the predictable phonological processes such as (de)nasalisation, palatalization, assimilation, delabialisation etc., the Gbari French-Learner (GFL) may have to relentlessly study and enthusiastically double his efforts so as to overcome the seemingly insurmountable challenges. The paper ends by recommending that second language teachers should engage in instant one-on-one approach in correcting phonetic flaws with students/learners.
... The existence of a syntactic calque of the Slavic genitive of negation in Yiddish evidences a high degree of bilingualism and interrelation of the two languages among Yiddish speakers, which was enough for a morpho-syntactic linguistic transfer. The reason is that morphological and structural transfers require a deep interrelation between the languages involved, i.e., a higher or lower degree of bilingualism, as opposed to other types of transfer, such as culturally-motivated lexical borrowing (Thomason and Kaufman, 1988;Haspelmath and Tadmor, 2009;Matras, 2009). ...
This article contributes to the study of a productive morphosyntactic mechanism in a peculiar type of linguistic variety, the Russian language of Odessa (OdR). This variety was born as a lingua franca in the city of Odessa soon after its foundation, implying the massive acquisition of the Russian language in a nonnative way in its initial stages. Afterwards, it was transmitted to successive generations as a native variety, albeit preserving some of the initial traits. One of the most characteristic traits of OdR is the leveling of argument marking not in favor of accusative/nominative cases, as expected, but in favor of genitive marking. The use of genitive case, i.e., differential genitive case marking on subjects and objects instead of nominative/accusative, is partially present in most Slavic languages. However, in OdR, genitive case spread massively to a wide range of new syntactic positions. We show that the reason for this extension lay in (i) the confluence of different languages and dialects, which involved incomplete acquisition by many inhabitants of the city and notably Yiddish speakers, and (ii) the transmission of innovative traits through bilingual speakers, who followed specific language-internal rules operating also in Child Russian.
... In 1988, Thomason and Kaufman achieved a further major contribution to the area of language contact from a historical linguistics' perspective. Thomason and Kaufman (1988) investigated a wide range of contact phenomena and published a monograph on the foundations and on a theoretical framework of different language contact outcomes (Winford 2006: 9). The spectrum of language contact was further expanded by studies on pidgins, creoles, and codeswitching during the 1990s (Matras 2009: 1). ...
The German city of Grafenwoehr is outstanding as 80% of its population is of American origin. This deeply influences the linguistic landscape and the languages used in Grafenwoehr’s daily life. As restaurants in Grafenwoehr are typical places where different people and their languages meet, they provide great insights into the written and spoken languages used in a natural language contact environment. By analyzing 1,496 Facebook posts and 23 menus of the 29 restaurants located in Grafenwoehr in autumn 2022, and completing a questionnaire with the restaurant owners, the research project focused on the following key aspects: different languages in spoken and written language use, outcomes of language contact in written language use, use of bi-/multilingualism in written language use and how the languages are separated, factors influencing language choice and therefore language use. The research project revealed a high percentage of language maintenance within the written language use and a relatively increased percentage of German-English bilingualism in a German small town. This shows that the language contact situation between English and German in Grafenwoehr is still at an initial stage. This deduction is also supported by the number of outcomes of language contact (code-switching, borrowing) within the written utterances. The following factors were identified as most influential on language use: location, topic, lifestyle, and the linguistic repertoires of the restaurant owners and the customers. All in all, the thesis allows for significant insights into the language contact situation in Grafenwoehr.
... Sosial şəbəkələrdə "like", "share", "comment" kimi ifadələr artıq demək olar ki, bütün istifadəçilər tərəfindən başa düşülür və gündəlik dilin bir hissəsinə çevrilmişdir. Onlayn media platformalarında "webinar", "hashtag", "trending" kimi terminlər də geniş istifadə olunur (Thomason, Kaufman, 1988). ...
The article extensively examines the phenomenon of the increasing use of English loanwords in contemporary French. Terminological foundations and the historical connections between English and French are detailed. The role of English loanwords in the media is particularly emphasized. Stylistic features, social, and cultural aspects are analyzed, with conclusions based on observations. The conclusions and recommendations section offers readers an insightful perspective. The main findings and significance of the research are highlighted in the conclusion. The bibliography indicates the reliability of the sources used. The article presents a comprehensive study to understand the impact of English loanwords on the French language.
