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Article published In:
Asia-Pacific Language Variation
Vol. 5:2 (2019) ► pp.109–137

Detecting language change

Māori loanwords in a diachronic topic-constrained corpus of New Zealand English newspapers

| University of Waikato
| University of Waikato
| University of Waikato
| University of Waikato

The borrowing of words from one language into another is most likely as ancient as language itself. While ample linguistic attention has focused on various linguistic contact scenarios in which words from one language enter productive use into another, their aim has been largely restricted to documenting the words which are borrowed, their frequency, and other situation-specific information. In this paper, we propose new methods for studying loanwords, namely a combination of statistical testing techniques which can be used together to increase knowledge in this area. We illustrate these tools with a case-study of loanwords from an indigenous language (Māori) into a world dominant language (New Zealand English). Using a topic-constrained newspaper corpus in conjunction with quantitative methods, we explore the use of loanwords diachronically and analyse variation in loanword use across newspapers and across writers.

Keywords: loanwords, corpus linguistics, diachronic analysis, New Zealand English, Māori
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Context of the study
  • 2.Language contact situation in New Zealand
  • 3.Methods, data, and some preliminary findings
  • 4.Results from statistical modelling
    • 4.1Patterns of use of loanwords across newspaper articles by different authors
      • 4.1.1Factors influencing the rate of loanword usage within articles
      • 4.1.2Factors influencing the incidence of loanwords in article titles
    • 4.2Patterns of use of loanwords across time
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Concluding remarks
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 2 March 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/aplv.00003.cal
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