2794: Learned Borrowing Aug 14, 2024

There are many borrowed words in English, as in just about every other language, but not all borrowings are created equal. Regular semantic loans occur for various reasons, including cross-cultural contact, new technology, and more. However, “learned borrowing” refers to the deliberate incorporation of words from one language into another, often with minimal adaptation, typically through scholarly, scientific, or literary contexts. This can include legal terms, scientific nomenclature, and other specialized vocabulary.

Unlike regular semantic borrowing, where words are adapted and integrated into the vernacular language over time, learned borrowings are often introduced directly by educated speakers or writers to convey precise meanings, usually retaining their original form and pronunciation. For this reason, they tend to be less affected by the borrowing language’s phonology and grammar (e.g., “surgeon general”). These words and phrases can also take on a dimension where they are commonly used but not always understood in literal terms. For instance, in legal contexts, people may know the content of habeas corpus without knowing its literal meaning, “you will have the body” (i.e., a person can be brought before a court). Similarly, et cetera literally means “and others,” but most people know it only contextually. Sometimes, learned borrowings also become part of everyday language, as in the case of the suffix-turned-word, -phobia, which is now commonly used well beyond its original medical scope.

In European languages, Latin—and to a lesser extent, Greek—occupies a significant role in these more formal registers, leading to many instances of doublets and reborrowings, where older words have evolved over time only to be borrowed again later.