“Kolori, Sirkuli”: semantic relations of the indigenized English lexemes in Cebuano

Abstract

This study investigated the use of indigenized English lexemes (IELs) in Cebuano, specifically focusing on the Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Language Education (MTB-MLE) Sinugbuanong Binisaya textbooks. These IELs have been prevalent despite the existence of the equivalent words and language policy being enforced. Specifically, this study sought to: identify the linguistic features of the IELs; determine the semantic relations associated with the IELs; and explore how Cebuano IELs reflect the cultural norms of its users. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing textual analysis and thematic analysis. The findings reveal notable phonological and morphological features in the IELs. Phonologically, insertion, deletion, and substitution processes were observed, while morphologically, changes in the inflectional affixes of verbs were highlighted, specifically through the use of the common affixes gi, i-, -i, and nag-. Furthermore, the IELs exhibit various semantic relations that include contrasts, similarities, class inclusion, case relations, and part-whole relationships. Finally, emergent themes demonstrate how IELs in Cebuano reflect the cultural norms of its users, encompassing preferences in teaching styles, classroom observations involving IELs, teaching goals and intentions, thoughts and attitudes, and challenges encountered with the MTB-MLE program. The study concludes that language borrowing offers functional advantages and remains essential even in the teaching of a mother tongue such as Cebuano. Future studies could explore IELs in informal contexts such as magazines, advertisements, and social media, investigate the semantic changes of IELs in Cebuano, and conduct longitudinal studies on the effects of the MTB-MLE program on its learners.