PHONOLOGICAL ADAPTATION OF ENGLISH LOANWORDS IN KOREAN: SEGMENTAL SUBSTITUTION AND PHONEMIC NEUTRALIZATION

Abstract

This article investigates the phonological adaptation of English loanwords in the Korean language, focusing on segmental substitution processes and phonemic neutralization. Due to significant differences between English and Korean phonological systems, English lexical items undergo systematic phonetic and phonological modification when integrated into Korean. The study examines the substitution of fricative and plosive consonants, the adaptation of vowel systems, and the role of phonemic inventory constraints in shaping loanword pronunciation. Particular attention is given to the substitution of English fricatives such as /f/, /v/, and interdental /θ/ and /ð/, which lack direct phonological equivalents in Korean. The findings demonstrate that English consonants are typically replaced by articulatorily similar Korean segments, resulting in the neutralization of certain phonological oppositions. The analysis also highlights the influence of Korean syllable structure and phonotactic constraints on the realization of English loanwords. The study contributes to understanding how phonological systems adapt foreign lexical elements within typologically different linguistic environments.