Factors in on-line loanword adaptation
This thesis investigates the factors influencing the adaptation of foreign words to English, beyond traditional phonological parameters such as sonority distance. The data examined were produced in an on-line adaptation task to study purely linguistic rather than orthographic or historical influences. The adapted words contain only lesser-studied phonotactic problems rather than segmental ill-formedness. The choice of Russian as a donor and English as a borrowing language allow the study of adaptations in a setting which allows a further strategy of alteration of ill-formed consonant clusters beyond vowel epenthesis and consonant deletion, namely the substitution of segments to change one cluster into another. In contrast to previous research, English production of Russian stimuli with initial consonant clusters showed that segment change is applied frequently, comparable to the amount of vowel epenthesis. Extensive variation was observed, both in ratio of successful production, and in the choice and distribution of adaptation strategy. The factors in adaptation investigated were the sonority distance of the foreign clusters, as well as concepts which have received much recent attention within phonology, namely
Haunz, Christine
Linguistics ; phonology ; russian
Factors in on-line loanword adaptation. This thesis investigates the factors influencing the adaptation of foreign words to English, beyond traditional phonological parameters such as sonority distance. The data examined were produced in an on-line adaptation task to study purely linguistic rather than orthographic or historical influences. The adapted words contain only lesser-studied phonotactic problems rather than segmental ill-formedness. The choice of Russian as a donor and English as a borrowing language allow the study of adaptations in a setting which allows a further strategy of alteration of ill-formed consonant clusters beyond vowel epenthesis and consonant deletion, namely the substitution of segments to change one cluster into another. In contrast to previous research, English production of Russian stimuli with initial consonant clusters showed that segment change is applied frequently, comparable to the amount of vowel epenthesis. Extensive variation was observed, both in ratio of successful production, and in the choice and distribution of adaptation strategy. The factors in adaptation investigated were the sonority distance of the foreign clusters, as well as concepts which have received much recent attention within phonology, namely
factors line loanword adaptation investigates factor_influence adaptation foreign word english beyond_traditional phonological parameter distance data examine produce line adaptation task study purely linguistic rather orthographic historical influence adapt word_contain lesser studied phonotactic problem rather segmental ill formedness choice russian donor english borrowing language allow study adaptation set allows strategy alteration ill formed consonant_cluster beyond vowel consonant deletion namely substitution segment change cluster another contrast_previous english production russian stimuli initial consonant_cluster show segment change apply frequently comparable amount vowel extensive variation observe ratio successful production choice distribution adaptation strategy factor adaptation investigate distance foreign cluster well concepts receive_much recent attention within phonology namely