Word borrowing and word play among Ngawbere (Panama).

Abstract

The present paper is concerned with the phenomenon of word borrowing among Ngawbere (speakers of Ngawbere). More specifically, the paper emphasizes the phoneticization as well as the semanticization of loan words into ngawbere from Spanish and English. Whereas the process of phoneticization is constrained by phonological transformations (nasalization, voicing, de-voicing), the process of semanticization that occurs in word borrowing is abetted by sociocultural processes. Three examples of word borrowing and two examples of word play are presented.