anglicisme

An anglicisme is a word, phrase, or sense borrowed from English into another language. The term is used in linguistics to describe contact-induced incorporation of English items into a recipient language. Anglicismes may be direct borrowings, e.g., weekend, shopping, software, email in many languages; or calques, such as skyscraper becoming gratte-ciel in French or airbase becoming base aérienne. They can also be semantic loans, where an English sense expands into another language.

English influence often arises from technology, business, media, and popular culture, leading to rapid adoption in many languages. The speed and breadth of globalization mean anglicismes can become ordinary vocabulary, even if native equivalents exist or are promoted by language authorities.

Attitudes toward anglicismes vary. Some language purists defend native terminology and recommend calques or neologisms; others accept anglicismes as useful for new concepts. National academies or language planning bodies may publish lists of recommended equivalents, but usage often prevails in everyday speech. In many languages, anglicismes are subject to orthographic and phonological adaptation, such as the French tendency to write 'weekend' with French pronunciation and to prefer 'courriel' over 'email' in formal writing.

Overall, anglicismes reflect ongoing language contact and influence, illustrating how English remains a dominant source of new terms across domains worldwide.