Key research themes
1. How do code-switching and borrowing differ in the integration and use of loanwords in bilingual speech?
This research theme addresses the differentiation between code-switched elements and borrowed loanwords in bilingual language contact settings, focusing on their frequency, integration, and sociolinguistic significance. Clarifying this distinction has profound implications for theoretical frameworks of language contact, bilingualism, and language change, given enduring controversies about the processes and outcomes of borrowing versus code-switching.
2. What sociocultural factors and identity constructions drive the adoption and use of English loanwords in non-English languages?
This theme investigates the sociocultural motivations behind English lexical borrowings, particularly focusing on how loanwords symbolize modernity, prestige, and cosmopolitan identities. Research shows that beyond purely communicative functions, English loanwords are often adopted as markers of social identity and status, influenced by media, globalization, and attitudes towards language prestige. Understanding these motivations clarifies the dynamics of language contact, cultural influence, and linguistic change in globalized contexts.
3. How do phonological and morphological constraints shape the adaptation of loanwords into recipient languages?
This research area focuses on the phonological and morphological processes conditioning the adaptation of foreign lexical items (loanwords) into native languages. It examines language-specific constraints, such as syllable structure, consonant clusters, vowel harmony, and inflectional paradigms, and how these shape the borrowed forms. These adaptation mechanisms provide insights into native grammatical organization, universal phonological principles, and language contact-induced change.