linguistic borrowing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical/Academic
Quick answer
What does “linguistic borrowing” mean?
The process by which a word or phrase is taken from one language and adopted into another.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The process by which a word or phrase is taken from one language and adopted into another.
The resulting word or phrase itself that has been borrowed; more broadly, any instance of linguistic transfer, including structural or phonological influences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is standard in academic linguistics globally.
Connotations
Neutral, scholarly term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both varieties, used primarily in linguistic and academic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “linguistic borrowing” in a Sentence
Linguistic borrowing from (source language) into (recipient language)A case of linguistic borrowingThe phenomenon/study of linguistic borrowingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “linguistic borrowing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- English has borrowed extensively from French and Latin.
- Languages constantly borrow from one another.
American English
- American English borrowed 'raccoon' from an Algonquian language.
- The verb 'to borrow' is used linguistically to describe this process.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in discussions of global marketing and brand naming across cultures.
Academic
Frequent in linguistics, philology, anthropology, and cultural studies journals and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Core term in historical/comparative linguistics and sociolinguistics for describing language change and contact.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “linguistic borrowing”
- Using 'linguistic borrowing' to refer to translating a phrase word-for-word (which is a 'calque').
- Pronouncing 'borrowing' with too strong a 'w' sound, making it 'bor-row-wing'.
- Spelling as 'linguistc' or 'borowing'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Linguistic borrowing' is often used as a broader term for the process, while 'loanword' typically refers specifically to the borrowed lexical item itself. They are used interchangeably in many contexts.
No, from a linguistic perspective, borrowing is a natural, neutral, and extremely common process that enriches languages and reflects cultural contact. It is not considered corruption.
Borrowing involves a word becoming a permanent, integrated part of the recipient language's lexicon (e.g., 'kindergarten' from German). Code-switching is the alternation between two languages within a single conversation or sentence by a bilingual speaker.
Yes. While vocabulary is most commonly borrowed, languages can also borrow morphological elements (like prefixes/suffixes) and syntactic structures, though this is less frequent and usually requires intense, long-term language contact.
The process by which a word or phrase is taken from one language and adopted into another.
Linguistic borrowing is usually technical/academic in register.
Linguistic borrowing: in British English it is pronounced /lɪŋˌɡwɪstɪk ˈbɒrəʊɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /lɪŋˌɡwɪstɪk ˈbɑːroʊɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of languages as neighbours: 'borrowing' is like taking a useful tool (a word) from your neighbour's (another language's) shed.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A RESOURCE POOL / WORDS ARE COMMODITIES (to be borrowed, taken, adopted).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of the term 'linguistic borrowing'?