... It is interesting to note that like the author of the present article, S. Thomason and T. Kaufman discuss the notion of typological distance by which they mean "a measure of structural similarity that applies to linguistic categories and their combinations, including ordering relations" (1988 : 16). It is in the line with our ideas on measuring linguistical similarity in the form of phonological distances (Tambovtsev 1983;1984;1986;1987;1988;1989;1990: 19921993: 1995Тамбовцев 19851994а). ...
... Ich glaube, dafs auch K. Wiik die Pioniervariante der Diffusionstheorie nicht ausschliefit. AuSerdem ist die Möglichkeit eines Übergangs der Bevolkerungsmehrheit zur angeseheneren S prache der Minderheit eine historische Tatsache (s.Thomason, Kaufman 1988 : 43-44). Ich werde das Gefuhl nicht los, dafß die Kritiker der Kontakttheorie entwe-der das weit anerkannte und globale Bedeutung besitzende Werk von S. G. Thomason und T. Kaufman, dessen Faktenvielfalt und Schlußfolgerungen ihnen ausreichend Material zum Nachdenken bereithält, nicht kennen wollen oder mit Absicht tures are much harder to find. ...
... One of the many outcomes of long-term multilingual contact is the emergence of mixed languages. These are languages that systematically incorporate elements from their source languages into their linguistic systems (Matras & Bakker, 2003;Meakins & Stewart, 2022;Thomason & Kaufman, 1988). In some cases of mixed language formation, the lexicon from one language and grammatical elements from another intertwine to form a new language (e.g., Media Lengua from Quichua and Spanish); in other cases, a systematic morphosyntactic frame is formed, with noun phrases coming from one language and verb phrases from another (e.g., Michif from French and Cree). ...
Aims and objectives
What exactly happens to a mixed language’s system in a multilingual contact setting? This study aims to investigate the interactions between speakers’ exposure to, frequency of, and proficiency in four languages (English, Tagalog, Hokkien, and Mandarin) and their influences on the why-fronting only wh-question system of Lánnang-uè, a mixed language used by the metropolitan Manila Lannangs. It also aims to test the validity of the assertion that symbiotic mixed languages are more likely to be in flux.
Methodology
The Lánnang-uè speakers participated in production and acceptability experiments.
Data analysis
Likelihood to front (production) and responses to a 7-point Likert-type scale (acceptability) were the dependent variables for several Bayesian linear mixed-effects models with age, frequency of language use, and language proficiency as primary fixed effects, sociolinguistic factors (e.g., attitudes, identity) as covariates, and participant (and when appropriate, item) as a random effect.
Findings
Both production and acceptability results showed that the effects of contact are numerous and far from homogeneous. They vary depending on the source language, wh-phrase type, and degree of consciousness. They corroborate the widely held belief that mixed languages are more stable in symbiotic contexts. However, this paper goes an extra step to show that this “instability” or variability is not always a consequence of contact-induced transfer. It demonstrates that when the source languages influence the stability or development of the mixed language, the effects can be diverse, encompassing aspects such as identity processes, language attitudes, structural transfer, and/or other sociolinguistic innovations.
Originality
This article is one of the first studies to examine the effects of contact between multiple languages on a mixed language variable using both production and acceptability experimental data in a five-language context. It is one of the very few variationist works in the Philippines that considers the effects of multilingualism on variation and change.
... Considering the aspect of learnability, second-language (L2) acquisition of most language shifters in the history was imperfect. In cases where L2 speakers became the majority of a speech community, such substrate influence would tend to interfere with the phonology and other language-structural areas (Thomason & Kaufman 1992), e.g. the case of Southern Myanmar and the Reef Islands (Naess & Jenny 2011). This section is concerned with discussion on initial consonant clusters as a good example in which learnability could be responsible for the loss, as well as an example of Pinghua, a Sinitic variety in Far Southern China, which manifests the role of language shift in learnability of L2 phonology. ...
