folk etymology
/fˈoʊk ˌɛɾɪmˈɑːlədʒi/
nounthe process by which the form or meaning of a word is modified or reinterpreted based on the similarity or familiarity of its components to other words or familiar patterns, often resulting in a new, popular, but etymologically incorrect explanation
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grammaticalization
/ɡɹæmˌæɾɪkəlaɪzˈeɪʃən/
nouna process in language change whereby words or lexical items evolve over time to become grammatical markers or functional elements, often losing their original lexical meaning and acquiring grammatical or structural functions
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substrate language
/sˈʌbstɹeɪt lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ/
nouna language that has lower prestige or social power in a contact situation and influences another language (superstrate) with which it comes into contact, leaving a significant impact on its linguistic features, vocabulary, and structure
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synchronic analysis
/sɪnkɹˈɑːnɪk ɐnˈæləsˌɪs/
nounthe examination and study of a language at a specific point in time, emphasizing its existing linguistic features, structures, and patterns without considering their historical development or changes over time
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Swadesh list
/swˈɑːdɛʃ lˈɪst/
nouna standardized set of basic vocabulary words used in comparative linguistics to analyze similarities and differences between languages, typically consisting of around 100 to 200 words that are considered to be less subject to borrowing or change over time
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