Contents:

Introduction

1. The historical causes of English borrowings in Romanian language

2. Theoretical explanation

3. Types of English borrowings

4. The influence of English terminology in Romanian mass media

5. Conclusion

Bibliography

Annexes

1
 Introduction
Language means freedom, freedom of communication, freedom of expression and access to
knowledge. Nowadays English is one of the most used language in the world. It dominates all
the other languages becoming a language of globalization and international trade. As the main
donor language for the international pool of words, has become a lingua franca, serving as an
indispensable means of communication with the outside world. We all know that the vocabulary
of any language is enriched through different borrowings. Words must necessarily appear in any
language as it means that language is alive, not dead or dying. Romanian language could not
escape the influence of English origin words which grew more and more accustomed in
everyday usage. Nowadays English words can be found in all Romanian newspapers, can be
heard on any Romanian TV channel, are used in speaking and writing. All it thanks to Mass
media, because it has become an essential part of our life and is present all around us.
Among the authors with the most relevant contributions in this area I would mention Roswitha
Fischer (2008), Monica Sim (2006), Arina Greavu (2010), Georgeta Ciobanu (1996), Mioara
Avram (1997) and Adriana Stoichițoiu-Ichim (2006). Their researches were very important for
understanding of the phenomenon and for the explanation of the factors which caused it.
Its presence in the present-day Romanian language has become so influential that, undoubtedly,
it deserves a lot of our interest . The main purpose of this article is to study the English
borrowing in Romanian in all its aspects.

2
 1. The historical causes of English borrowings in Romanian language

The origins of the contact between English and Romanian culture, and within it the English
influence on the Romanian language can be traced back to the sixteenth century, according to
Arina Greavu’s research (2010). A very important wave of English borrowings in Romanian
began at the turn of the 20th century and coincided with the intensification of economic and
cultural contacts, being encouraged by Romania’s industrial and economic development on West
European models, many of them of British origin (Greavu, 2010). Thus, British technological
methods, and with them English terminologies, were brought to the attention of specialists in oil
drilling, mining, finance, steel production, shipbuilding, weaving, etc. To these industrial /
economic elements, others were added such as military and political circumstances - Romania’s
joining the Triple Entente countries in 1916, or the fact that Queen Maria, the wife of Ferdinand
I, king of Romania from 1914 to 1927, was a grandchild of Queen Victoria and born in England.
The second half of the 20th century saw a further intensification of this influence, in spite of
political, economic and cultural barriers existing between east and west Europe. The various,
mainly political circumstances of the time, resulted in changing attitudes towards English. Thus,
while the 1950s are thought to have been the years “most intensely marked by xenophobia”,
more and more English words found their way into technical terminologies and the standard
language in the 1970s, when Romania began to assume an air of independence, with Russian
models being increasingly discarded. This period was marked by an inflow of translations of
scientific and literary writings. Evidence of the increasing influence of the English language on
Romanian is the recording of ever more Anglicisms in Romanian dictionaries starting with 1970.
These dictionaries include works of a general nature such as Dicţionarul explicativ al limbii
române (DEX), dictionaries of neologisms (DN), and recordings of new words (Florica
Dimitrescu, 1982, 1997: Dicţionar de cuvinte recente - DCR1 and DCR2), as well as specialized
dictionaries restricted to individual domains, e.g. computer science, finance and trade, marketing,
sports and medicine. Finally, the contemporary period, the end of the 20th century and the
beginning of the 21st century is characterized by what is usually referred to as “an unprecedented
English influence” which manifests itself directly, without the intermediacy of other languages,
mainly through second language teaching and the mass media, being supported by extra-
linguistic factors such as fashion and prestige. The present-day flood of Anglicisms to
Romanian that characterizes this period makes it particularly interesting and worth studying from
the linguistic perspective.

