The accommodation of Kiswahili and English loanwords into Kinyarwanda
Abstract
This study focused on the linguistic accommodation mechanisms of Kiswahili and
English loanwords into Kinyarwanda. It hypothesized that Kinyarwanda integrates
loanwords from both languages using various phonological, morphological and
semantic processes. The data were collected from a sample of current newspapers
in Kinyarwanda, from the Kinyarwanda dictionary and from selected broadcast
speeches.
The findings of this study showed that indeed the Kinyarwanda language
makes recourse to the linguistic processes such as the epenthesis, the prothesis, the
dissimilation and to word building processes such as derivation to fit the incoming
words from Kiswahili and English.
In addition, the results of this study revealed that not all words, which are loaned
to Kinyarwanda from these languages, get absorbed. Apart from a slight phonological
adaptation that is unavoidable, some words retain their original morphology and semantic
range.
Citation
Mbonankira, G.(2004).The accommodation of kiswahili and English loanwords into KinyarwandaSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Linguistic and Languages, University of Nairobi
Description
MA (Linguistics) - Thesis