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Chang, C. B. (2009) 'English loanword adaptation in Burmese.' Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society, 1. pp. 77-94.

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Abstract

This paper provides a descriptive account of the main patterns found in the adaptation of English loanwords in Burmese. First, English segments missing from the Burmese inventory are replaced by native Burmese segments. Second, coda obstruents are represented by laryngealized tones. Third, consonant clusters are resolved through vowel epenthesis or consonant deletion. Finally, various phonotactic gaps native to Burmese, some with rather idiosyncratic distributional properties, are consistently maintained in loanwords via a number of different strategies. The data suggest overall that Burmese phonology heavily constrains the adaptation of English loanwords, and a brief sketch of an Optimality-Theoretic analysis is presented.

Item Type: Journal Article
SOAS Departments & Centres: Legacy Departments > Faculty of Languages and Cultures > Department of Linguistics
Subjects: P Language and Literature > PI Oriental languages and literatures
ISSN: 18366821
Date Deposited: 02 Oct 2014 09:19
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/18993

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