3
 2. Theoretical explanation

In order to get a better understanding of the elements analysed in the following

chapters, I consider useful to define some of the main terms related to the subject of this
paper and clarify some of the issues that are likely to generate confusion as far as these
terms are concerned. The term Anglicism was first used in the 17th century and refers to a
linguistic feature of English used in another language. According to Wikipedia, an
Anglicism, as most often defined, is a word borrowed from English into another
language. It is a word or phrase that is peculiar to British English transposed in another
language resulting in incorrect language use or incorrect translation.
According to American Heritage Dictionary, a borrowing is “especially a word or phrase
borrowed from one language for use in another”. Or „a word adopted from another
language and completely or partially naturalized.”
A loanword (or loan word) is a word adopted, normally with little change in form, from
another language. In Wikipedia, it is a word borrowed from a donor language and
incorporated into a recipient language.
A non-established borrowing is also sometimes called a foreignism, but only if it is a
lexical and not a semantic borrowing. Foreignisms are said to be used for a particular
purpose, for instance to make a connection with a specific culture by means of its
language.
The borrowing process of English elements in Romanian can be labelled as a dynamic
one, with an increasing rate over the last years, especially after 1989. To illustrate the
development of the borrowing rate, in The English Element in the Romanian Language
(1996), Georgeta Ciobanu mentions some figures: 60 words in a Romanian dictionary
printed in 1958 (DLRM), about 800 words in the main explanatory thesaurus dictionary
of 1975 (DEX), approximately 450 more words added in a dictionary of recent words
printed in 1982 (DCR), and almost 850 items added in the Supplement to the 1975
explanatory dictionary, printed in 1988 (DEX S).

4
 3. Types of English borrowings

The media, the main providers of Anglicisms, have built a secondary

reality, relying on information, reports and interpretations which they select, order
them according to priorities, and spread them among the public, using a certain
terminology. In relation to the public, “the media aims at four objectives: raising
awareness and information on a particular topic, forming attitudes and finally,
influencing behavior in a certain direction”. (Constantinescu, 2006:28) English
neologisms become popular mostly through mass media, Internet, words of mouth,
especially the youths’ speaking.
Sextil Pușcariu devides the borrowings in two categories: necessary borrowings and
luxury. He said that the necessary borrowings are those words or idiomatic units that
don’t have correspondent in Romanian. In this sense these anglicisms have the advantage
of the precision an of the international use. Luxury anglicisms are unnecessary
bowrrowings, related to the subjective
tendency of social groups to individualize the language in this way. Such
terms merely duplicate Romanian words, without additional information.
Here are some examples of necessary borrowings:
Economic, financial, trade and professions terminology:
-Baby-sitter - îngrijitor de copii; -Broker and dealer –intermediar
-Drive-in – cinema, restaurant care oferă servicii clienţilor fără ca aceştia să-şi părăsească
maşinile
-Duty-free –mărfuri cumpărate pe aeroporturi, nave sau în avion, la preţuri mici, fiind
scutite de taxe
-Non-profit –care nu caută să obţină profit
-Rating –categorie, clasificare, clasă, rang
-Tour-operator –companie care organizează şi vinde vacanţe prin intermediul unui agent
turistic
-Voucher –document care poate fi folosit, în loc de bani, pentru a plăti ceva
Technical terminology:
-Airbag –pernă gonflabilă destinată să protejeze, în caz de ciocnire, pasagerii de pe
locurile din faţă ale unui automobil
-Hard and soft –termeni din cibernetică
-Laptop – calculator portabil
-Screening –examen medical realizat cu raze X
- A scana – (from the English verb to scan) a examina ceva în detaliu, cu ajutorul unui
fascicul de raze X
-Shipping –expediere de mărfuri cu ajutorul navelor
-Site –spaţiu, pagină de Internet
-Walkman –casetofon portabil cu căşti, la care pot fi ascultate din mers inregistrări
musicale
Sports terminology:

