tilaverbi

Tilaverbi is a linguistic term used in some grammars and studies of language contact to refer to verbs that originate as borrowings from another language and have become integrated into the recipient language’s verbal system. The concept is most often discussed in the field of contact linguistics, where researchers distinguish these borrowed verbs from native coinages and from calques (translated phrases). In the description of tilaverbi, the focus is on how a foreign verb is adapted to the host language's morphology and syntax.

Core features commonly discussed include: a borrowed verb stem that retains core semantic content, followed by the host language’s inflectional endings for tense, aspect, mood, voice, and subject agreement. Phonological adaptation is typical, aligning the form with the host language phonotactics. The degree of integration can vary; some tilaverbi remain clearly marked as foreign, while others become fully assimilated and behave like native verbs in everyday grammar.

Usage and status of tilaverbi vary by language community. In languages with heavy contact with English and other major languages, tilaverbi are frequent in technical, business, and digital domains and often appear in informal speech and media. Their acceptance in prescriptive norms may differ, with some communities treating them as legitimate, productive elements of the vocabulary, and others emphasizing stricter retention of native formations.

Examples commonly cited include English loan verbs that function as ordinary verbs in the recipient language, such as forms used for technology or contemporary concepts. See also loanword, calque, verbification, and language contact.