loanword
Meaning: A word adopted from one language and incorporated into another without translation, often retaining its original form or slightly adapted.
Loanwords reflect historical contact between cultures through trade, colonisation, or conquest. English is particularly rich in loanwords, having borrowed extensively from French, Latin, Norse, and many other languages. Linguists distinguish loanwords from calques, where the meaning rather than the form is borrowed.
Examples
- The English word 'kindergarten' is a loanword from German that has been fully naturalised. 英语中的'kindergarten'是一个已完全本土化的德语借词。La palabra inglesa 'kindergarten' es un préstamo del alemán que se ha naturalizado por completo.英語の「kindergarten」はドイツ語からの借用語で、完全に定着している。영어 단어 'kindergarten'은 독일어에서 온 차용어로 완전히 정착되었다.
- Many culinary loanwords in English, such as 'croissant' and 'sushi,' retain their original pronunciation. 英语中的许多烹饪借词,如'croissant'和'sushi',保留了原语的发音。Muchos préstamos culinarios en inglés, como 'croissant' y 'sushi', conservan su pronunciación original.英語における「croissant」や「sushi」のような多くの料理関連の借用語は、元の言語の発音を保持している。croissant'이나 'sushi' 같은 영어 속 많은 요리 관련 차용어는 원래 발음을 유지하고 있다.
- The lecturer explained how loanwords often enter a language through trade and cultural exchange. 讲师解释了借词通常如何通过贸易和文化交流进入一种语言。El conferenciante explicó cómo los préstamos léxicos suelen entrar en una lengua a través del comercio y el intercambio cultural.講師は、借用語が通常どのようにして貿易や文化交流を通じて言語に入るかを説明した。강사는 차용어가 대개 교역과 문화 교류를 통해 어떻게 언어에 유입되는지를 설명했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: academic, education
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
A calque of German Lehnwort, from Lehn (loan) and Wort (word). The term entered English linguistic discourse in the 19th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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