THE RECEPTIVITY AND ADAPTIBILITY OF BORROWINGS IN THE ALBANIAN LANGUAGE

Abstract

Considering the high influence of English-derived terms into Albanian, one might argue that the standard Albanian is gradually opening the gateway for the foreign terms, at all levels of discourse. Since most foreign elements entering through this port are more or less closely related by form and include common models of content for other languages as well (computer, monitor, display), then these elements serve as gateways for those languages. As a common stream that passes through them, in particular the English terms, as international ones, turn these gates into means of communication with the common circulating mass (foreign terms for each of them).

Not only are anglicisms invading almost all fields of knowledge, but they are also going deeply into the language, penetrating even in the book area (mass media, journalism), and into the simple discourse of ordinary people who use terms from the field of information technology, such as: click, mouse, keyboard, monitor, etc.

We, in any case, should not allow ourselves to be locked in a shell. We should be open to all nations, languages and cultures of the world. Nonetheless, we ought to borrow when it is necessary and to loan words only when we do not have our ones.

The borrowing of foreign terms, especially terms derived from English, in the center of the language, and their activation in ordinary discourse, creates a problematic situation, because it gives them the right to be used equally with Albanian words, which makes them be rooted in the language and may no longer emerge from there.