Abstract:
Languages have restricted sound sequences and sound combination. Each language tends to arrange its sounds in its own fixed way. To this effect within phonological system of languages, certain sound combinations and sound sequences are disallowed. What then happens when a language borrows words from another language? This is basically the subject of this research. The introduction of loan words into the lexicon of a language constitutes external linguistic change thereby calling for phonological restructuring with a view to maintaining the preferred phonological structure. Phonological nativization makes borrowed words usable by rendering them pronounceable. This study is a phonological examination of the transformation process as loan-words are borrowed from English and its structure into standard Kiswahili and its structure. This study has as its cardinal objective the identification description, analysis and explanation of elements of phonological change that occur as loan—words cross over from English to Standard Kiswahili. It hopes to achieve this by; analysing sequential constraints that govern sound combination in Standard Kiswahili and English; analytically describing the syllable structure of Standard Kiswahili and that of English; examining the phonological structure of loan- words both initially (as in English) and currently (as in standard Kiswahili); identifying, analysing and explaining whatever phonological processes that come into play in loan word restructuring, examining and explaining how (iv) mayaffect stress placement in loan-words, The theoretical orientation of this research is Natural Generative Phonology (NGP). Related models such as Generative [CV] Plionology Model of Syllable structure will be employed as necessary The data for this study is an inventory of 180 loan-words derived from nine disciplines namely Linguistics. Architecture, Engineering_ Accountancy. Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Medicine and “Others." The last category viz. “others,” covers names of objects used in cvery day life‘ The tcchnical nature of the first nine disciplines has rendered them more receptive to loan words from English. The last category is intended to cater for the non-technical area of day to day language use. Based on the contrast in the phonological structures of kiswahili and English. the study identifies and explains seven phonological processes exhibited in the reconstruction of words. namely segment deletion. segment insertion, glide formation, coalescence, syllabification process, reduplication and stress placement process
