Бородина Анна Васильевна, Куспанова Диана

УДК 811.111

Бородина Анна Васильевна

Студентка

Институт иностранных языков РУДН

e-mail: anneta-dorobina@inbox.ru

Куспанова Диана

Студентка

Институт иностранных языков РУДН

e-mail: diana.kus93@gmail.com

 

ФРАНЦУЗСКИЕ ЗАИМСТВОВАНИЯ В АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ

Аннотация. Данная статья направлена на выявление французских заимствований в английском языке. В ней рассмотрены слова, перешедшие из французского языка в разные периоды истории развития английского языка. Помимо этого, большое внимание уделяется произношению и написанию указанных заимствованных слов. Их можно разделить на две различные группы: заимствованные слова, которые сохранили своё французское произношение и написание, и те, которые были полностью адаптированы и изменены английским языком. Для подтверждения результатов исследования в статье приведены примеры.

Ключевые слова. Заимствования, французский язык, английский язык, произношение, орфография

 

Anna V. Borodina

e-mail: anneta-dorobina@inbox.ru

student of the Institute of Foreign Languages RUDN University

Diana Kuspanova

student of the Institute of Foreign Languages RUDN University

e-mail: diana.kus93@gmail.com

FRENCH LOANWORDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Abstract. This article sets its goal to present French loanwords in English language. The article defines borrowings from the French language in different periods of the English language development history. In addition, much attention is devoted to the pronunciation and spelling of loanwords. Such words can be divided into two different categories: those loanwords that have kept their French pronunciation and spelling and those which were adapted and acquired totally by the English language. To confirm the research, the article contains examples.

Key words. Loanwords, French language, English language, pronunciation, spelling

Introduction

As other European languages, English also has its roots deeply delved into the history and origins of some English words and phrases are inherited from the tribes living and thriving at their land. In this article, the attention will be devoted to the French loanwords in English that can easily be traced back due to their pronunciation and spelling in modern English.

The written form of English around the world is more unified than the spoken form and has changed little since standard written English which was established by the 15^th and 16^th century. But the French language had its influence on English long before that.

Historical justification for the borrowing’s emergence

The obvious consequences of such an extralinguistic factor as the tribal historical resettlement and constant migration flows to different territories during conquest and socio-economic missions cause the linguistic units overflow of one nation into the linguistic region of another one. The results of this influence have been reviewed by many linguistic researchers, such as W. Labov [12], Edgar W. Schneider [11]. Their point of view is also supported by Kazakova I. E. [13] in the presented research on borrowings in the New Zealand national version of the English language.

It is evident that English language was formed under the historical influence of the tribes that inhabited the island. It originated from Anglo-Frisian dialect brought by Anglo-Saxon migrants in 5-7 centuries AD. The Old English as we called it nowadays was also formed under the significant subsequent influence of Nordic German languages [5].  The first period continued until the Norman conquest. It was the longest, had the most significant impact on the vocabulary of the English language, and paved the way for further borrowing from the French language. Consequently, it is noticeable that French language has its influence on English language at each period of English language development.

Then, Middle English – the next phase – started in the 11^th century. It was during this period in the 13^th century that a significant number of French words appeared [2, p. 709].  At that time, many Norman and French loanwords entered the language, shaping and altering it, especially vocabulary related to the church, the court system and the government. As Norman French was influenced by Old Norse, many Norse loanwords in English came directly from French language.

Early Modern English – the English used by W. Shakespeare – incorporated many borrowings from Latin and Ancient Greek, as well as borrowing from such European languages like French, German, and Dutch [6].  This period was the Renaissance, that began at the end of the 15^th century and continued until the beginning of the 17^th. Mostly borrowed words were related to trade, art, and politics.

The French borrowings of the 17-18^th centuries reflect the historical and cultural ties between the French and English peoples. Many of the borrowings of this period relate to the culture of the French aristocracy, to its tastes and customs. Examples include the following words: fiance, coquette, unique, machine, police, chamois [7].

Pronunciation and spelling

According to the outstanding linguist A. A. Reformatsky, all foreign words accepted as part of the language can be divided into two groups: borrowings - words that have passed the path of adaptation to the realities of the recipient language; foreign language elements-words that have not changed their original appearance [8]. The same point of view is shared by the Russian linguists Shakhnazaryan V. M. [9] and Yakovleva S. A. [10].

All French loanwords in English language fall into two main categories: 1) those in which we can trace the operation of principles which would have prevented first-syllable stress in inherited Germanic words and words influenced by them; 2) those whose stress cannot conceivably be based on any Germanic principle and thus must be due to some French phenomenon, reflected somehow in the language of the non-French-speaking masses [2, p. 711].

1. At the same time along with the formation of Middle English language after the Norman conquest, Borrowings from the French language are often characterized by the preservation of norms of pronunciation and spelling characteristic of the French language, for example, words such as: machine, coquette, rouge, police, etc. do not differ in their pronunciation and spelling from words of the French language [7].

Also many end-stressed words exist in English: begin, forget etc. [2, p. 707]

Some words have retained their original stress where it was, when these words first became current in popular speech. Later loanwords like machine, bouquet, used for generations by all ranks of society, show not the faintest sign of a tendency to shift the stress in the world; and if still more recent chauffeur and garage have acquired first-syllable stress due to the obvious analogy of words like driver, butler, carriage [2, p. 708].  