The present study employs a quantitative method to investigate phonological profiles of languages spoken across the coastline of East Asia, ranging from the Chukotka Peninsula to the Malay Peninsula. The sampling includes 264 linguistic varieties from 17 different genealogical units. 20 typological features related to various domains of phonology, including qualities and contrasts in vowels and consonants, as well as components in the syllable structure and tones are considered. Attention is paid to three points of focus: areal distribution, diachronic change, and learnability. Across Coastal East Asia, there is a north-south divide running across the boundary between Northeast and Southeast Asia. Within these zones, numerable groups of languages share similar phonological features and thereby form Sprachbünde, the formation of which can be traced back to the existence of (pre)historical political entities, population movements and subsequent encounters among speakers of different language families. Under areal diffusion, languages in contact have acquired similar tendencies of retention and innovation for individual phonological features, resulting in deviation across cognate languages spoken in different Sprachbünde. In several cases, a statistical method reveals an obvious signal of particular language families being the source of areal patterns. Among the phonological features under investigation, several features have a lower degree of learnability, especially among L2 speakers in the scenario of language shift, and this is largely due to typological differences from their L1. Cross-cutting between areality and learnability, those features with a higher degree of complexity, such as consonant clusters, tend to reveal more clearly the area-specific tendencies.
... Pretty much anything can be borrowed under the right circumstances (Thomason and Kaufman 1988), but the details are very complex, indeed. So, can we say anything about the languages that borrowed dental fricatives and under what circumstances? ...
Human evolution is defined by a multifaceted interplay of biological and cultural factors, which comprise the focus of a diverse spectrum of scientific fields. This edited volume aims to establish interdisciplinary links through a series of nine studies that critically discuss the current methods, hypotheses frameworks, and future perspectives for reconstructing habitual behavior in past humans. The authors are specialists in the fields of biological anthropology, primatology, experimental archaeology, and linguistics.
... Due to their cognitive preference, features of high stability can be both stable in lineage and diffuse by contact, but as a rule, features bound by morphology show a tendency to higher stability in the lineage (Carling & Cathcart, 2021). Both lexicon and grammar vary concerning their inherent stability (Haspelmath & Tadmor, 2009;Dediu & Cysouw, 2013) but in general, more grammaticalized features of grammar have higher stability rates than more lexical features and more frequent grammatical and lexical features have higher stability rates than less frequent features (Thomason & Kaufman, 1988;Wilkins, 1996;Matras, 20 09). Even though lexical morphemes can be borrowed at varying degrees, grammatical morphemes are very seldom borrowed (Matras & Sakel, 2007). ...
The research of the article is based on theories that analyse the links between geography and linguistics. A core theory in the analysis is Diamond's (1999, Chapter 7) idea of the different population histories of continental areas, Güldemann (2008, 2010) speculatively proposed that macro-areal aggregations of linguistic features might be influenced by large-scale geographical factors. In line with Diamond’s geographical axis hypothesis, it is assumed that the way linguistic features assemble periods time spans and large geographical space is determined among other things by two factors which potentially are the “latitude spread potential” and the “longitude spread the constraint.” This paper reports on first results of evaluating this concerning the first factor, we argue that contact-induced feature distributions as well as genealogically defined language groups that have a sufficient geographical extension tend to have a latitudinal orientation. Regarding the second factor, provide the first results suggesting that linguistic diversity within language families tends to be higher along the longitude axis. If these findings can be replicated by more extensive and diverse testing, they promise to become important ingredients for a comprehensive theory of human history across space and time within linguistics and beyond.
... In linguistic reality, horizontal contact such as language borrowing and areal diffusion can be substantially found in multilingual areas 33 . Moreover, it can also be identified in different-level linguistic systems of lexicon, grammar, and sound [34][35][36][37] . On these grounds, the phylogeographic approach would pose some limitations when linguistic relatedness cannot be well interpreted by the family-tree model. ...
Reconstructing the spatial evolution of languages can deepen our understanding of the demic diffusion and cultural spread. However, the phylogeographic approach that is frequently used to infer language dispersal patterns has limitations, primarily because the phylogenetic tree cannot fully explain the language evolution induced by the horizontal contact among languages, such as borrowing and areal diffusion. Here, we introduce the language velocity field estimation, which does not rely on the phylogenetic tree, to infer language dispersal trajectories and centre. Its effectiveness and robustness are verified through both simulated and empirical validations. Using language velocity field estimation, we infer the dispersal patterns of four agricultural language families and groups, encompassing approximately 700 language samples. Our results show that the dispersal trajectories of these languages are primarily compatible with population movement routes inferred from ancient DNA and archaeological materials, and their dispersal centres are geographically proximate to ancient homelands of agricultural or Neolithic cultures. Our findings highlight that the agricultural languages dispersed alongside the demic diffusions and cultural spreads during the past 10,000 years. We expect that language velocity field estimation could aid the spatial analysis of language evolution and further branch out into the studies of demographic and cultural dynamics.
