Demprunts

Demprunts is a term occasionally encountered in discussions of lexical borrowing in languages. It is not an established or widely standardized concept in mainstream linguistics. When used, demprunts typically denotes the opposite of emprunt, i.e., the removal or reversal of borrowed lexical items from a language’s lexicon, or the replacement of such items with native equivalents. The term may be invoked in discussions of language purification, revival movements, or editorial policies aimed at reducing foreign influence on vocabulary.

Definitions and scope vary. Some uses describe demprunts as a historical or ongoing process by which communities replace loanwords with native terms through coinage, calques, or adaptation of existing words to local norms. Others treat it as a theoretical framework for analyzing shifts in vocabulary due to standardization, education, or sociolinguistic pressures. In many contexts, the concept is speculative or auxiliary, not forming a standardized category with clear criteria or typology.

Mechanisms often associated with demprunts include creating native neologisms, reactivating archaic native terms, adopting calques that reflect native semantics, or reinterpreting borrowed forms to align with the language’s phonology and morphology. The term’s usage remains limited and localized, with no broad consensus on definitions or methods of study.

See also: Emprunt, Loanword, Calque, Language purism, Lexical borrowing, Neologism.