2. Borrowings from the French language underwent phonetic, morphological and often semantic transformation in correspondence with the language norms and requirements of the lexico-semantic system of the English language. For example, French words with the fixed stress on the last syllable, in English, obey the rules of English word stress. The formation of derived words is equally subject to the rules of English morphology.

Otto Jespersen noticed the changing during the assimilation words from French to English.  He said that words with long [i] sound have been reformed into [ai] sound: fine, price, etc…. Another example was the long [u] sound (written ou) has become [au]: spouse (French version épouse) [1, p. 103].

However, today several professional fields comprise are mostly represented by French terms. The restaurant industry, fashion industry, theatrical dance (ballet), jurisdiction and public governance.

For instance, French words are also used as complementary words for the same subject in English. Differences in the meanings of an original English word and a borrowed word appear as a result of the coexistence of two words of the same meaning. As an example, words like “cow”, “sheep”, and “swine” come from the English-speaking farmers while the à la carte versions “beef”, “mutton” and “pork” come from the French-speaking toffs, beginning a long-running trend for restaurants having completely indecipherable menus. In restaurants, à la carte is the practice of ordering individual dishes "according to the menu", a French loanword coming from an early 19^th century. As opposed to table d'hôte, where a set menu is offered to customers. Thus, table d'hôte literally means "the host's table". Such phrases in a restaurant field are of a frequent use.

Conclusion

French language had been influencing English as early as 5-7^th centuries AD, but the most prominent contribution dates back to the 13^th century when significant amount of Frech words were strongly incorporated into the English. But some loanwords kept their original pronunciation while some of them was modified according to the English language rules.

It is obvious that French language had an enormous influence on the formation and development of the English language. As it was mentioned in this article, French is even more dominant in certain fields and mostly displaced English. Nowadays, English-speaking world is harmoniously flourishing with the French concepts in it.

 

СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ

1. Jespersen O. Growth and structure of the English language / G. B. Teubner. 2nd edition. Leipzig, 1912. Pp. 258
2. Learned H. D. The Accentuation of Old French Loanwords in English // Publications of the Modern Language Association of America. 1922. Vol. 37. № 4. Pp. 707-721.
3. Mossé F. On the chronology of French loan‐words in English // English Studies. 1943. Vol. 25. Pp. 1-6, 33-40.
4. Skaffari J. Studies in Early Middle English Loanwords: Norse and French Influences // Neuphilologische Mitteilungen. 2010. Vol. 111, № 2. Pp. 249-251
5. Bowern C. Where did English come from? [E-source]. 2015

1. The Open University. The History of English in Ten Minutes. London: Oxford, 2011.

6. Центр иностранных языков «YES». Заимствования в английском языке из французского [Электронный ресурс]. Москва, 2011. URL: www.econf.rae.ru
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9. Яковлева С. А. Динамика лексических значений полисемичных науатлизмов в культурной речи г. Мехико (ХХ век): дисс. … канд. филол. наук: 10.02.20. М.: МГОУ, 2005. 399 с.
10. Schneider E. W.  The dynamics of New Englishes: From identity construction to dialect birth. // Language. 2003. Vol.79 №2. Pp. 233–281
11. Labov W.  Principles of Linguistic Change: Social factors. U.K., Oxford: Blackwell, 2001.
12. Kazakova I.E. Ethno-cultural Barriers in the Interactions of British and New Zealand Nations.// International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Collection of scientific articles. Vol.13 V.: INTED, 2019. Pp. 4176-4182

 

REFERENCES

2. Jespersen O. Growth and structure of the English language / G. B. Teubner. 2 edition. Leipzig, 1912. Pp. 258
3. Learned H. D. The Accentuation of Old French Loanwords in English // Publications of the Modern Language Association of America. 1922. Vol. 37. № 4. Pp. 707-721.
4. Mossé F. On the chronology of French loan‐words in English // English Studies. 1943. Vol. 25. Pp. 1-6, 33-40.
5. Skaffari J. Studies in Early Middle English Loanwords: Norse and French Influences // Neuphilologische Mitteilungen. 2010. Vol. 111, № 2. Pp. 249-251
6. TED Talk [E-resource]: Bowern C. Where did English come from? 2015. URL : www.ted.com
7. The Open University. The History of English in Ten Minutes. London: Oxford, 2011.
8. YES Education Group. French borrowings in the English language. [E-resource]. Moscow,  2011.URL : www.econf.rae.ru
9. Reformatskiy A.A. Introduction to linguistics. Moscow: Aspect Press, 2003. 536 p.
10. Shakhnazaryan V.M. The influence of the autochthonous languages of Latin America on the lexical system of the Spanish language of the Mexican state of Quintana Roo // Questions of Ibero-Romance. Collection of scientific articles. Issue 18, 2021, Pp. 204-211.
11. Yakovleva SA Dynamics of lexical meanings of polysemic nahuatlisms in cultural speech in Mexico City (XX century): diss. ... Cand. philol. Sciences: 10.02.20. Moscow: MGOU, 2005.399 p.
12. Schneider E. W.  The dynamics of New Englishes: From identity construction to dialect birth. // Language. 2003. Vol.79 №2. Pp. 233–281
13. Labov W.  Principles of Linguistic Change: Social factors. U.K., Oxford: Blackwell, 2001.
14. Kazakova I.E. Ethno-cultural Barriers in the Interactions of British and New Zealand Nations.// International Technology, Education and Development Conference. Collection of scientific articles. Vol.13 V.: INTED, 2019. Pp. 4176-4182