... In recent years there has been an increase in the intensity of contact between Finnish and English, as more and more Finns have not only become fluent in English, but also frequently have opportunities to use the language (Leppänen et al., 2011: 58;Eurobarometer, 2012). Indeed, intensity of contact has been linked to major structural change in contact situations since Thomason and Kaufman (1988). Trudgill (2010) and Nichols (1992) have both suggested that long-term multilingualism leads to complexification, although it remains to be determined whether the frequency of use of English in contemporary Finnish society mirrors the effects of long-term multilingualism. ...
This article has three goals. First, it provides a broad cross-linguistic survey of phonological change in contact situations focusing on the suprasegmental domain. The term suprasegmental refers here to syllable structure, stress patterns, tonal patterns, and vowel and nasal harmony systems. Secondly, it assesses phonological change to suprasegmental variables whereby external influence causes an increase in complexity in the recipient language’s structure. Thirdly, using insights from the phonological typology literature, it provides a preliminary framework to evaluate suprasegmental phenomena, which can then serve as an additional tool to disentangle inheritance from contact-induced change. Data from 45 languages suggest that the suprasegmental domain provides fertile ground for inspecting contact-influenced increases in linguistic complexity. Overall, we argue that the data reviewed here highlight the relevance of phonological structure as a variable in studies of language contact, which have been mostly preoccupied with morphosyntactic variables.
... Although multilingual language use also manifests itself in underlying levels (e.g., grammatical influences across languages as in Thomason and Kaufman (1992), Bakker and Mous (2013)) Dogruöz and Backus (2009), Dogruöz and Nakov (2014)) mostly surface level features (i.e., CSW) have been studied over the past 16 years in computational linguistics. Therefore, we limit ourselves to CSW research for this paper. ...
... En esta interacción de las lenguas reconocemos una serie de problemáticas sociolingüísticas merecedoras de ser estudiadas y, por ende, exploradas, como situaciones de contacto lingüístico que suelen dar lugar a nuevas lenguas (pidgins y creoles) y a fenómenos lingüísticos como convergencia, préstamos, relexificación y code switching (Donald Winford 2002;Thomason y Kaufman 1988). ...
This article aims to analyze Otopame sociolinguistic diversity in Veracruz, mainly the use of Otomi in the municipality of Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz. This presents interesting sociolinguistic phenomena such as multilingualism, in which minority languages such as Otomi, Nahuatl, Tepehua, and Totonac coexist with each other and with the majority language of Spanish. For the analysis of sociolinguistic diversity, it is important to consider the vital state in which these languages are found or their disappearance. The economic power, social status, population density of speakers, and symbolic value assigned to the languages is therefore of vital importance in diagnosing the sociolinguistic situation of the Otomi in Veracruz, through detailed and complete information. This article is part of the research project “Linguistic ideologies: national languages and Spanish and their relationship with politics and identity,” by the Faculty of Anthropology at the Universidad Veracruzana.
... This can be considered as a case of pattern borrowing (Sakel, 2007) in the broad sense, that is, transfer of structure, something which in contact situations is generally believed to be difficult to occur. In the relevant literature, Thomason and Kaufman (1988) have argued that structural borrowing is very low on the borrowing scale, and that it occurs in cases of heavy bilingualism and long-lasting contact (on this, see also Field, 2002;Gardani, 2020a,b). In fact, instances of structural borrowing are attested in Greek of South Italy, a dialect under the heaviest Romance influence (Rohlfs, 1933(Rohlfs, , 1977. ...
This article deals with left-headedness in compounding in some dialectal varieties of Greek, a language which is predominantly right-headed. On the basis of data stored in DComp, a dialectal database of the University of Patras containing 17,019 entries, I claim that left-headedness has resulted from the interplay of endogenous and exogenous factors. Given that left-headed compounds appear in the varieties which have been under a long-lasting Romance control, and since Romance languages are mainly left-headed, the exogenous contact factor is principally responsible for the presence of left-headedness, seen as a pattern-borrowing case, in the broad sense. Nevertheless, the phenomenon was not unknown in Ancient Greek compounding, although it applied to a much lesser extent than right-headedness. In line with the view that structural transfer is possible if there is some compatibility between languages in contact, I also assume that the old endogenous property of left-headedness has facilitated the transfer of left-headed formations from Romance to Greek.
