Adaptation and semantic development of English loan words in the German language

Maria Dolecka

Abstract

This article presents adaptation and semantic development of English loan words registred in job advertisments in Süddeutsche Zeitung. The semantic adaptation depends not only on transfer of English meanings into German. In the process of borrowing there are different changes depending on elimination of multiple meanings of polysemous words, expansion and narrowing of meanings, change of emotional tinge and introduction of metaphorical meaning. Sometimes in German originates additional sense, not present in English. It may happen, that from one meaning of a word are chosen only some elements, consequently borrowed meanings have only a loose connection with the original sense. Thanks to good documentation of history of English loan words it can be stated, that many contemporarily used English words have been a part of German lexicon for a long time .