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SEMANTIC RELATIONS OF LOANWORDS

Summary/Abstract: Semantic differences between recent Estonian loanwords and the donor languages are discussed on the background of Estonian dialects and other Finnic languages. The types and reasons for the changes observed, as well as the possible routes of diffusion of the words, are analysed. The data on word origin is based mainly on the Estonian Etymological Dictionary by Metsmägi et al. (2012) if not referred to otherwise. If the meanings of the borrowing and the source word differ, then the borrowed word may denote (1) a narrower or (2) wider or (3) a totally different concept than the source word. A word borrowed to denote one or part of the source word’s meanings may become fixed as a term for a still narrower concept. However, sometimes an originally monosemous loanword may acquire new additional meanings. In other cases, some source meanings are missing, whereas some new ones have been added. Sometimes the source and the loanword share no meanings at all, and the semantic change is detectable only from background information. The semantic change in loanwords may be caused by cultural differences, local ethnographic specifics, areal distribution of plant and animal species, taboo etc. Folk etymology may change word meaning totally beyond recognition. Often the semantic change takes place later than the time of borrowing. Such later changes are often conditioned by changes of circumstances or objects. Word origin can be specified by following similar words in the dialects of contact languages, considering their spread and meaning. The variation of word meaning in Estonian dialects may suggest different borrowing times or routes of travel. The areal distribution of loanwords helps to pinpoint the centres of cultural innovations. Thus, an etymologist should consider not only the phonetic shape and developments of a stem, but also its semantic changes, areal distribution of the stem and its meanings in dialects and contact languages.

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