... Muller (1875) claimed that languages with mixed grammar did not exist and in contrast, it is rejected by various other later research. Thomason and Kaufman (1991) provided a framework for contactinduced language change with linguistic interference. In these studies, linguistics structure is a primary point of consideration and the socio-linguistic history of the speakers and community is an outcome of language contact. ...
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The paper focuses on the importance of introducing first-year students to the most commonly used international words and their derivatives in the first year of study. This would help to mitigate some translation difficulties from English into Ukrainian, which would enhance students’ understanding of professionally-oriented information. The paper highlights that internationalisms, comprising 10-30% of English legal vocabulary depending on the legal branch, play a crucial role in interethnic communication and simplifying legal language. The paper also provides specific examples of interpretation and translation of internationalisms, which are known as “false friends of the translator”. It underscores the necessity for translators to possess not only a solid knowledge of the language system but also an understanding of the specifics of the use of certain lexemes in legal documents. Language, as the primary means of communication, both nationally and internationally, is associated with the development of certain communication schemes that could facilitate mutual understanding as a basis for cooperation. Multifaceted global legal cooperation leads to the introduction and widespread use of international words in the English language, simplifying the use and understanding of complex legal language across various spheres of activity. However, while familiarity with these terms can benefit novice translators, the existence of “false friends” among international words can easily lead to confusion
The paper performs a comparative analysis of medical terminology translation. It focuses on English loanwords across Polish medical terminology, demonstrating the intricate processes of adaptation and integration that enable Polish to import foreign terms while maintaining linguistic coherence. The Family Medicine Forum presents an ideal corpus for researchers interested in tracking and categorizing anglicisms. These terms often appear as direct loanwords, loan blends, or calques, offering a wide range of examples for linguistic classification. The borrowing of English medical terms into Polish is a complex process that involves phonological, morphological, and syntactic adaptation, as well as expansion of meaning. The treatment of proper nouns and brand names, along with the use of lexical calques, demonstrates the ability of Polish to adapt complex technical terms while preserving their original meaning and international recognizability. The study highlights the flexibility of Polish in accommodating English borrowings, especially in specialized medical discourse, where terminological accuracy appears crucial. The findings demonstrate the role of linguistic adaptation in ensuring that borrowed terms are fully integrated into the target language, both grammatically and semantically, enabling effective communication in professional contexts.
Kültürel etkileşim ile birlikte dilsel etkileşimin olmaması düşünülemez. Dilsel etkileşim, insan doğasının bir gereği ve anlaşmanın temel prensibidir. Anlaşmanın tam ve net olabilmesi için iletişimin sağlanması gerekmektedir. İletişim, insanoğlunun yaşam sürecindeki değişim ve gelişmelerine paralel olarak kendisini yenilemek ve geliştirmek zorundadır. Bireyler arasındaki düşünsel davranışlarına yön veren iletişim, zamanla bu etkileşimi başta dilsel ve kültürel etkileşime yayarak toplumsal ve genel bir çerçeve çizer. Bireysel ve toplumsal bir ihtiyaç olan iletişim, farklı toplumlara genelleştirildiğinde en başta dilde kendisini gösterir. Dilde gerçekleşen bu etkileşim, hemen ortaya çıkmayarak olgunlaşma serüvenini tamamladıktan sonra kendine yer edinir. Dildeki yer edinme olayı sözden yazıya doğru bir yol izler. Sözden yazıya geçme durumu edebî eserler vasıtasıyla gerçekleşir ve kalıcı hâle gelir. Coğrafî bakımdan birbirlerine yakın millet ve toplumların çevresel, kültürel ve dilsel etkileşimi, bir ailenin fertlerindeki etkileşimi gibi olmuştur. Dolayısıyla asırlardan beri birbirleriyle aynı ve yakın coğrafyayı paylaşan Türkçe ve Farsçanın birbirinden etkilenmeleri, birbirinden kelime alıp vermeleri çok doğal bir olaydır. Dil alışverişinde en kolay yöntem kelime alışverişidir. Dillerin birbirini etkilemelerinin en zor yollarından biri ise farklı dil ailesinden olan dillerin birbirini yapı ve cümle bazında etkilemeleridir. Bu çalışmada aynı dil ailesi grubunda yer almayan, biri Ural-Altay öbürü Hint-Avrupa dil ailesinden olan Türkçe ve Farsçanın bazı yapısal benzerlikleri üzerinde durulmuş ve bu noktalara dikkat çekilmiştir.
