Loanword adaption in Persian: A Core-Periphery model approach

Abstract

This study discusses the adaptation of loanwords in Persian from donor languages of Arabic, French and English. The main claim is that loanwords adapt to the host language phonology based on the duration of the time they have been used in that language (Kemmer 2017). Thus, I propose that Arabic loans which are borrowed earlier are more nativized than recent loans, like Russian, French and English words. Compared to the former studies (Shademan 2002; Perry 2005, 2011; among others), this is the first account that aims to show the hierarchical and gradual nativization process of loans in Persian by use of Core-Periphery model (Itô and Mester 1999). This model categorizes words from core stratum to periphery stratum based on the satisfaction of constraints in the host language as systematic comparison criteria of older loans with recent ones. In this study I show that the Persian lexicon is stratified into three strata: core, middle and periphery. This lexicon stratification reflects the gradual nativization of loanwords where the core stratum includes frequent native items, the middle stratum includes older loans (Arabic) and the periphery stratum includes recent loans (Russian, French and English). Furthermore, this paper shows that highly frequent Arabic loans satisfying all constraints have become completely nativized and thus are categorized as part of the core showing the great influence of the donor language.