An indepth study of lexical borrowing from english to hausa

Thesis Abstract

Abstract
This research project focuses on conducting an in-depth study of lexical borrowing from English to Hausa language. Lexical borrowing is a common linguistic phenomenon where languages borrow words from one another due to various reasons such as cultural exchange, technological advancements, or historical interactions. Hausa, as a language spoken by millions of people in West Africa, has been influenced by English due to colonial history, globalization, and modernization. The study aims to investigate the patterns, extent, and implications of lexical borrowing from English to Hausa. By analyzing a wide range of lexical items borrowed from English into Hausa, the research seeks to understand the linguistic processes involved in borrowing, the phonological and morphological adaptations, as well as the semantic shifts that occur during the integration of borrowed words into the Hausa lexicon. Furthermore, the research will explore the socio-cultural factors that influence lexical borrowing between English and Hausa speakers. This includes examining the contexts in which borrowed words are used, the attitudes of Hausa speakers towards borrowed vocabulary, and the impact of borrowed words on the language identity and language vitality of Hausa. Methodologically, the study will employ a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Data collection will involve compiling a corpus of borrowed words from English to Hausa, analyzing the phonological and morphological changes that occur during borrowing, and conducting surveys and interviews to gather insights from Hausa speakers regarding their perception and usage of borrowed vocabulary. The findings of this research project are expected to contribute to the fields of sociolinguistics, language contact, and lexical studies. By providing a comprehensive analysis of lexical borrowing from English to Hausa, the study will enhance our understanding of language dynamics in multilingual societies and shed light on the processes of language change and adaptation in response to external influences. Overall, this research project seeks to fill a gap in the existing literature on lexical borrowing in African languages, particularly focusing on the case of English borrowings in the Hausa language. The study is significant for its potential to enrich our knowledge of language contact phenomena and their implications for linguistic diversity and cultural exchange in the globalized world.