Borrowing: the Synchrony of Integration
Abstract
The notion of loanword assimilation is operationalized in a number of
different ways, focusing on both linguistic and social aspects. The indices of
integration thus constructed are applied to a set of lexical data elicited from
Puerto Rican children and adults from East Harlem, New York. The results
of this survey are analyzed statistically using the method of principal
components. We interpret the output in terms of the social and linguistic
trajectory of words during the borrowing and integration process. Of
particular importance are the relatively close relationship between increase
in usage frequencies and the processes of phonological integration, the
transient nature of inconsistencies in gender assignment, and the fates of
competing lexical items for a single referent.
different ways, focusing on both linguistic and social aspects. The indices of
integration thus constructed are applied to a set of lexical data elicited from
Puerto Rican children and adults from East Harlem, New York. The results
of this survey are analyzed statistically using the method of principal
components. We interpret the output in terms of the social and linguistic
trajectory of words during the borrowing and integration process. Of
particular importance are the relatively close relationship between increase
in usage frequencies and the processes of phonological integration, the
transient nature of inconsistencies in gender assignment, and the fates of
competing lexical items for a single referent.
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