The Role of Phonology and Sociolinguistics in Loanword Adaptation

CHYBRAS, Yurii. The Role of Phonology and Sociolinguistics in Loanword Adaptation. In Fifth International Communication Styles Conference : Communication in Times of Permacrisis, 24.-25.4. 2023, Krakow, Poland. 2023.

Basic information

• Original name: The Role of Phonology and Sociolinguistics in Loanword Adaptation
• Name in Czech: Role fonologie a sociolingvistiky v adaptaci přejatých slov
• Authors: CHYBRAS, Yurii.
• Edition: Fifth International Communication Styles Conference : Communication in Times of Permacrisis, 24.-25.4. 2023, Krakow, Poland, 2023.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 60203 Linguistics
• Country of publisher: Poland
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: konferenční abstrakt
• Organization unit: Faculty of Arts
• Keywords (in Czech): fonetika; fonologie; angličtina; nerodilá angličtina; slovanské jazyky; ukrajinština
• Keywords in English: phonetics; phonology; English; non-native English; Slavic languages; Ukrainian
• Tags: Czech, English, linguistics, Phonetics, Phonology, sociolinguistics, Ukrainian
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This article’s research question is to explore the role of sociolinguistic factors in combination with phonology-driven adaptation. The preliminary hypothesis is that sociolinguistic factors like bilingualism and L2 interference may have a decisive role in the process of adaptation and is based on the example of English-Czech and English-Ukrainian loanword adaptation cases involving the phonemes [g], [h], [ɦ], and [x]: Czech speakers adapt [h] as [ɦ] while Ukrainian speakers tend to adapt the same phoneme as [x] despite having [ɦ] in their phonetic inventory. This tendency is often ascribed to L2 interference of Russian and has been a topic of active discussions, especially so since the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The research method is based on a questionnaire with audio samples containing both already existing and made-up proper names and words. Half of the test vocabulary units are designed to contain the chosen phonemes, the rest of the units are represented by established, already existing, names, and units that do not contain the chosen phonemes to provide a cover for the experiment. The respondents are asked to listen to the audio samples and write down the units as they hear them. The respondents will be provided with a fake description and the goal of the experiment to exclude possible bias. This article’s research question is to explore the role of sociolinguistic factors in combination with phonology-driven adaptation. The preliminary hypothesis is that sociolinguistic factors like bilingualism and L2 interference may have a decisive role in the process of adaptation and is based on the example of English-Czech and English-Ukrainian loanword adaptation cases involving the phonemes [g], [h], [ɦ], and [x]: Czech speakers adapt [h] as [ɦ] while Ukrainian speakers tend to adapt the same phoneme as [x] despite having [ɦ] in their phonetic inventory. This tendency is often ascribed to L2 interference of Russian and has been a topic of active discussions, especially so since the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The research method is based on a questionnaire with audio samples containing both already existing and made-up proper names and words. Half of the test vocabulary units are designed to contain the chosen phonemes, the rest of the units are represented by established, already existing, names, and units that do not contain the chosen phonemes to provide a cover for the experiment. The respondents are asked to listen to the audio samples and write down the units as they hear them. The respondents will be provided with a fake description and the goal of the experiment to exclude possible bias.

Abstract (in Czech)

Výzkumnou otázkou tohoto článku je prozkoumat roli sociolingvistických faktorů v kombinaci s adaptací řízenou fonologií. Předběžná hypotéza je, že sociolingvistické faktory jako bilingvismus a interference L2 mohou mít rozhodující roli v procesu adaptace a je založena na příkladu anglicko-českých a anglicko-ukrajinských případů adaptace přejatých slov zahrnujících fonémy [g], [h], [ɦ] a [x]: Čeští mluvčí adaptují [h] jako [ɦ], zatímco ukrajinští mluvčí mají tendenci adaptovat stejný foném jako [x], přestože mají [ɦ] ve svém fonetickém inventáři. Tato tendence je často připisována ruskému rušení L2 a je tématem aktivních diskusí, zejména po ruské invaze na Ukrajinu v roce 2022. Výzkumná metoda je založena na dotazníku se zvukovými ukázkami obsahujícími již existující i vymyšlená vlastní jména a slova. Polovina testovacích jednotek slovní zásoby je navržena tak, aby obsahovala zvolené fonémy, zbytek jednotek je reprezentován zavedenými, již existujícími jmény a jednotkami, které neobsahují zvolené fonémy, aby ukryly cíle experimentu. Respondenti jsou požádáni, aby si poslechli zvukové ukázky a přepsali jednotky tak, jak je slyší. Respondentům bude poskytnut falešný popis a cíl experimentu pro vyloučení možných předsudků.

Links

• MUNI/A/1053/2022, interní kód MU: Name: Paradigms, strategies and developments - English linguistics and translation III

Investor: Masaryk University, Paradigms, strategies and developments - English linguistics and translation III