Lexical Borrowing as Sociolinguistic Variables in Senegal


Abstract
              In general, the study of loanwords  has been mainly centered on 
the linguistic processes that  go along with lexical borrowings (Deroy, 1956; 
Calvet, 1974; Schaffer 1975; Pfaff 1979; Gumperz 1982; Touratier 1994; 
Chadelat 1995 etc.). These studies have the merit of having identified the 
different types of lexical borrowings (both intralingual and interlingual), 
and their linguistic  processes ( phonological adaptation, lexicalizations,  
semantic shifts etc.). However, as the result of focusing on  the linguistic 
aspects of loanwords, their sociolinguistic implications have generally been 
undermined in mainstream linguistic theory. This study focuses on a  
multilingual speech community in Saint-Louis- Senegal, the former capital of 
the French colonial empire A.O.F (Afrique Occidentale Francaise) where Wolof 
(the major lingua franca) borrows from three languages: Arabic, French and 
English.  Arabic and French, respectively, were historically given privileged 
social status and prestige by the Islamization and colonization of the 
country. The influence of English is found in the youth (exposed to the 
American movie industry, youth culture,  music etc..).The study examines the 
relationship between English, French and Arabic loans and the social 
stratification of the Senegalese speech community.
	The data is based on 20 minute tape-recorded interviews with 200 people 
living on the island of Saint-Louis (called l’Ile de Saint-Louis). 100 
participants were between 60 and 80 years old, and 100 people between 20 and 
30 years old. The interviews consisted of series of questions targeting three 
registers (political, cultural and religious). In addition, a modified Coach 
Test (based upon Labov, 1994) was administered in order to determine whether 
both age groups share (i.e. understand) the same lexical repertoire of 
loanwords. These tests unanimously showed that all speakers, regardless of 
their social class or groups reacted appropriately to the meaning of 
loanwords. Therefore, the different usage of  French, Arabic, and English 
loans (and the linguistic processes they involve), if identified in the two 
age groups, must be socially triggered.
	The study argues that lexical borrowings (and some of the linguistic 
processes they involve such as syllable truncation, cluster simplifications 
etc.) constitute social class or group indexes in  Senegal, since speakers 
elect to use certain loans (assimilated, semi-assimilated or unassimilated 
loans) for purely social reasons such as social prestige and status, group 
loyalty and identity etc. Thus the paper attempts to show that empirical data 
from  multilingual cultures such as Senegal enable us to treat lexical 
borrowings and some linguistic patterns they involve as sociolinguistic 
variables, i.e,  social class or social group markers.  Consequently, this 
study supports that sociolinguistic variables (Labov, 1978), are not only 
limited to phonological patterns in multilingual and multicultural 
communities, but involve lexical units.