Prêts linguistiques et leurs trajectoires

Article Summary: Linguistic and Social Trajectories of Loanwords

• The article examines the linguistic and social processes surrounding loanwords.
• Loanwords can represent a substantial portion of a language's lexicon.
• Historical and comparative linguistics can identify loanwords, their source language, and approximate time of borrowing in established vocabularies.
• Defining loanwords in language contact situations is complex.
• A loanword may be part of ongoing language alternation or incompleted acquisition.
• A loanword may not be identified, due to its status as part of ongoing alternation between languages, and not a formal loan.
• The article analyzes how loanwords evolve and become integrated into a language's lexicon.
• The process is not instantaneous, with stages of initial adoption, adaptation through use, and eventual integration into the recipient language's vocabulary.
• The role of bilingual speakers, particularly children, in the transmission of loanwords, plays significance.
• The frequency of use influences the integration of loanwords.
• The authors propose a framework for analyzing loanword integration, incorporating social factors.
• The study specifically examines the process within the context of a bilingual Puerto Rican community in East Harlem, New York.
• The lexical integration of loanwords is not always complete, but occurs in multiple contexts across different generations.
• The studied community, in East Harlem, New York, is a long-standing Puerto Rican community.

Methodology

• The study uses data from a group of bilingual Puerto Rican children and adults in East Harlem, New York.
• The researchers used a questionnaire with 45 images of everyday objects in order to determine how often the items are referenced in English or Spanish and if language choice is consistent in this domain.
• The data was analyzed by examining the frequency of use of loan words, the adaptation of phonological and morphological aspects, and the consideration of the use of a word's associated gender in the target language.
• Researchers created indices to describe the degree of language integration across a wide variety of contexts with the goal of identifying recurring patterns in the data.
• Statistical analysis (including correlation analysis) was applied to identify correlations amongst the indices and relationships between children and adult speakers.
• Data collection included 14 children and 8 adults.
• The researchers used a questionnaire, displaying images of common objects. Responses were collected in Spanish.

Research Findings

• The study illustrates that the integration of loanwords is a complex process, with variable rates and degrees of integration.
• The frequency of use is a strong indicator of integration.
• Full integration occurs when loanwords have successfully replaced original words, adapting to the target language's linguistic norms.
• Loanword assimilation is influenced by social dynamics and can show differences between generations.
• The study highlights the complexity of these processes and suggests further research to explore the diverse roles of participants and examine historical data.
• The data demonstrates that language integration is a multifaceted process encompassing frequency of use, phonological/morphological adaptation, and consideration of possible gendered usage.
• Over 60% of the concepts analyzed showed predominantly English usage in bilingual speech.
• A sizeable portion (approx 63%) of concepts exhibited a prevalence of English vocabulary in the examined population.
• A considerable number of concepts (over 70%) showed significant adaptation to the phonological and morphological patterns of the target language, reflecting a step towards integration.
• Notably, some concepts, like "tape", "hamburger", and "zipper", demonstrated near-complete integration, using only English equivalents in nearly all responses.
• Conversely, some concepts such as "frog", "pig", and "coat", exhibited minimal integration, showing preference for Spanish equivalents.
• The study highlights the interplay of social dynamics and generational differences in the acquisition of loanwords.
• Statistical analysis revealed strong correlations between the frequency of English usage and the degree of loanword integration.

Cet article examine les processus linguistiques et sociaux entourant les mots empruntés. Il explore comment ces mots évoluent, s'adaptent et s'intègrent dans le lexique d'une langue au cours du temps, influencés par des locuteurs bilingues, notamment les enfants.