THE INFLUENCE OF LOANWORDS ON THE PHONETIC SYSTEM OF MODERN ENGLISH

Abstract

The article examines the influence of loanwords on the phonetic system of modern English. The issue is particularly relevant due to globalization, intense language contact and cultural exchange, which continually enrich the English lexicon. Borrowings from various languages not only expand vocabulary but also introduce new phonetic patterns, contribute to the enlargement of the phonemic inventory, and bring phonotactic structures previously absent in English. Special attention is given to the impact of Romance, Germanic and non-Indo-European sources, each of which has contributed differently to the phonological development of English throughout its history. The study analyzes the works of A. Baugh, T. Cable, O. Jespersen, J. Allen, and contemporary linguists who explore the phonetic consequences of lexical borrowing. The main directions of linguistic inquiry are highlighted: the emergence of new vocalic and consonantal patterns, quantitative and qualitative changes in the phonemic system, and mechanisms of adaptation of foreign sounds within English phonology. The article emphasizes that certain aspects of phonetic assimilation-particularly partial or incomplete adaptation-remain insufficiently studied. The aim of this research is to identify the principal ways in which loanwords influence English phonetics and to substantiate their role in ongoing linguistic evolution. The findings show that borrowed elements have introduced new diphthongs, consonant clusters, and morphophonological models, and have also affected stress placement and prosodic organization. It is demonstrated that processes of globalization and technological development will continue shaping English phonetics through the integration of new foreign structures. The results outline the prospects for further studies focusing on the interaction between phonetics and borrowing within the framework of language change.