The number of indigenous people that inhabited the American continent before the European settlers arrived is still debated about today. Based on numerous different sources, printed as well as online, it ranges from 8 million to 112 million people who lived in tribal societies. Those tribes were often very different in the way they lived: some societies were nomad tribes, their major source of food being hunting – which was why they followed their prey. Others lived from growing maize and plants. Again others in the rocky desert regions lived in houses which they built using the natural rock foundations of the area. There were different sizes of tribes, some being rather small, and some being huge, like for example the Aztec societies or the Anasazi people. But no matter what size the population of tribe was, or how advanced they were in their way of life, there’s one thing all of them had in common: the moment of contact with the European settlers changed their lives forever.
Today the number of Native American people in the United States, although slowly increasing again, is still considerably low: about 1.9 million people today consider themselves to be Native Americans. They make about one percent of the overall population of the United States of America. Throughout the last five centuries, their population was decimated by diseases and wars, caused by the invasions of European settlers. Special programs during the nineteenth century, aiming to “kill the Indian, save the man” have further added to not only the decimation of a race, but the loss of cultures and related to that, languages.
Yet, a lot of aspects of Native American cultures and languages live on today in the modern languages in the form of loanwords. These loanwords allow a glimpse into a unique style of life, which got lost over time.
This paper aims on looking at the different kinds of loanwords, seeing what areas of life they can be classified into and to examine when they entered the English language for the first time.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Loanwords from Latin American Origin
- The First Loanword
- Other Loanwords from South and Middle America
- North American Indian Loanwords
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to examine the history and development of Native American loanwords in contemporary American English, exploring their classification, origins, and the cultural context of their adoption. It also seeks to determine how the social and political relationships between European settlers and Native American tribes influenced the borrowing of these words.
- The history of Native American loanwords in English
- The cultural significance of loanwords as indicators of cultural exchange
- The relationship between language contact and cultural interaction
- The role of historical events and social dynamics in the transmission of loanwords
- The impact of colonization on Native American languages and cultures
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter establishes the context for the study by providing background information on Native American populations, their diverse cultures, and the impact of European colonization on their languages and traditions. It also introduces the main objectives of the paper and the theoretical framework employed.
- Loanwords from Latin American Origin: This chapter examines the earliest instances of Native American loanwords entering English, focusing on words borrowed from tribes in South and Middle America. It highlights the role of Spanish colonization and the long-lasting influence of these words in English and other languages.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The primary focus of this study is on the history and development of Native American loanwords in contemporary American English. Key concepts include language contact, cultural exchange, colonization, linguistic borrowing, and the impact of historical events on language evolution. The study also explores the role of social and political factors in the transmission of loanwords and the relationship between linguistic change and cultural interaction.
- Quote paper
- Katharina Reese (Author), 2009, Native American Loanwords in Contemporary American English: History and Development, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/163256