5
-Snow-board - sportul şi suportul cu ajutorul căruia este practicat
-Skateboard –sportul practicat cu ajutorul planşei pe role
-Skate – patinaj pe role
-Canyoning –sport extrem constând în coborârea pe văile unor torenţi din munţi
Terms from communications and media:
-Banner –fâşie lungă de pânză pe care este scris un mesaj, un slogan
-Clip –scurt film publicitar difuzat la televizor
-Hot line –linie telefonică prin care publicul poate contacta poliţia sau alte servicii pentru
a da informaţii despre anumite situaţii speciale
Terms of education and research:
-Curriculum –programa şcolară pentru o anumită disciplină
-Grant –sumă de bani nerambursabilă acordată unui cercetător individual, echipe de
cercetare, institut de cercetare pentru realizarea, într-o perioadă de timp determinată, a
unei activităţi de cercetare ştiinţifică
-Master –studii aprofundate
Fashionable life field:
-Body –obiect de lenjerie feminine; -Bodypainting –pictură pe corp
-Fan club –un grup organizat, ai cărui membri admiră aceeaşi persoană
-High-life –elită; -Party –petrecere
And some examples of luxury anglicisms:
Economic, financial, trade and professions terminology:
-Advertising –publicitate; -Agreement –acord financiar, economic
-Showroom –magazin de expoziţie
Terms from communications:
-Briefing –întâlnire cu presa ; -Key –speaker –vorbitor principal
Terms of education:
-Training –pregătire, instruire; -Item –întrebare, punct dintr-un test
-Visitig professor -profesor oaspete
Artistic terminology:
-Band –orchestră, formaţie muzicală; -Evergreen –şlagăr
-Performance –spectacol; -Teleplay –piesă de teatru la TV
Sports terminology:
-Pole-position –poziţie de favorit într-o competiţie sportivă
Fashionable life field:
-Fashion – modă; -Make-up –farduri; -Modeling –meseria de manechin
Gastronomy terminology:
-Snaks –gustări; -Steak –carne pentru friptură

6
 4. The influence of English terminology in Romanian mass media

The Romanian terminology of mass media follows the Anglo-American conceptual pattern.
As a consequence, the lexical and phrasal borrowings from English are prevalent in the lexicon
used in this field. Breaking news, news alert, meeting, leadership or lobby are only a few of the
numerous English syntagms taken over by journalists and imposed in the daily language of the
Romanians by means of media. The continuous progress of arts, technology, sciences brings
along a great number of new words. Each new thing, object, must bear a name. The English used
in Romanian media can be understood to serve two main functions: a decorative function and a
communicative function. The decorative function of the English incorporates characteristics
such as font size, font colour, and placement on the page. In this sense the English functions
visually, and does not need to be read or understood. The second function that the English has is
its communicative function. English words which can be read and understood by Romanian
people are able to express their meaning, whereas words that cannot be read or which are not
expected to be read do not have much of a communicative function and are mostly decorative.
English is studied by most Romanian people for a period of at least eight years in school
therefore at least some of the English can be reasonably assumed to be understood by Romanian
people. Apart from that, the TV watcher is also bombed and baffled from the very beginning of
certain transmissions, whose titles are understood by large part of the audience, such as: Happy
Hour, Master Chef, Wow Biz, Paparazzi, I Like It, Teleshopping…
Acording to Sim and Pop (2009) 65% of the neologic terms that appear regularly in the glossy
magazines are not included in the recently published lexicographic works. Some such terms:
make-up artist, anti-age, look, lifting, eye-liner, trend, casual, hair-stylist, home-made,
designer…
The avalanche of neologisms in Romanian mass media has been initially considered as a
modality of concealing reality, indirectly contributing to baffling an already confuse population.
However, linguists provided two types of explanations to such a phenomenon:

- objective causes – the need to give a name to objects or notions not known or not defined
since then.
- Subjective causes – snobbery, the wish to astound, imitation of the Western life style.

A special category recorded by linguists is innovations, Romanian declined words on the

structure of the English ones. Examples: - „O să se topească, o să se meltească zăpada” (Antena
1, 2007). The verb “a se melti” is formed from the English word to melt - a se topi. One of the
terms most frequently used in Romanian televisions language is “locaţie” derived from the
English “location.” The term most often replaces even where no appropriate the Romanian word
loc (place) and its derivatives centru, sediu, imobil (center, office, building). I found in the above
mentioned reports the following uses: - „locaţie secretă” (TVR1, 2007) - „Autorităţile au
pregătit deja locaţii pentru a adăposti oamenii.” (TVR 2,2007) - „Italia, de exemplu, sau alte
locaţii minunate”. (TVR Cultural, 2008) - „în categoria asta a pieselor mai slow”. (Kiss FM,
2007)- „am realizat că e nevoie de toate device-urile”. (InfoPro, 2007).

