ZULU AND ENGLISH ADOPTIVES: MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHONOLOGICAL INTERFERENCE

Abstract

The Zulu language has assimilated a number of words from other languages, particularly English. As the two languages have different phonological and morphological systems, interference often takes place in the process of lexical adoption. This paper looks at various forms of morphological Interference, such as is found In singular/plural correlations and various back-formations, as well as at various forms of phonological interference, such as the assimilation of /r/ and the spreading of consonant clusters. Finally, the paper looks at various changes that are taking place in the Zulu language as a result of the influence of English.