Phonological Analysis of English Loanwords in Dhani

Abstract

Present study aims to explore English loanwords into Dhani dialect of Punjabi language. It focuses on which English words have been borrowed and what kind of phonological adaptations they undergo. It is a qualitative and descriptive study. Data were collected through recordings from thirty participants engaged in general conversation in real life situations in Chakwal district of Rawalpindi Division, Punjab province, Pakistan. Participants were selected through simple random sampling technique. Results retrieved from analysis of the collected data show that English loanwords undergo different phonological strategies i-e substitution, addition, epenthesis and deletion. Substitution is the most prominent whereas deletion is the least prominent of all strategies. Analysis also highlights educational implication of the study.