Borrowing (i.e. loan)

Definition

A borrowing is a linguistic item that has been copied from another language, with the phonological and semantic properties basically remaining intact.

Specific types of borrowings are commonly distinguished:

• internal borrowing
• reborrowing
• nonce borrowing

Examples

English borrowings from the 18th century

• from German: cobalt, quartz, spath, feldspar, sinter, gneiss, hornblende, nickel, meerschaum (from the lexical field of mineralogy); landau, pumpernickel, seltzer, waltz;
• from Low German/Dutch: schooner, pea-jacket, caboose (all nautical); from Cape Dutch: steenbok, springbok, klipspringer, hartebeest;
• from Italian: cantata, duetto, finale, soprano, viola, violoncello, adagio, crescendo (and dozens of other musical terms); colonnade, arcade, loggia, alfresco, picturesque, terra-cotta, torso (from architecture and art); influenza, malaria, extravaganza, lotto.
• from Spanish: albino, domino, fandango, flotilla, jade, merino, stevedore

See also

• loan

STUB