Phonological Adaptation of English Loanwords in Korean And Karakalpak: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study investigates the phonological adaptation of English loanwords in Korean and Karakalpak from a comparative perspective. In the context of globalization, English has become a major source of lexical borrowing, influencing languages with different phonological systems. The study aims to identify the key adaptation strategies employed in both languages and to examine how phonological constraints shape these processes. The data were collected from dictionaries and corpus materials, and a set of commonly used English loanwords was analyzed using phonological methods. The findings reveal that Korean exhibits a high degree of phonological modification, primarily through vowel epenthesis and syllable restructuring due to its strict phonotactic constraints. In contrast, Karakalpak demonstrates a relatively lower degree of modification, preserving more of the original phonetic structure while applying processes such as vowel harmony and consonant assimilation. The comparative analysis shows that while both languages follow systematic adaptation patterns, the nature and extent of these processes differ significantly. The study contributes to the field of Phonology by highlighting the interaction between universal adaptation tendencies and language-specific constraints. The findings have implications for linguistic theory, language teaching, and cross-linguistic studies in a globalized context.