Die Hausarbeit behandelt auf Englisch die Geschichte spanischer Lehnwörter im Amerikanischen Englisch. Die Entlehnungen sind chronologisch nach Jahrhunderten und Themengebieten wie Bergbau, Viehwirtschaft und Kultur der Cowboys sortiert und anhand zahlreicher Beispiele veranschaulicht. Dabei wird auch auf die etymologische und morphologische Entwicklungen eingegangen.
The borrowings will be dealt with in a fairly chronological order and, as far as possible, summed up in semantic fields. In Chapter 2 I will present the borrowings before the nineteenth century. Chapter 3 deals with loanwords in the nineteenth century, the most productive century of Spanish loanwords in American English. Many terms are adopted in the field of the ranching and cowboy culture in the entire Southwest and the mining industry in Northern California which is why subchapter 3.1 is dedicated to borrowings in the mining culture and 3.2 to those in the cattle-raising culture. In 3.3 I will treat nineteenth- century loanwords from other semantic fields. Chapter 4 is about the borrowings from the twentieth century which are a result of the Mexican-American War and particularly of the big immigration wave from Latin America into the US. In the conclusion I will first sum up some typical phonological and morphological features in the treatment of Spanish loanwords in American English. Then I will give a short concluding overview of the periods and semantic fields of the influx of Spanish loanwords into American English.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Borrowings before the Nineteenth Century
3. Spanish Terms Adopted in the Nineteenth Century
3.1 Terms Adopted in the Mining Culture
3.2 Borrowings from the Cattle-Raising Culture
3.3 Other Semantic Fields than Mining and Cowboy Culture
4. Twentieth-Century Borrowings
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines the influence of Spanish loanwords on the English language within the American continent, analyzing the chronological patterns and semantic fields through which these terms were integrated. The research investigates how historical events—such as exploration, the Gold Rush, and immigration—have shaped the linguistic exchange between Spanish and American English.
- Historical progression of Spanish loanwords from the pre-nineteenth century to the twentieth century.
- Linguistic impact of the American Southwest's mining and cattle-raising (hacendado) cultures.
- Analysis of semantic fields including topography, food, politics, and ethnology.
- The role of cultural contact and demographic shifts in the formation of modern American vocabulary.
- Orthographic and phonological adaptation of Spanish terms within English usage.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Terms Adopted in the Mining Culture
Terms from the mining culture that spread across the entire US are small in number. In fact, most sources only name two or three. However, I will cover in brief also the regional expressions.
Words only known to experts of mining culture in Northern California were designations for variants of veins like clavadas, echadas, oblicuas, etc. according to their location. Spanish names for geological features were adopted such as laza “soft land” or sombre “the grey shade of certain minerals.” A gold miner was a gambusino, the greaser, from Spanish grasero, was the man who worked in foundries, and the arreador was a boy who tended the horses to be employed in mining works (cf. Lodares 164). According to Lodares (166), among the more than eight hundred gold-rush hispanicisms in English only a few made it to other regions of America and to the “common” American vocabulary. One of the most known terms is bonanza. Originally it meant “fair or calm weather” in Spanish, from there it gained the meaning “good luck” and was metaphorically changed into “a rich and extensive vein of minerals” (Lodares 162; DAE). When we turn to minerals and deposits, placer may be the most typical one. It is a glacial or alluvial deposit containing particles of gold or other valuable minerals (cf. Lodares 161). El Dorado, literally the “golden land”, was used in the American sense for a place in the West, especially California after the discovery of gold (DAE). It should be clear that there was a strong Hispanic influence on the mining trade by means of words.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the scope of the paper, detailing the focus on Spanish loanwords in American English and the chronological approach to the study.
2. Borrowings before the Nineteenth Century: Discusses early contact between English and Spanish speakers, highlighting early loanwords related to trade and exploration in the West Indies.
3. Spanish Terms Adopted in the Nineteenth Century: Examines the most productive period for Spanish borrowings, driven by westward expansion and new industries.
3.1 Terms Adopted in the Mining Culture: Focuses on terminology used in Northern California during the gold-rush era and its integration into the American lexicon.
3.2 Borrowings from the Cattle-Raising Culture: Analyzes the significant impact of Mexican vaquero culture on American English, particularly in the Southwest.
3.3 Other Semantic Fields than Mining and Cowboy Culture: Explores borrowings in areas such as politics, architecture, and food that occurred during the 1800s.
4. Twentieth-Century Borrowings: Discusses linguistic impacts resulting from the Mexican-American War and later large-scale immigration from Latin America.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the patterns of adoption and evaluates the long-term status of Spanish-derived terms in American English.
Keywords
Spanish, Loanwords, American English, Etymology, Mining Culture, Cattle-raising, Cowboy, Hispanicisms, Semantics, Immigration, Topography, Cultural Contact, Mexican-American, Vocabulary, Linguistics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
This paper examines the history and integration of Spanish loanwords into the American English language, tracing their adoption from early settlements to the present day.
Which semantic fields are most heavily represented?
The study identifies mining, cattle-raising (ranching), food and drink, politics, and topography as the primary semantic fields influenced by Spanish borrowings.
What is the central research question?
The work explores how and when Spanish terms entered American English, specifically analyzing the social and historical contexts of these linguistic adoptions.
Which research methodology does the author use?
The author uses a chronological historical approach, categorizing loanwords by their semantic origin and period of entry into the American English vocabulary.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body is divided into chronological sections—pre-nineteenth century, the nineteenth century (with sub-sections for mining and ranching), and the twentieth century—analyzing specific vocabulary trends in each.
What defines the core terminology of the study?
The study is characterized by terms related to historical frontier life, geographical features, and modern cultural identifiers, reflected in keywords like "Hispanicisms," "cowboy," and "mining."
How did the gold rush influence English vocabulary?
The gold rush introduced highly specific mining terminology from Northern California, such as "bonanza" and "placer," which eventually integrated into general American English.
What is the significance of the "cattle-raising" culture in this paper?
This section highlights how Anglo-American contact with Mexican cowboys led to the adoption of essential ranching terms like "rodeo," "ranch," and "vaquero," which became foundational to the Western cultural narrative.
How does the author explain the development of "Spanglish"?
The author relates the rise of "Spanglish" to high levels of language contact in areas like the Southwest, Florida, and New York City, driven by modern immigration and bilingualism.
- Quote paper
- Claus Arnold (Author), 2009, Spanish Loanwords in American English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/286768