Uma apresentação mais acessível sobre um dos dialetos poloneses falados no Brasil, baseada em minha tese de doutorado. Dada aos estudantes do segundo e terceiro ano dos estudos portugueses na Universidade de Varsóvia. Contém informação básica sobre terminologia (dialeto/língua), história da diversidade linguística brasileira e temas chaves para a pesquisa da área. Depois das referências são incluídas slides mais avançados para responder às eventuais perguntas.
The subject of sexual consent has received increasing media and academic attention in recent years and the question of its sociolinguistic significance has been investigated in the context of the English language in Canadian, American, and British settings. There seems to be a lack of cross-cultural analyses; however, little research has investigated the complexities of consent as far as attitudes and discourses. This paper presents an analysis of sexual education discourse taken from Polish grassroots sexual education initiatives and looks at the phenomenon of changes in discourse on consent, as well as signs of linguistic imperialism in sexual consent education practices. The project takes a qualitative approach to integrating critical discourse analysis (CDA) and feminist post-structural discourse analysis (FPDA), in which five sources of sexual consent materials found online are analyzed for the linguistic remnants of cultural assumptions about sexuality. This is done to investigate the implied un-derstandings of roles in giving and asking for sexual consent, which at the same time work towards a more progressive discourse on sexuality.
This book explores a range of pathways in the evolution and variation of the Spanish language across different communicative domains related to football. From press conferences to the language used by analysts and fans, from journalistic reports to media broadcasts and social networks, and from the very name of the sport to regional variants within Spanish football vocabulary, Partido a partido. La lengua del fútbol addresses a variety of linguistic research topics. These include lexical, discursive, and pragmatic phenomena, as well as diachronic, variational, sociopragmatic, comparative, and intralingual translation-based approaches. The book brings together nine papers, each with distinct aims, scopes, and analytical techniques. Despite this diversity, all the papers focus on the linguistic peculiarities of historical changes and contemporary variations in the Spanish language (across more than one country), which can be observed – though not exclusively – in the language of football. Although exploratory in nature, this volume encourages readers to view the communicative dynamics inspired by football as more than merely ‘mundane’ or ‘ephemeral’. While some phenomena arise solely within the football community under specific circumstances, certain linguistic innovations shaped by football references may eventually extend to other thematic domains. In sum, this book offers readers an overview of the features and complexities that characterise the Spanish language. Like football itself, these features spark interest and foster discussion among specialists.
This book explores a range of pathways in the evolution and variation of the Spanish language across different communicative domains related to football. From press conferences to the language used by analysts and fans, from journalistic reports to media broadcasts and social networks, and from the very name of the sport to regional variants within Spanish football vocabulary, Partido a partido. La lengua del fútbol addresses a variety of linguistic research topics. These include lexical, discursive, and pragmatic phenomena, as well as diachronic, variational, sociopragmatic, comparative, and intralingual translation-based approaches. The book brings together nine papers, each with distinct aims, scopes, and analytical techniques. Despite this diversity, all the papers focus on the linguistic peculiarities of historical changes and contemporary variations in the Spanish language (across more than one country), which can be observed – though not exclusively – in the language of football. Although exploratory in nature, this volume encourages readers to view the communicative dynamics inspired by football as more than merely ‘mundane’ or ‘ephemeral’. While some phenomena arise solely within the football community under specific circumstances, certain linguistic innovations shaped by football references may eventually extend to other thematic domains. In sum, this book offers readers an overview of the features and complexities that characterise the Spanish language. Like football itself, these features spark interest and foster discussion among specialists.
Latinx populations in the USA have grown steadily in recent decades, with significant increases taking place in “new destination communities” of the U.S. South. The focus of our paper is to highlight opportunities for working with these populations, including traditional sociolinguistic ethnographies and community-engaged research. We highlight an initiative named “The SEC Spanish Consortium” which is an interinstitutional collaboration centered on scholarship and service involving Latinx populations in new destination communities of the U.S. South. We show that ongoing and future scholarly work in the U.S. South can act as a mechanism for documenting these emerging Latinx communities while simultaneously serving the underrepresented and minority speakers of these linguistic varieties.
It is an unresolved question to what extent the current frequency distributions of linguistic features inform us about what is representative of the language faculty and does not instead result from historical contingencies. We probe this question by leveraging unique data from the oldest attested languages, those preserved through writing from up to 5,000 years ago in the Ancient Near East. We examine 70 grammatical features for which there is sufficient evidence in the available records. After controlling for relatedness we find robust deviations of two of the oldest languages, Hurrian and Sumerian from both the ancient languages and the modern distribution. The spatial and temporal placement of these two languages reveal a divergent distribution of features in the region in prehistory, suggesting massive transformations of the linguistic distributions in the past few millennia. This challenges inferences about general characteristics of language based on modern distributions.
