Adaptation of Loanwords in Chasu

Abstract

AbstractIt is generally agreed that, in a multilingual context, the incorporation offoreign words into a native language is inevitable. However, owing to variationsin languages ' systems (phonology, morphology, syntax), each language has itsown strategies for adapting loanwords to its system. This paper presents thestrategies through which loanwords are integrated into Chasu vocabulary. Thedata were obtained from Kamusi ya Chasu-Kiingereza-Kiswahili (Mreta 2008)and the fieldwork conducted in Rundugai and Chemka villages in KilimanjaroRegion. The paper is guided by two theoretical approaches, namely the Theoryof Constraint and Repair Strategy (TCRS) (Paradis & Lacharité, 1997) andAssimilation Theory (McMahon, 1994; Campbell, 1998; Winford 2003). Thepaper shows that loanwords are subjected to both phonological andmorphological modifications when they are borrowed by Chasu. It is positedthat the influx of loanwords in Chasu will eventually lead to the introduction offoreign phonemes into the language ' s phonemic system.Key words: loanwords, phonological adjustments, morphological adjustments,phonemic system, Chasu