frengishten

Frengishten is a sociolinguistic term used to describe the blended use of French and English in spontaneous speech by bilingual speakers. It is a neologism that functions as a portmanteau of French and English and appears in some academic discussions of language contact.

The phenomenon involves mixing lexicon, syntax, and discourse features across languages. Common patterns include inserting English nouns, verbs, or adjectives into French clauses, calques from English into French, and occasional direct translations. Phonology and intonation may reflect influence from either language.

Frengishten occurs in contexts of high bilingual contact and social identity work. It is discussed in communities where French and English coexist, such as certain Canadian regions, urban centers with francophone and anglophone communities, and diaspora networks. It is typically more common in informal speech and digital communication than in formal writing.

Examples (illustrative, not quoted): "Je vais to the magasin pour acheter quelques groceries." "C'est une project qui needs plus de funding." These examples show code-switching and calqued expressions rather than pure translation.

Scholarly treatment varies; frengishten is related to, but distinct from, franglais and frenglish, and is considered a subtype of code-switching or macaronic language depending on the framework. Its usage is debated and often contextual.

See also:

- Franglais

- Frenglish

- Code-switching

- Macaronic language