Using Islamic schools as a point of reference, this paper investigates the language contact phenomenon within the Islamic schools in Ghana and how it affects the teaching and learning of English in the classrooms across schools located in the Islamic communities. This investigation is done in relation to language policy of education for the primary schools in Ghana. Data was collected from three primary Islamic schools located in three different communities namely in Accra. This study provides insight into the language contact situation in Islamic schools: codeswitching and language interference. The implication of the issues for the planning of literacy in multicultural contexts is also highlighted.
The story of Babel has been used for centuries to prompt negative evaluations of linguistic diversity. It has been instrumentalised in debates about English, to attest linguistic purity and propagate the standard variety. In (post)colonial discourses, Babel came to project imperialist language ideologies and hierarchies onto new contexts. This paper demonstrates how Babel, as a recurring theme in debates on Hawai‘i Creole and Tok Pisin, has undergone transformation, having been employed in seemingly contradictory ways, variably used to legitimise or delegitimise the creoles. These competing, diametrically opposed lines of argumentation reflect different concepts of community and nation. Yet, as I propose here, Babel remains consistent in its core function: It serves as a topos, invoking ostensibly common knowledge about the dangers of (unmonitored) linguistic heterogenisation. Thus, regardless of its ideological force to challenge or maintain the (post)colonial status quo, it perpetuates a basic imperialist understanding of the nation as monolingual.
Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835), an early pioneer in the philosophy of language, linguistic and educational theory, was not only one of the first European linguists to identify human language as a rule-governed system –the foundational premise of Noam Chomsky's generative theory – or to reflect on cognition in studying language; he was also a major scholar of Indigenous American languages. However, with his famous naturalist brother Alexander 'stealing the show,' Humboldt's contributions to linguistics and anthropology have remained understudied in English until today. Drechsel's unique book addresses this gap by uncovering and examining Humboldt's influences on diverse issues in nineteenth-century American linguistics, from Peter S. Duponceau to the early Boasians, including Edward Sapir. This study shows how Humboldt's ideas have shaped the field in multiple ways. Shining a light on one of the early innovators of linguistics, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the field.
Esta contribución presenta un estudio del contacto lingüístico más temprano entre el griego y el egipcio y los primeros préstamos léxicos que encontramos en la literatura griega. Para situar dicho contacto, se postula un escenario para este trasvase léxico en el trasiego comercial tanto en las colonias griegas en Egipto como en otros puertos del Mediterráneo, como el Pireo y Halicarnaso en época clásica.
language spoken in Southern Ghana. Dangme has seven dialects (Ada, Gbugblaa, Yilɔ Krobo, Manya Krobo, Nugo, Sɛ and Osudoku), but this study concerns lexical borrowings into the first four. The language is in contact with four languages from which it has borrowed: Ewe, Ga, Akan, and English. Each dialect of Dangme is in direct contact with English, the official language of Ghana, and with at least one of the three Ghanaian languages. While Ada is in contact with Ewe and Gbugblaa with Ga, both Yilɔ Krobo and Manya Krobo are in contact with Akan and, to some extent, Ewe. The study departed from focus on phonological adaptation of borrowed words, the subject matter of previous studies, to pursue two interrelated objectives, i.e., to find out: (i) whether, and to what extent, borrowings into a dialect from a given source language remain localized or are transferred to the other dialects and (ii) whether, and what extent, the lexical borrowings constitute additions to the Dangme lexicon or, conversely, a relexification of native words in the lexicon. Eighty (80) respondents, 20 each from the four dialects considered, were purposively sampled to participate in the data collection process and the data analysis was done within the Variationist Sociolinguistics Theory. It was found that while most Akan and English lexical borrowings have become integrated in all the four dialects of Dangme, this is not the case with lexical borrowings from Ga and Ewe. Most Ga borrowings are found only in Gbugblaa and most Ewe borrowings are found only in Ada and, to some extent, Manya Krobo. It was also found that Akan and English lexical borrowings generally constitute additions to the Dangme lexicon while Ewe and Ga lexical borrowings may be seen as subtractive borrowings or cases of relexification in Ada and Gbugblaa respectively. The study is expected to contribute to an understanding of how languages like Dangme whose dialects have geographical contact with different languages develop dialectal variation.