7
 Using Anglicisms and calques Instead of Romanian words, inappropriate words and English
constructions were used as well as unsuitable forms. Abuse of Anglicisms is clearly presented in
the monitoring reports, where we find the following phrases:
- “vreau să-mi faci un scurt background al vârfurilor pe care ai urcat”. (Radio Guerrilla, 2008)
- “promite boss-ul Stelei”. (Prima TV, 2008) – correct: promite şeful Stelei.
- “au săpat în exteriorul parkingului; au intrat în parking” (Antena 3, 2008)
- “o trupă în trend acum”. (TVR 2, 2008)
- “îţi dă Reject”. (InfoPro, 2008)
- “nu te-aş mai băga în meciuri ever”. (InfoPro, 2008)
- “E safe acum să te duci în Mamaia?”. (B1 TV, 2008)
- “Mi-a plăcut foarte mult speech-ul dumneavoastră de aseară”. (TVR Cultural, 2008)
- „persoane din staff-ul acestei firme” (B1 TV, 2012) –correct: Cei/Câţiva din personalul acestei
firme”
As noted above, we recognize frequently in today's audiovisual language, Anglicisms that
became Romanian words, giving them another meaning besides the old one. For example we
find in audio-visual language, complex sentences such as: the word interviu/interview. It meant
until a few years ago, only " the dialogue between a journalist and a person that becomes public
through press, books, radio or television." (DEX) Now interviu/interview means " dialogue
between an employer and a job candidate for testing or assessment". (Dictionar enciclopedic)
Also a completely new and useful meaning owing to media has the word promoţie, which meant
only " a whole series of education graduates". Today the word means “offer of goods in special,
advantageous conditions, for a limited period". (Dictionar encyclopedic)

8
 5. Conclusion

Language is a living organism, that continuously evolves and adapts itself to the changes in
the human development process. The essence of language is to renew permanently. The
evolution of a language is a natural, dialectic process, in which new words enter the language or
are formed under the influence of others, and other words are phased out of use. The evolution of
a language can not be stopped, its renewal can not be prohibited in a rational society that wants
to progress and integrate in the concert of civilizations.
If someone wants to say cool instead of “excelent or perfect”, leader instead of “conducător”,
teamwork instead of “muncă de echipă”, weekend instead of “sfârșit de săptămână”, then he or
she is free to do so.
It is clear that Romanian language has the character of a living, dynamic organism, in contact
with English, and the current trend of globalization leaves its mark on Romanian vocabulary.
Anglicisms are a reality, a living proof of language evolution.
As a general conclusion we can say that the influence of English on Romanian is not a harmful
phenomenon that threatens to alter the identity of the Romanian language and to falsify its
profile. It is natural that English influence Romanian, through information and communication.

9
 Bibliography

 Avram, M. (2012) “Anglicismele în limba română actuală”, Bucureşti: Editura

Academiei.
 Athu, C. (2011) “Influenţa limbii engleze asupra limbii române actuale. În limbajul
economic şi de afaceri”, Bucuresti: Editura Universitara.
 “The English Element in the Romanian Language” (1996), Ciobanu Georgeta.
 Manea Constantin. “Remarks on the Recent English Loanwords in the Romanian
Vocabulary”, Pitești: Editura Universitații din Pitești, 2010.

10
 Annexes:

1. Classify the following anglicisms in 3 domains (sport, mass-media, economy): clip,

copywrite, hot line, banking, fitness, staff, surfing, broker, online, playoff, screaming,
skateboard, shipping, business, email, live, briefing, rugby.
2. Write a short newspaper article in your native language using the following anglicisms:
street food, fan-club, talk-show, live fitness, fashon, modelling, make-up, cash, briefing,
baby-sitter.

11