Language Borrowing and Semantic Change: A Study of Arabic Loanwords in Baatonum

Semantic change in language borrowing is a general phenomenon among living languages. When a language borrows lexical items from the other, some modifications occur, thus, affecting the meanings of some of the borrowed items. Scholars at different times have examined semantic change in loanwords across different languages. This current study investigates semantic change in Arabic loanwords within the Baatonum language. Through a comprehensive linguistic analysis, the study explores how Arabic loanwords have been incorporated into Baatonum, focusing on shifts in meaning and usage. The study identifies patterns of semantic transformation and sociocultural factors influencing the changes through analysis of a corpus Arabic loanwords. Adopting a qualitative case design, the study employs the native speaker intuition of the writer and interviews with fellow Baatonum speakers to gather nuanced insights into the semantic transformation of Arabic loanwords. Data for the study is collected a corpus of loan words collected by the author for a PhD dissertation. Findings have revealed that while some borrowed words have retained their original meanings, others undergo significant changes. This study is significant in the sense that it contributes to broader understanding of language contact phenomena and semantic evolution, highlighting the importance of native speaker perspectives in language research, as well as the dynamic interplay between languages in contact.