Towards a typological classification of linguistic borrowing (illustrated with anglicisms in Romance languages)

Abstract

This article offers a brief bibliographic overview and, on this basis, outlines an illustrated typology of linguistic borrowing in which the main criterion is the level where the foreign element belongs: formal (both graphic and phonetic), morphological, semantic, lexical, syntactic, phraseological, and pragmatic. In addition, two cross-categories are devised: degree of modification of the foreign model and degree of novelty of the foreign form. This typology refers in particular to present situations of cultural borrowing from English to the Romance languages; therefore, special attention is paid to the importance of contemporary English as a model for Western languages.