English has been in contact with many different languages, which have left various traces. In this chapter, we look at four of these language contact situations in more detail, all from the earlier history of English: contact with Latin, French, Old Norse, and Celtic languages. We look at how English changed under the influence of these languages, ranging from a few loanwords to large-scale borrowing, and from subtle grammatical changes to a large overhaul of the morphological system. With the help of a theory of language contact that takes the bilingual speaker as a starting point, and taking the socio-historical contexts of each contact situation into account, we can compare the four language contact situations and understand why they all had such different impacts on English.
This article raises the question whether syntactic loans can be useful in the recipient language, i.e. whether they can exhibit advantages over their native counterparts. Polish ordinal superlatives (OSs), such as drugi najwyższy budynek (w mieście) ‘the second tallest (building in town)’, serve as the main source of examples, but two other syntactic loans are also briefly discussed in order to strengthen our position. It is not our aim to trace the history of OSs in Polish nor to provide their comprehensive description, but since they have been much underresearched, we have made preliminary queries in corpora and digital libraries to examine their structure, meaning, and origin. These queries suggest that Polish OSs were borrowed from German in the second half of the 19th century, yet their current abundance in Polish is due to the influence of English. We have put our research in the context of language contact studies and analysed the pros and cons of Polish OSs compared with their native counterparts. We have found contact-induced Polish OSs to show some advantage over their native equivalents, but to occasionally interfere with formally identical native contructions, and make the message potentially ambiguous. A further conclusion is that syntactic loans can be useful in the recipient language.
The aim of the article is to discuss the diverse nature of code-switching and mixing phenomena on different language levels. In the field of phonetics, morphology and lexis, researchers most often focus on the interlingual influence in the form of interference, while code-switching is a phenomenon that occurs at the level of syntax. In this article about linguistic material from a Polish language island in a Russian environment (the village of Vershina in Siberia), examples of lexical and structural borrowings and various forms of language change during speech were indicated. However, this approach only allows for the characterization of selected fragments of utterances, while whole texts function in live communication. Therefore, it was proposed to include the most complex level of language, i.e., the text as such, in the analyses of code-switching and mixing. Selected examples show how this complementation affects the perception of phenomena related to bilingualism. 1 Preklapljanje in mešanje kodov na različnih jezikovnih ravneh: primer poljskega jezikovnega otoka v Sibiriji Cilj prispevka je obravnavati raznolikost pojavov preklapljanja in mešanja kodov na različnih jezikovnih ravneh. Na področju fonetike, morfologije in leksike se raziskovalci najpogosteje osredotočajo na medjezikovne vplive v obliki interference, medtem ko je kodno preklapljanje pojav, ki se pojavlja na ravni skladnje. V članku o jezikovnem gradivu s poljskega jezikovnega otoka v ruskem okolju (vas Veršina v Sibiriji) so bili nakazani primeri leksikalnih in strukturnih izposojenk ter različne oblike jezikovnih sprememb med govorom. Vendar ta pristop omogoča le karakterizacijo izbranih fragmentov izrekov, medtem ko v živem sporazumevanju delujejo celotna besedila. Zato je bilo predlagano, da se v analize kodnega preklapljanja in mešanja vključi najkompleksnejša jezikovna raven, tj. besedilo, izbrani primeri pa pokažejo, kako to dopolnjevanje vpliva na dojemanje pojavov, povezanih z dvojezičnostjo.
The study finds impact of Anglicism as a result of language contact and technological advancement in the Urdu newspaper 'The Daily Jang'. Language contact allows speakers to transfer new words from source language to target language. Phono semantic matching words are borrowed neologisms which retain their approximate sound and meaning. The neologism expressions such as words having Phono-Semantic Matching (PSM) do not at once get acceptance in monolingual dictionaries of Urdu. The morphological system of Urdu allows certain types of inflections to PSM words in the target language. This study explores such data in order to create a corpus for bilingual dictionary of Urdu using Zuckerman's model (2003) for PSM. Data is collected from the Daily Jang newspaper since September 2021 to November 2021. Types of PSM included for analytical categories are PSM through preexistent form, Incestuous PSM by semantic shifting and PSM introducing a new form and partial PSM. The results show that the most productive PSM found in Urdu neologisms is introducing a new form and partial PSM.
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