Germanisms in American Speech

Dossier / Travail de Séminaire , 2008 , 23 Pages , Note: 1,0

Philologie Américaine - Linguistique

In past years, many studies have been published concerning the influence of English, especially
of American English, on the German language. Many people complain about the
hotchpotch of English and German used by present-day youths. They blame the media for
the destruction of the German language. This even led to the founding of an association,
der Verein Deutsche Sprache, to protect the German language. However, few people seem
to be aware that German has made a sizeable contribution to the American English vocabulary
too, even though this is not as large as the contribution of English to the German language.
As will be shown in this paper, words denoting foods, drinks, amusements, skiing
activities, German inventions and parts of the education system were borrowed by the native
population. Borrowing from German started with the early colonial settlers in the 17th
century, settling in Pennsylvania and evolving the Pennsylvanian German which is not of
interest in this paper as it is completely different from the usage of German words of an
average American, and has continued to the present time.
This paper deals with Germanisms in American speech and is intended to give an
overview of the concept of borrowing. Firstly, the processes of borrowing with its examples
of distant and intimate borrowing are traced. Stanforth’s monograph Deutsche Einflüsse
auf den englischen Wortschatz in Geschichte und Gegenwart serves as the basis. Afterwards,
in accordance to Haugen, his categorisation of the loan material into importation,
substitution, partial-substitution and their subdivisions loan words, loan meanings, loan
coinages, loan blends and loan compounds are represented with examples. The following
paragraphs elaborate on the naturalization of the loan material. It is shown that the typographic
representation of words, the orthography, the pronunciation and the grammar can
give information on the state of naturalization. Furthermore, the loan material can change
its part of speech or meaning after having been borrowed. In the fourth main paragraph the
reasons for the large amount of Germanisms, such as the lack of American English equivalents
or the striving for profit and prestige, are explained in detail.

[...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• The Process of Borrowing and its Different Categories
• The Naturalization of the Loan Material
• Reasons for Germanisms in American Speech
• Presentation and Evaluation of the Research Project
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Appendix
  • Questionnaire
  • Spiegel Online article

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Germanisms in American speech, focusing on the process of borrowing and the naturalization of loan words. It examines the historical context of borrowing from German into American English, explores the different categories of loan material, and analyzes the reasons behind the prevalence of Germanisms in American speech.

• The process of borrowing and its categories (distant and intimate borrowing)
• The naturalization of loan words in American English
• Reasons for the prevalence of Germanisms in American speech
• The impact of Germanisms on the American English vocabulary
• The role of German immigrants in the spread of Germanisms

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The first chapter introduces the topic of Germanisms in American speech and provides a historical overview of the phenomenon. It highlights the significance of German influence on the American English vocabulary and sets the stage for the subsequent analysis.

Chapter two delves into the process of borrowing, examining the different categories of loan material. It explores the concepts of distant and intimate borrowing, highlighting the specific characteristics of each type. The chapter also introduces Haugen's categorization of loan material, including importation, substitution, and partial substitution, and provides examples of each category.

Chapter three focuses on the naturalization of loan words in American English. It examines how borrowed words are integrated into the target language, considering aspects such as orthography, pronunciation, grammar, and semantic change. The chapter also discusses the impact of naturalization on the meaning and usage of loan words.

Chapter four explores the reasons behind the prevalence of Germanisms in American speech. It examines factors such as the lack of American English equivalents, the striving for profit and prestige, and the influence of German immigrants. The chapter provides insights into the motivations behind the adoption of German words and phrases into American English.

Chapter five presents and evaluates the results of a survey conducted on Germanisms in American speech. It analyzes the data collected through the survey, applying the theoretical concepts discussed in previous chapters. The chapter examines the prevalence of different semantic categories of Germanisms, the perception of Germanisms by native speakers, and the reasons behind the acceptance or rejection of certain loan words.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Germanisms, American English, borrowing, loan words, naturalization, linguistic influence, cultural contact, German immigrants, semantic categories, and the impact of Germanisms on the American English vocabulary.

• Université: University of Cologne
• Cours: Differences in American and British English
• Note: 1,0
• Auteur: Karolin Büttner (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2008
• Pages: 23
• N° de catalogue: V115859
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640171293
• ISBN (Livre): 9783640173112
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Germanisms, American, Speech, Differences, American, British, English