loanword
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 loanword
A word adopted from another language and used as part of the receiving language’s vocabulary.
loanword
A word taken from another language and incorporated into a language’s vocabulary.
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คำยืมจากภาษาอังกฤษ kham yʉʉm càak phaasǎa aŋkrìt a loanword from English คำยืมจากภาษาอังกฤษ details
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คำว่า “คอมพิวเตอร์” เป็นคำยืมจากภาษาอังกฤษ kham wâa khɔɔmphiwtə̂ə pen kham yʉʉm càak phaasǎa aŋkrìt The word “คอมพิวเตอร์” is a loanword from English. คำว่า “คอมพิวเตอร์” เป็นคำยืมจากภาษาอังกฤษ details
Learning notes
Explanation
The noun is formed from คำ “word” and ยืม “to borrow.” The borrowing is figurative: the word becomes part of another language’s vocabulary and is not something that is later returned. A คำยืม may undergo changes in pronunciation, spelling, or meaning after being adopted. The common pattern คำยืมจากภาษา… means “a loanword from ….” Its classifier is คำ, as in คำยืมหนึ่งคำ, “one loanword.”
Usage
It is commonly used in language classes, dictionaries, textbooks, and discussions of word origins. It is a neutral term used mainly when talking about language and vocabulary.
Caution
คำยืม and คำทับศัพท์ are not fully interchangeable. คำทับศัพท์ emphasizes phonetic rendering of a foreign word in Thai script, while คำยืม is the broader category of words adopted from other languages. Also, คำยืม functions as a noun, whereas ยืม by itself is the verb “to borrow.”