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Borrowings in Informal American English

Borrowings in Informal American English

Borrowings in Informal American English

September 2023
Available
Hardback
9781009346870
$125.00
USD
Hardback
USD
eBook

    What do 'bimbo,' 'glitch,' 'savvy,' and 'shtick' all have in common? They are all expressions used in informal American English that have been taken from other languages. This pioneering book provides a comprehensive description of borrowings in informal American English, based on a large database of citations from thousands of contemporary sources, including the press, film, and TV. It presents the United States as a linguistic 'melting pot,' with words from a diverse range of languages now frequently appearing in the lexicon. It examines these borrowings from various perspectives, including discussions of terms, donors, types, changes, functions, and themes. It also features an alphabetical glossary of 1,200 representative expressions, defined and illustrated by 5,500 usage examples, providing an insightful and practical resource for readers. Combining scholarship with readability, this book is a fascinating storehouse of information for students and researchers in linguistics as well as anyone interested in lexical variation in contemporary English.

    • Presents the first combined exploration of informal language and lexical borrowings in American English
    • Based on 700 real-life contextual examples which highlight linguistic patterns and sociocultural context
    • Includes a glossary of 1,200 terms, which provides a practical reference for readers

    Product details

    September 2023
    Hardback
    9781009346870
    346 pages
    235 × 158 × 24 mm
    0.65kg
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Introduction
    • 1. Foundations
    • 2. Terms
    • 3. Donors
    • 4. Types
    • 5. Changes
    • 6. Functions
    • 7. Themes
    • Conclusions
    • Glossary
    • Bibliography
    • Index.
      Author
    • MaÅ‚gorzata Kowalczyk

      Dr Małgorzata Kowalczyk is a sociolinguist specializing in lexical variation and its description. Her numerous book publications include Black Lexicon (2012) and The Dictionary of Spanish Loanwords in American Slang (2015).