LEXICO-SEMANTIC AND PHONETIC FEATURES OF ENGLISH BORROWINGS IN MODERN CHINESE LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study investigates the lexical-semantic and phonetic characteristics of English loanwords in contemporary Chinese language with a focus on their adaptation within the framework of the Chinese writing system and worldview. The relevance and novelty of research on loanwords in the Chinese language lie in the growing influence of English as a global lingua franca. As a result of intensified cultural, technological, and economic exchange, an increasing number of English loanwords have entered Chinese language reflecting significant linguistic and sociolinguistic shift.

  In the course of the following research, a combination of qualitative and quantitative linguistic methodologies was employed: corpus-based analysis, the principal research material utilized in this study was derived from HSK The Chinese Language Proficiency Test books, vocabulary lists, representing modern and relevant Chinese; lexical analysis: to examine the meaning, usage, and integration of loanwords into the Chinese vocabulary; phonological analysis: to investigate how English sounds were adapted to Mandarin Chinese phonology, with phonetic comparison. In the section titled "Results and Discussion", the results of the research are presented: the findings reveal an observable shift in the preferred methodology for translating loanwords. The preference has shifted towards phonetic and mixed types of translation, as opposed to lexical translations, this reflects not only evolving linguistic practices but also reveals changing cultural attitudes toward globalization and linguistic identity. This research is theoretically significant in that it advances Chinese lexical semantics and phonology: it contributes to theories of semantic shifts, lexical integration, and phonological borrowing. The practical significance of this research lies in improving translation and localisation practices, as well as supporting language teaching. Teachers of Chinese as a foreign language can now provide learners with better explanations and contextualisation of loanwords.