English Loanwords Adaptation and Substitution Process in Lasi

Abstract

English Loanwords Adaptation and Substitution Process in Lasi Asad Ullah Aliani 1 Zahid Ali2 Sami Ullah Khan3 1MS scholar, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan 2Associate Professor, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan 3Assistant Professor, Faculty of Languages and Literature, Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences, Uthal, Balochistan Abstract Loanwords often go under the adaptation process with native words. In the loanwords adaptation phonology has a vital role. The loanword phonology highlights more features in a particular language. The phonological pattern of loanword phonology is novel. It is the reflection of native phonology. The English loanwords are adapted in the Lasi. This paper addresses the questions: Which sounds are substituted in Lasi? and How substitutions with English loanwords occur in Lasi? The data are collected through observation and interviews. Optimality Theory is used for data analysis and presentation. It is the most used framework in current era. Optimality Theory is used by Ito and Mester (1995, 1999), Davidson and Noyer (1996) Broselow (2004) and other constraint-based approaches by Paradis and LaCharité (1997), LaCharité and Paradis (2005) as well as Crawford (2007). Towards the end, it has been seen that an English loanword and its Lasi counterpart have different structure, they are adopted and used by Lasi speakers in different ways, in their own style. Lasi natives prefer one feature changing rule for the ease of pronunciation. In English, loanwords adaptation terminal devoicing, continuant feature, retroflexion and palatalization are common. Lasi natives prefer unmarked constraints in adaptation. These words are pronounced according to Lasi phonological pattern. It can be claimed on the base of the inputs and outputs that Lasi adapts English loanwords according to it is own pattern. The substitution processes take place while changing one feature. Substitutions have been occurred from marked to unmarked. The preference of distinct feature is given to the unmarked features. So, the process of lenition occurs in Lasi English loanwords. It is common that languages always prefer unmarked as compared to markedness. So, the same rule has been followed by Lasi.

Keywords

• loanwords, substitution, OT, terminal devoicing, continuant retroflexion, palatalization