Anglicismos

Abstract
The enormous number of anglicisms used everyday in Spanish language generates lexical interference
between both languages. This paper provides a semantic analysis of the changes in lexis this language
contact brings about, through the different linguistic mechanisms of inter-language adaptation
involved. When these anglicisms come from the current trend to include English words inSpanish
discourse, we also add appropriate equivalents which could avoid the excess of redundant neologisms.
A glossary of the most habitual terms derived from interference in English and Spanish in the
economic field is included as a result of this study.
Key words: terminology, semantics, linguistic interference, second language (SL)

Resumen
Los anglicismos económicos: Adaptación alsistema lingüístico español
La ingente cantidad de anglicismos que cada día entran en el idioma español a través del inglés en el
ámbito económico produce una serie de interferencias entre ambos idiomas. En este artículo se realiza un
estudio semántico de tales interferencias a través de los mecanismos lingüísticos de adaptación inter-
idiomática utilizados en cada caso. Asimismo, cuando losanglicismos utilizados son sólo producto de la
tendencia actualmente de moda de insertar vocablos ingleses en el discurso, se aportan los equivalentes
apropiados en el lenguaje español que podrían evitar el exceso de neologismos redundantes. Este análisis
se lleva a cabo a través de un glosario de los términos más habituales procedentes de las interferencias
entre el inglés y el español en elcontexto económico.
Palabras clave: terminología, semántica, interferencias lingüísticas, segunda lengua

1. Introduction
The aim of the present paper is to provide a comparative insight into the semantic study
of lexical interference1 in English and Spanish within the economic terminological field,
through the linguistic mechanisms of inter-language adaptation involved.

IBÉRICA 10 [2005]:91-114

91

PALOMA LÓPEZ ZURITA

Semantic changes take place especially within the lexical level, in which we study the
linguistic strategies involved in the process of translating meaning from original
English terms to the target language. The regular adaptation devices include
borrowings, calques, equivalents, and simple and explicative periphrases. These
changes in lexis usually entailchanges in semantic relations that may result in the
generalisation or specialisation of the term.

In the present paper we gloss isolated examples which illustrate the wider trend of
English interference.2

2. Anglicisms in the Spanish language
Language contact and the ensuing changes of meaning constitute a very rich area of
linguistic inquiry that has produced an extensive bibliography onthe subject, as there
seems to be a general concern among language specialists about the linguistic
consequences the incorporation of so many anglicisms into the Spanish language may
imply. Pratt (1980) and Lorenzo’s (1996) benchmark research focused on the influence
of English over Spanish by compiling the most common anglicisms and studying their
process of incorporation into the secondlanguage (SL), a concern which has been a
constant feature up to now. Recently, different approaches to the topic have been
carried out. As examples regarding general language, Rodríguez (1997) highlighted the
cultural influence among English and Spanish speaking countries through the existing
borrowings; Gimeno (2003) stated different lexical types according to category
changes, collocationsand lexical calques, focusing on social multilingualism; Páramo
García (2003) introduced a historical perspective by studying the lexical anglicisms used
in translations during the period 1750-1800; Medina López (2004) established the
possible extra-linguistic factors which may explain the use of anglicisms as well as a
practical approach towards their classification.

The current trends in...